In the pursuit of living a healthier life, you may realize that your daily commute is a good chance to get a little exercise in before work. Biking to work has become much more popular in recent years, especially as jobs become more and more sedentary themselves. Bike commuting can be very enjoyable, but it comes with a fair share of its own challenges. We’ll give you some tips for making your bike commute easier, so you can enjoy the ride to work rather than dread it.
Tailor Your Bike to Your Commute
Not every bike suits every kind of commute. Before you think about getting a new bike, think about what sort of challenges you’ll face on the road. Are all the roads smooth, or do you have a lot of rough patches to deal with? Depending on your route, certain bikes will handle better than others. For example, if you have a longer commute, you may want to look at an e-bike conversion to help take some of the pressure off of your legs.
Find the Shortcuts
A great aspect of bike commuting, as opposed to car commuting, is that you often have more options regarding how to get to work. It’s a good idea to keep an eye out for shortcuts that you couldn’t normally take in a car. These will help you save time on your way to work, but they also are often much more enjoyable to ride through than simply being on the street.
Stay Confident While Riding
One of the most important tips for making your bike commute easier is to ensure you stay confident on the road as you bike. It’s much more likely that timid riding will lead to a problem. If you are confident in your movements and how much space you take up, other drivers will respect your space more. Don’t try to hide from traffic by getting as close to the curb as possible; this can easily turn into an accident if you aren’t careful.
Have a Good Storage Solution
Moving things that you need back and forth from work on a bike can pose a new challenge. Thankfully, you have options for bike storage that can help. A briefcase obviously won’t work, and you could use a backpack if you’re okay with dealing with excessive back sweat, but a good investment for your bike is a pannier that you can equip to the back for easy storage.
