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  Top 5 Benefits of Biking to Work

  Dec 5, 2024

  While there are many great reasons to bike to work, this post highlights my top 5. We are looking forward to celebrating our 18th annual Bike to Work Day Calgary. Our wish this year is to see more riders than ever out on the pathways and roads. It all started in 2006, when Lonny Balbi from Balbi and Company Legal Centre hosted the first Bike to Work Day in Calgary. He is passionate about the environment and wanted to share his love of cycling with everyone interested in trying biking to work. This year, we challenge you to encourage a new rider to join us and try out biking.

  Recent innovations in e-bikes have opened up biking to people who might not have felt comfortable with their commute because it was a bit too far or they didn’t want to tackle the hills on their route. With biking to work now accessible to more riders, it's a great time to start biking more frequently. A great way to make a positive impact is to plan to bike with a friend who might need a bit of encouragement to get started.

  Here are five great reasons to start pedaling:

  1. The extra fresh air and exercise from biking can do a lot to improve your overall health. Findings show that people who started biking to work had more energy, less stress, and were more satisfied with their jobs. Regular exercise can lower your blood pressure, improve your cholesterol, and help control blood sugar.

  2. Saving money is something on many of our wish lists. For example, if I keep my car parked and bike to work instead, I’d save $5,300 per year. You can see how much you would save using a car vs. bike calculator: Car vs. Bike Calculator.

  3. There is far less waiting in traffic when you bike to work. On a bike, you can often circumvent traffic or more easily alter your route to lessen delays.

  4. Biking can help you make new friends. There are many bike clubs and meet-up groups that feature events and opportunities to make connections. Some suggestions for places to connect with the cycling community are Bike Calgary, CORE Society, Meetup Groups, and Facebook Groups. You can also check with your local bike shop to see if they run any group rides.

  5. Biking to work offers a unique connection to your surroundings compared to driving. You are much more inclined to notice details in your environment and to experience it more vividly than when you rush by in a car. One of my favorite commuting memories was when I was biking to work. It was a cool, misty morning when I saw a great blue heron and a swan floating in Prince's Island Lagoon. The moment was picture-perfect, and it's an image I will never forget. I encourage you to set a goal to bike to work if you haven't yet, or to bike more frequently wherever you can.

   

  We would love to see you at our Bike to Work Day event! This year’s event is from 6 am – 9 am on Thursday, May 8th, 2025, at Delta Gardens. I hope you can join us for a free breakfast and your chance to win a new bike. Last year, we gave away seven new bikes that changed the rides of the lucky winners in our cycling community!

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