Commuters are sick of sitting in traffic, standing in crowded subway cars, and dealing with busses that are perpetually late. Now many of them they’re biking to work instead.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of commuters who bike to work has increased by 60 percent over the past decade—from 488,000 in 2000 to 786,000 in 2012.
It’s still a fraction of all commuters—around 1 percent—but cities like Portland, Seattle, and New York that encourage bikers with special lanes, bike-share programs, and other perks have seen impressive numbers of people taking to the streets on two wheels.
We spoke to bikers in several different cities about why they choose to cycle to work. Here are the benefits they’ve experienced on their daily commutes.
It’s a mood booster
Rusty Bergen, a personal development coach, lives in Brooklyn and bikes to WeWork Park South daily. He says that instead of starting his day out surrounded by negativity on the subway, he’s taking in the lovely sights of New York City.
“Sometimes on the train, I see pain and hurt,” he says. “When I’m riding my bike, I see beauty everywhere. I get to see people, dogs, buildings, flowers, and water. The experience is completely different than being on a train.”
Those good vibes first thing in the morning get him ready to conquer the day.
“I come in happy rather than annoyed or frustrated or hot from the subway,” Bergen says. “I don’t feel that way on my bike. A bad day on a bike is better than the best day on the subway.”
It gives peace of mind
When you get to work in the morning, it can be chaos. Your phone’s ringing, your inbox is full, and your boss wants to have a meeting with you. Instead of going into work feeling out of balance, if you bike, it can center you.
“The active commute helps me clear my head and get in the right mindset for the creative work I do,” says Craig VanDerSchaegen, a photographer who works out of the Minneapolis-based Casket Arts Community building. “The ride home is great for decompressing and reviewing the day while burning off any leftover energy and stress.”
Alex Montoya, a digital producer based out of WeWork Soho West, says he bikes to work “because I need to burn off energy when I wake up.”
“I have all these creative, crazy thoughts,” he says. “Biking is a form of meditation for me. I can roll through my ideas in my head and find ones that inspire me.”
It’s faster
According to data compiled by the 2013 American Community Survey, the average commute in the United States is nearly 26 minutes long. More than 8 percent of commuters spend 60 minutes or more of their day getting to and from work, while nearly 3 percent commute for at least 90 minutes per day.
In Washington, D.C., where traffic is near constant, “the number one fastest mode of transportation in this city is biking,” says Ryland Greenhouse, who works at Mars on Gravity out of WeWork Wonder Bread Factory.
“The D.C. metro and driving here are terrible,” Greenhouse says. “Cabs and Ubers are really expensive. Biking is the most efficient way to get around the city.”
It’s more flexible
Sara Murphy, who has a space at WeWork Fulton Market in Chicago, bikes to work because of the flexibility it offers.
“I can leave a few minutes late in the morning, and it doesn’t affect my overall commute,” she says. “I’m not trying to catch a bus. Biking gives me that time to myself, and makes getting to work less stressful.”
Murphy, who works at Quill, says she’s also discovered more of her city thanks to her commute two or three times a week.
“You can explore the neighborhoods around you. I’ve tried a few different routes and seen streets I had never seen before. I also saw restaurants that I never knew were there.”
Photo credits: Shutterstock