This Friday, swap out car keys for a helmet. May 21st is National Bike to Work Day, a day to promote the accessibility and benefits of changing your transportation style. As part of National Bike Month, May is a time to reassess how we get places and what we can do to be more active and eco-friendly. While not everyone lives within five miles of their workplace (seen as the ideal range for beginning bikers), there are many ways to celebrate this day, whether you can bike your commute or not.
On Friday, there will be over 100 pit stops (developed by Bike To Work DC) throughout the DMV area. Even if you are working remotely, you can swing by a station to pick up some celebratory goodies before biking home to finish the day. If a free t-shirt isn’t enough of an incentive, here are five reasons why you should partake in this holiday!
1. The Healthiest Option
Our bodies are not supposed to sit all day, starting the moment we leave our home in the morning. Biking improves cardio-vascular and aerobic fitness- both of which are essential to one’s health. Those who exercise on their morning commutes can expect to feel happier, have increased energy, and lower blood pressure.
2. Biking = Flexibility
Bikeshare services have transformed the way people move around the city. On-demand bikes are worry-free. Last-minute plans are no problem when there are docking stations and dockless bikes all around you! Bike to work, walk to meet friends for drinks, then take a different bike home. Bikeshares allow for planning around what you want, not what you need to take home at the end of the day.
3. More Time in Your Day
Bikes are not faster than cars, so it takes more time out of your day to bike to work... right? Wrong! Biking can actually free up your schedule. First, you’ll likely zip past commuters in gridlock through the bike lane. Second, commuting = working out, so there is no need to hit the gym after 5, freeing up your evenings or early mornings. And the cherry on top? You’ll never have to circle a block or parking garage again looking for a spot!
4. Spend Less
Biking is great for the environment, but it’s also great for your wallet. Bike share rides cost as little as two dollars, or owning a bike means a one-time investment- way lower than the upkeep cost of a vehicle. Without hitting the gas pump every week or feeding the meter, you’ll have a padded budget to buy things that you really want.
5. Start With a Swap
For those who live far from their office or face barriers like highways, biking to work isn’t feasible. Instead, try swapping out one car ride a week for the bike. Bike to and from the metro station on your way to work, or wait for the weekend and bike to a park. Many towns have bike paths that can easily take you around, avoiding major roads. Look on your local town’s website for trail information.
With two locations in D.C., AdvantEdge, Workspaces is an easy bike to work destination. For those in Northern Virginia or downtown D.C., the L Street location is within perfect biking distance. If you live in Northwest D.C. or Montgomery County, then the Chevy Chase location is for you. No matter where you are, an AdvantEdge location is within pedaling distance, with racks for personal bikes or bike share stations nearby. You may just find that the freedom and health benefits are hard to give up once you start!
