Q&A

Published 9:00 pm Saturday, September 25, 2004

Q Can I save money by commuting to work by bicycle?

A Yes. What’s more, health and transportation experts say biking to work can also be an excellent way to get exercise and lose weight. In fact, more employers around the country are offering facilities and incentives to encourage employees to come to work on their bikes.

Sure, getting a new bike can cost a few hundred dollars, not to mention a helmet and a heavy-duty lock that can cost more than $50. But if you balance those costs against, say, $100 a month in transit fees, or gas and parking costs for a car, it may only take a few months to recoup your investment.

Some people even consider their bike commute as their primary form of exercise, giving them a reason to cancel an expensive health club membership, yet another form of savings.

Kevin Shannon, the executive director of the Association for Commuter Transportation, said promoting bike-to-work programs and other commuting choices is becoming a competitive edge for some employers as a way to attract and retain workers, as well as increasing productivity by keeping them active and healthy.

“Employers are increasingly seeing a need to be flexible,” Shannon said. “Providing things like bicycle racks, showers, and vanpool or carpool opportunities are increasingly seen as essential offerings for employers, especially in urban areas.”

And with the focus on obesity, finding another way to allow employees to get regular amounts of moderate exercise is becoming a hot topic in human resource departments, Shannon said.

Andy Clarke, the head of the League of American Bicyclists, concurs: “One of the reasons people are not getting the workout they need is that they think it has to be something different from their regular agenda.”

Bike-to-work programs are already going strong in Portland, Ore.; Boulder, Colo., Seattle, and in Davis, Calif., home of one of the branches of the University of California.

With the price of gasoline having topped $2 a gallon this summer and an American, Lance Armstrong, having had six straight victories in the Tour de France bicycle race, efforts to promote everyday cycling to work seem bound to increase.

Associated Press