Column 2: Preparing For Your First Bike Commute

The second installation of my monthly Shifting Gears column (on "Preparing For Your First Bike Commute" just appeared in the Minneapolis Downtown and Southwest Journals. My first column, which focused on "Buying a New Bike" appeared in April.

Here are a couple of additional points I had to cut from the column due to space restrictions:

• Bike commuting provides excellent benefits for your metabolism, by providing two "bursts" of activity (one in the morning and one in the late afternoon). In many ways this is better than one long period of exercise. The timing is good, too, since it's right around mealtime (breakfast and dinner) allowing you to offset the spike in calories you're taking in.
  
  
• If you don't feel like you can bike the entire way from your home to your workplace, consider biking part of it to start with. Put you bike in or on your car and drive part way. Find a safe spot to leave your car during the day and bike the rest of the way in. Pretty soon you'll be able to bike further and eventually you'll more than likely be able to ride the whole way.

Happy commuting, and happy Bike-to-Work Day (May 14)!

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