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Sometimes you live far away from work. Perhaps you wanted a good school district for your kids, a yard for your dog, or your company really likes office parks and chose one on the other side of town. That doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of a bike to save you money, keep you healthy, and boost your spirits. Here are our four favorite solutions:
One beautiful thing about a bike is that you can fit it on to or inside of other modes of transportation (good luck doing that with your car!). You can put it on a bus, take it on the train, or load it in your car. Too far from your office? Try swapping part of your commute for a bike ride, and see how it goes. Consider places you could park-and-ride to save money on gas and parking, or use the bus/train plus your bike to make it faster and easier when traffic gets bad (like Friday afternoons or special events).
Riding to work is awesome, but so is riding to the store, or the coffee shop, or the gym. Non-commute trips account for more than 50% of all trips, and those trips average under 3 miles in length (aka perfect for a bike). Try riding somewhere convenient first, and build in more destinations as you get comfortable.
It’s a bit more costly upfront, but if you prefer the futuristic option or want to feel like a superhero, then you’ll want to consider an e-bike. E-bikes have an electric motor on board that you can use to provide either an assist while you pedal or the full amount of power. When you arrive at your destination you just charge the bike up and repeat! If you’ve got to conquer hillier roads or longer distances, an e-bike is a great way to go.
This one is a bit more ambitious, but some folks have found it works for them. Starting Monday (for example), drive to work and bring your bike with you. Then bike home after work, and bike to work the next morning (then drive yourself back home after work). Keep doing this bike/bike/drive/drive pattern and it will cut your bike trip in half, and cut your driving in half! Again, it may not be right for you, but we know some folks who love this as a way to get in a longer bike ride every day!