10 Reasons to Bike to Work This Summer | Scheller's Fitness & Cycling

With gas prices at an all-time high, and likely to continue climbing, you're probably already driving less and bicycling more.

Ride your bike: get fit, have fun and save money!

If you're having a hard time breaking the 4-wheel habit, we put our heads together and came up with our top 10 reasons to ride rather than drive.

10. You get ultra-cool tan lines! 

We'll start with a fun one, and you can laugh if you want. We wear our cycling tans like a badge of honor, a sign of our healthy lifestyle choices, a tangible token of membership to an exclusive group. It says, "Hey, I ride a bike," or, "I grow turnips." Either way, people are bound to be impressed at the beach. Enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells! Just be sure to use sunblock, so you don't overdo it.

9. You see your city like drivers can't!

On two wheels, and moving at a comfortable pace, you can enjoy your environment and see, smell and hear things you never notice in a car. Which of your neighbors has the best-landscaped yard? Which bakeries smell so good you have to stop? How many different architectural styles can you spot? On a bicycle, you can take the scenic route and explore and become a tourist in your city. Every ride is an adventure.

8. You'll start getting those "we-miss-you" cards from your doctor!

Pedaling just 10mph, a140-pound cyclist burns about 400 calories an hour. And studies prove that biking a few times a week reduces blood pressure and stress while increasing your energy and elevating your overall mood. Your doctor may have to wait a little longer to buy that yacht.

7. You never get stuck in traffic and always have a great parking spot.

If you ride in a city and bike during commuting hours, you'll love being able to cruise past long lines of vehicles held up at red lights (be sure to observe for right-turning traffic who might not see you). While drivers breathe exhaust (studies have shown that cyclists breathe less exhaust than drivers) and honk at each other, you feel the breeze and enjoy the sights off the roadside. Not to mention that you always get a great parking spot and often even beat your coworkers who drive to work.

6. You have one less car payment--and forget about registration and insurance fees!

According to our very unscientific study (read: quick Google search), the average car payment is $500 a month. On top of that, add the cost of insurance, registration, gas, maintenance, etc. By eliminating that vehicle and using your bicycle instead, think of all the bike gear you can buy!

5. You find cool free stuff on the side of the road!

By observing the flotsam and jetsam along America's streets and highways, you never know what you may find. Loose change, designer sunglasses, cool tools, $20 bills — heck, maybe an entire bag of money! Of course, you'll have to come back to grab that cool Naugahyde sofa with the "free" sign you spotted on someone's lawn. 

4. You can cancel your gym membership!

Riding outside sure beats the treadmill, elliptical machines and the three pieces of cardio equipment you still haven't figured out. No waiting in line for those machines, either. Best, you'll no longer have to spot for Rocko while he's bench-pressing weights equivalent to a small car.

3. You'll never be late for work again!

Because you can avoid traffic and cruise faster than jammed vehicles, it's likely you'll commute more quickly on two wheels and never be late again. Plus, if you are late sometimes, it'll probably be because you decided to take the scenic route. We've done it, too. But tell your boss instead that you got a flat tire. We know you can fix a flat tire in a matter of minutes, but he doesn't. And, he should be impressed that you're making an effort to bike in, keeping yourself healthy in the process and saving a parking space for someone else.

2. Cyclists make better lovers! 

According to a study led by Dr. Romualdo Belardinelli, director of the Lancisi Heart Institute in Ancona, Italy, the results of aerobic exercise are comparable to those of Viagra, because both widen blood vessels. Hmmm... that's a little scary. Our point is, regular exercise like cycling will make you feel better, increase your energy and even help you look better, too. All of which makes you more interesting to and interested in the opposite sex.

1. Bicycling is a Fountain of Youth!

It's a fantastic thing. You feel younger and get more years out of your muscles, joints, and organs by merely using your highly capable self to pedal around instead of sitting statue-like behind that steering wheel. In fact, cycling might be the closest thing you can find a Fountain of Youth. Like few other sports, it keeps you fit and young with the minimal risk of injury. For example, we know plenty of 55-year-old regular riders who look and move like they’re closer to age 35, and also 80-year olds who still love to ride — and can because they're riding for years.

We'd enjoy hearing your reasons for biking instead of driving. And we look forward to helping you with all your cycling needs! If you're interested in more tips for bicycle commuting, visit the League of American Bicyclists and come into Scheller's to get your bicycle bike-to-work ready!