Posts Tagged ‘Raleigh’

I’m not your typical bike commuter, if there is actually such a thing. I unfortunately do not live close enough to work to make my commute door to door. Instead, I drive part way to a local mall and climb out of the valley it is in for a nice little 700 feet of climbing in just under 8 miles one way. Until this year, the same bike I raced in crits and road races was the same I used for my commutes. I don’t have fenders, nor any of the commuter-specific gear. I wear my team kits/gear, and take my hilly commutes as way to force training into an otherwise hectic and busy day, finding sprint points on the rolling hills of Raleigh, North Carolina.

But for me, bike commuting has a lot more value than simply the health and daily training benefits. Obviously, it’s a great way to burn less fuel and save some wear and tear on your vehicle. But even that is a secondary perk for me. The days I bike to and from work are just a little better than those in my car. Cycling into the office is a completely refreshing and almost cleansing way for me to start and end the day. It clears the mind a bit and washes the stresses and annoyances away for the day.

Every road and mountain biker alike will recognize how routes look different by bike versus by a four-wheeled vehicle. I bike some of the same roads I drive in on, but you get to see things from a different perspective – partially because you’re moving at a slower pace (usually, but not always) and are at a different height, but being in the open air of a pedal-powered transport also allows you to literally smell the roses, notice homes, landscapes and some really scenic sunrises and sunsets. You notice and experience things that you’re totally oblivious to enclosed in your car.

While bike commuting isn’t feasible for everyone, I really think everyone should at least try to give it a shot once. Granted, some are too far from home to do a complete route to and from work, but there are plenty of park and ride lots and safe public parking to leave a vehicle behind, like I do. Bike commuting is different than your group rides with its own unique goal — getting from here to there, and then back again. Everyone is different, but for me, the combination of sights, sounds and smells coupled with the physical aspects of starting and ending the work day spinning on my road bikes is a completely rewarding daily ritual.