High on people's New Year's resolution lists is usually getting more exercise or becoming more fit. However, it can be difficult to carve out the time in your day to exercise -- if you're not a morning person, mornings can be difficult; evenings might be spent with your partner or kids or you're just too tired, and it's easy to work through the lunch hour (or perhaps there's not a way for you to get exercise during the lunch hour). But if you don't commute too far, there might be a single easy solution that involves a visit to a bicycle shop near you. Bicycling to and from work is an easy way to incorporate daily exercise into your routine, be environmentally friendly, and perhaps even cut through traffic, all at the same time.
Where Do I Find a Bike That Works For Me?
There are actually quite a few kinds of bikes. We're probably most familiar with hybrid bikes, which is fairly versatile and can do a little bit of everything. Though you wouldn't want to do any off-road mountain trails on them, they're usually okay on unpaved bike trails and have front suspension to cushion you from bumps, and also can be used on paved roads, and sport padded seats for comfort. They're a great errand or short commute bike, and good for everyday use.
Mountain bikes or trail bikes are probably what you want if you intend to take up biking in a bit more rugged of a fashion; you want the grip, low gear range, and good suspension.
If you plan on using your bike in the city or for commuting or long distances, touring bikes are a good fit. They're built for pavement, but can support long distances, and racks or fenders can easily be installed. A lower gear range means that you can carry things up steeper inclines and the bike frame and design allow for heavier loads to be managed well. Whether you're getting groceries or commuting to work, a touring bike is likely the right choice.
Why Bike?
Exercise
This is perhaps the most compelling reason for some people to take up biking on a regular basis. It's aerobic, so it gets your heart pumping and your lungs going and increases blood flow. Better cardiovascular health is important all around, and it's likely that your calves, hamstrings, and legs will get stronger too. You might find that you have better endurance and lose weight, which is associated with other positive health benefits.
Environmental Reasons
Biking doesn't involve any carbon emissions -- it's just your own exertion and two wheels getting you places. On already clogged roads with too many cars on the road, choosing to bike can help with congestion and reduce emissions. Plus, bikes save almost 250 million gallons of gas every year!
Sightseeing
You might be surprised at how much of your village, town, or city you can explore by biking. It might necessitate you taking a different way to work or school or the store, so you might get to know other parts of your neighborhood that you wouldn't have seen before.
How a Bicycle Shop Can Help?
A bicycle shop can just not help you find a bike, but also offer advice and expertise on being a bike owner. They might suggest certain pedals for bikes, whether or not you need toe clips, or suggest good bags for bikes if you're commuting. If something breaks, your bicycle shop can often conduct repairs or refer you to someone else who can.
Purchasing your bike from a local bike shop is always a good idea, because you also get their resources and assistance with the bike along with it, instead of having to battle a bigger chain's often frustrating customer service.
Make a change this year and commit to biking! Whether it's to work or school or just taking it to the store or getting out on the weekends, biking can exert positive change in your life.
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