Bicycle as a mean of transportation

Discussion in Sports & Fitness started by Gelsemium • Sep 18, 2014.

  1. Gelsemium

    GelsemiumWell-Known Member

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    How many of you has ever taken the bike to work or school? I think that when it's not raining and when the distances are not too big, this can be the ideal vehicle because it's free and improves our health. Sure, there are some concerns like getting sweaty to work or the bike being stolen... What's your thoughts on this?
     
  2. erik120

    erik120Active Member

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    Riding a bike is still one of the easiest ways to get into tight spaces within an area which is not too large to travel by bike, like from one neighborhood to another or so but not huge distances unless you are really trained. Sure, one of the problems really is sweating, not always a problem though, some people like myself don't sweat a lot but if you do, you can't go to work like that.
    The bike being stolen while you're on it not so much and you can chain it to something more solid with a strong chain so as to eliminate that risk.
     
  3. DrRipley

    DrRipleyExpert

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    I only take my bike for short trips around the neighborhood, but I agree that it's a great way to get around and to get I a good amount of exercise as well. The only problem with using a bike in my area is that the air is a bit too polluted and there are too many cars around and considering that my attention span is so low, I think it is a little more risky for me personally.
     
  4. AresBlade

    AresBladeActive Member

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    Before I began working from home and moved out of the city, I used my bike as every day transportation to work. It was about 10K to and from work and I loved the ride. Something about unwinding on my bike while others are waiting it traffic really appeals to me. I obviously wasn't as fast getting home as I would be in my car, but when the weather's nice (rain doesn't affect my biking, but the 5 months of Winter sure do), I'm happy to take my bike anywhere I can.
     
  5. elbycap

    elbycapNew Member

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    Hi Ya Rider,
    Take it easy when heading to work, first of all. Don't sweat it!
    Seriously, I like the idea. There are probably a few more benefits that we aren't aware of.
    Either way it's a win/win workout for the body and the bankroll.
    Be well!!
     
  6. Spectre456

    Spectre456Active Member

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    I think it's a great means of transportation, especially for a student. I never actually used a bike, I much preferred walking since my high school was about 10 blocks away and I enjoyed a relaxing stroll. My cousin rode a bike the whole time he was in high school though, and he was always very fit and had some good definition on his calf muscles. So if it's not too far away I would say you should take a bike to school or work.
     
  7. JoshPosh

    JoshPoshBanned

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    I know guys that still use a bike to get to work. I don't know how they get by in the rain. Maybe a rain suit or they catch rides with someone. Cheapest way to get around. No car insurance or car maintenance.
     
  8. deathbyprayer

    deathbyprayerActive Member

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    I took a bike to work once when I was still living in the city. It was really cool to have to bike every morning to work but I find it tedious since I have to find a parking and storage for the bike since the place that I work for don't have one.
     
  9. GemmaRowlands

    GemmaRowlandsActive Member

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    I have recently started using my bicycle a lot more to get around, because I realised that (1) I could definitely use the exercise and (2) it was a heck of a lot cheaper than either taking my car or going on public transport. Where my partner lives is a 30 minute bike ride away, and I decided that from now on, I would cycle rather than drive whenever I wanted to go and see him. I must have saved a lot of money since I made that decision, because travelling just doesn't cost me anything anymore. I would definitely suggest getting a bike to anyone, however one thing that I would say is that you should always make sure that you have the right training to cycle, and that you're not going to hurt yourself during your journey. If you live somewhere very busy then make sure that it is safe to cycle.
     
  10. beccagreen

    beccagreenActive Member

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    I use to ride the bike to my classes. It's a good form of exercise and you don't have to deal with traffic and if you're faced with a red light you can just transform into a pedestrian and carry your bike around. But only if the place your going to has some sort of secured bike rack otherwise you'll have to pay someone to make sure your bike is not going anywhere.
     
  11. TuRon Davis

    TuRon DavisActive Member

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    This was once a great idea at one time., but times have gotten alot more dangerous nowadays. I used to ride my bike just about everywhere when i was younger including school. However, riding a bike is very beneficial health wise. I would still ride my bike to save gas if i had to, but not by choice. People where I come from will shoot you while they ride just because they are bored.
     
  12. Thejamal

    ThejamalActive Member

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    I rode my bike to school my first 3 years of college, and while I got great exercise out of it, I honestly hated it. I always had to plan far ahead in my rides and it was never convenient to go home if I forgot something or just to go home for a bit and relax during the day. I'm also a musician, so carrying instruments back and forth on a 7 mile round trip was absolutely horrible for my back. I also didn't like getting sweaty on my way to school and having to bring a change of clothes and everything.

    It's a great way to get exercise, but you need a place to ideally rinse off, change clothes, and have the time to get there before your day starts.
     
  13. Dora M

    Dora MWell-Known Member

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    Currently, my bike is my main means of transport. I take it to work every day. As bikes are a very desirable commodity here, I have to take my bike into the school where I work and put it into a secure place. Usually, I take it wherever I go, but I can't leave it anywhere in the streets. There are special places around town where one can leave one's motorbike or bicycle for a small fee, and a security guard will look after it.
     
  14. akiii123

    akiii123Active Member

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    `I think if the bicycle is made the means of transport for people a lot of problems could be avoided. The environment will become greener and people will learn to live a healthy life when compared to other times. Also, the number of accidents would decrease steeply. Making bicycle a compulsory means of transport would be difficult in the beginning, but once it is done, it can be really helpful to the society as a whole.
     
  15. prettycolors

    prettycolorsActive Member

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    Back when I had a day to day job I used to bike all the time except those rainy days where taking the car or public transportation was a must. It was a fun and efficient way to exercise since I was properly using time that I would've lost in transit. In the end I got some nice legs without spending a dime :eek: Since I moved in the new apartment, that's located way up above the ground, I take my bike out for a spin rarely, carrying the thing over all those stairs is a pain.
     
  16. May102014

    May102014Active Member

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    I never took a bicycle as a mode of transportation to work because my job is near a city area where traffic is crazy. I would get loss in the shuffle. However, I do use my bicycle if I am going to Walgreens, located up the street from me or another nearby store. It is an excellent source of exercise. I typically take my bicycle out on cooler days so I won't be too sweaty upon reaching my destination.
     
  17. DancingLady

    DancingLadyActive Member

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    I have been biking to work for over 4 years now. I love it, it's great exercise, I am always warmed up and ready to go when I get there and I don't have a gas or insurance bill on my vehicle. I am able to take ballet because I am not spending that money on a car. I recommend biking to anyone who is able to give it a try. The only downside is hills, they are very challenging but I have worked up to being able to do some pretty long uphill stretches.
     
  18. sidney

    sidneyWell-Known Member

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    I don't know how to ride a bike, but I do have a number of relatives and friends who use them. If I know how to ride a bike then for sure I will use it to travel short distances too, because it is better than walking and I will get to my destination faster.
     
  19. pennylane

    pennylaneActive Member

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    I bike to work and it's lovely. It's a couple of miles there and a couple back. It's great day to day exercise and puts me in a good mood for the day. I am lucky to have greenway paths to cover most of my route. I am able to take my bike inside for security. I recommend it if you can!
     
  20. Gelsemium

    GelsemiumWell-Known Member

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    I even feel somewhat sad for letting so many years go by and not riding, I used to ride it daily and for a number of reasons I stopped, but we need to maintain things in perspective, if it's healthy and saves us money we just need to find a way to do it. Not to mention that it's great to ride!