Why You Should Bike to Work This Week

 Why You Should Bike to Work This Week

Cyclists cite lots of reasons for trading in the car, bus or train for a two-wheel commute¹: a good workout, a minuscule² carbon footprint, fewer worries about finding a parking space -- but one of the most-enticing benefits is the cost savings³.

Last year Congress added another perk⁴, putting bicycle commuters on the list of those eligible⁶ for a transportation tax benefit. Just as employers can provide tax-free reimbursement⁸ for the cost of parking or transit⁹ passes, now they can also subsidize the cost of biking to work.

The benefit is capped at a modest $20 per month, but bicyclists’ demand for this benefit over the past year has been steadily¹⁰ growing. For example, Commuter⁵ Check, a company that helps employers implement¹¹ commuter benefits, says that demand has exceeded expectations -- especially on the West Coast and the San Francisco area.

The cap on tax-free money for cycling is far less than what’s available for parking ($230 a month) and transit passes ($120 a month). And unfortunately, the subsidy¹² cannot be combined with any other transportation benefits. But every little bit helps. To qualify for the biking benefit, employees must ride their bicycle for a substantial portion of their commute at least three days per week. The money is added to your income or distributed as a separate check, but you won’t have to pay federal or state taxes on it. You are required to use the subsidy for qualified¹³ expenses -- bikes, locks, helmets and general maintenance and repairs. At companies that use Commuter Check, employees get a paper check that can be cashed only at bicycle shops for qualified expenses.

If your company doesn’t offer reimbursement for bicycle commuting¹⁴, ask your human resources department to consider the benefit. According to Commuter Check, employers rarely offer the benefit until prompted by their employees. The American League of Bicyclists has helpful information about the new law and offers commuter pledge cards that can be used for implementing¹⁵ the benefit.

The $20-per-month subsidy is chump change compared with what you’ll save just by leaving the car at home. Roger Crawford, 53, rides his bike part of the way to his job in Arlington, Va. He started biking three days each week in August 2008 -- and for only ten miles of his brutal¹⁶ commute of 75 miles each way. “Step into [cycling] gradually,” Crawford advises. “Be conservative in your goals, and stick to them.” Now, he drives 50 miles and bikes the remaining 25 miles, five days a week. Crawford says he saves $260 a month in highway tolls¹⁷, $60 a month in parking fees and $81 a month in gas -- a combined monthly savings of more than $400, not including vehicle-maintenance costs.

More important, Crawford says, he’s lost 30 pounds and kept his blood-sugar level under control. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes¹⁸ last summer.

Other commuter cyclists achieve additional cost savings by trading in a workout at the gym for a rush-hour bike ride. “I used to spend an hour at the gym and an hour driving. Now, I get my commuting and exercise in, and I save gas money,” says Mike Schechter, 32, who recently started cycling seven miles per day, each way, to his job at a law firm in Seattle. He also scaled back his gym membership from $300 a month to just $40 a month by foregoing benefits such as one-on-one time with a trainer.

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Surviving the commute

A bicycle commute to work surrounded by rush-hour traffic isn’t the same as a weekend ride through the countryside. First, be sure to get a helmet ($20 to $30). Head injuries cause 75% of annual bicycle deaths, and helmets can prevent 85% of head injuries from bicycle accidents, according to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute.

Other gear that might be useful for biking to and from work:

-- Lights ($35) for early-morning or nighttime riding. Get a white LED front light to attach to your handlebars so you’ll stay visible when approaching intersections¹⁹, and buy a red, blinking light to attach to your seat post or clip onto your back so approaching drivers will see you from behind.

--A rack or panniers ($40), either of which can attach to the back of your bike, to carry files, a change of clothes or other personal items. A small messenger bag or backpack might suffice but can strain your back. Most mountain bikes or hybrids²⁰ easily accommodate a rack or panniers.

--Shoes with clips ($30 to $90), which will give you more control and power for the faster pace and tighter turns you’ll navigate²¹ during a rush-hour ride.

--A fender ($15 to $25) to keep water from splashing onto you from your rear tire.

--A cycling computer ($10 to $50) to track your speed and trip length.

But don’t drop money on loads of gear until you take a few spins out on your bike. “I always tell people to start with the basics and then come up with their own formula for what works,” says Tony Leongini, manager of Bicycle Pro⁷ Shop in Washington, D.C.

To learn the rules of the road, consider taking a safety course, and read the Ride Better section of the League of American Bicyclists’ Web site.

Once you get to work

Ask local parking garages and your employer if there’s a good storage spot for your bike. Parking your bike on the street? Don’t settle for a coil or chain lock, which a thief can split with a pair of bolt cutters. No lock can guarantee 100% theft prevention, but a steel U-lock ($15 to $30) should keep your ride safe. For added piece peace of mind, park your bike in a high-traffic area where a thief won’t go unspotted, and don’t leave it out overnight if you can help it.

The real trick for commuter cyclists is looking -- and smelling -- professional after a long ride. If your office building has a shower, consider yourself lucky. If not, check with gyms near work. Some might be willing to partner with your employer to offer reduced shower-only memberships.

If showering isn’t an option for you but you’re still determined²² to get to work on two wheels, fret²³ not. First, pitch the sweat-retaining cotton garb²⁴ and spring for a moisture-wicking cycling jersey²⁵ ($20 to $60) and shorts ($30 to $60). On sweltering days, hit the road early enough to avoid the worst of the heat, and give yourself time to pedal slowly and cool off during the last portion of your ride.

Still feeling unkempt? Many cyclists keep a box of baby wipes handy so they can freshen up in the bathroom before changing into work attire²⁶. Wendell Mangibin, 38, uses unscented baby wipes to clean himself after chugging through eight miles each way to his job at a credit union in Westbury, N.Y. By biking, he’s able to take shortcuts²⁷ and shave two miles off of what turns out to be a ten-mile trip in his Subaru Impreza. He makes the commute three days per week and, with gas prices at $2.70 per gallon, slashes²⁸ fuel expenses by about $32 per month.

His main impetus²⁹ for riding, though, is the exercise regimen that is otherwise tough to schedule between working and spending time with his two young children.

“When I used to go running, I’d get an adrenaline rush,” he says. “It’s the same way with cycling. I come into work and everyone’s bleary-eyed, but I’m full of energy and ready for the day to start.”

1 commute   

vi.乘车上下班；vt.减(刑)；折合；n.上下班交通

参考例句：

• I spend much less time on my commute to work now.我现在工作的往返时间要节省好多。
• Most office workers commute from the suburbs.很多公司的职员都是从郊外来上班的。

2 minuscule   

adj.非常小的；极不重要的

参考例句：

• The human race only a minuscule portion of the earth's history.人类只有占有极小部分地球历史。
• As things stand,Hong Kong's renminbi banking system is minuscule.就目前的情况而言，香港的人民币银行体系可谓微不足道。

3 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

4 perk   

n.额外津贴；赏钱；小费；

参考例句：

• His perks include a car provided by the firm.他的额外津贴包括公司提供的一辆汽车。
• And the money is,of course,a perk.当然钱是额外津贴。

5 commuter   

n.(尤指市郊之间)乘公交车辆上下班者

参考例句：

• Police cordoned off the road and diverted commuter traffic. 警察封锁了道路并分流交通。
• She accidentally stepped on his foot on a crowded commuter train. 她在拥挤的通勤列车上不小心踩到了他的脚。

6 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

7 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

8 reimbursement   

n.偿还，退还

参考例句：

• He received reimbursement for his travel expenses.由于出差的花费他可以得到公司的补偿。
• Which forms do I need to complete for my travel reimbursement?我需要填什么表来报我的旅费？

9 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

10 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

11 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

12 subsidy   

n.补助金，津贴

参考例句：

• The university will receive a subsidy for research in artificial intelligence.那个大学将得到一笔人工智能研究的补助费。
• The living subsidy for senior expert's family is included in the remuneration.报酬已包含高级专家家人的生活补贴。

13 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

14 commuting   

交换（的）

参考例句：

• I used the commuting time to read and answer my mail. 我利用上下班在汽车中的时间来阅读和答复给我的函电。
• Noncommuting objects are as real to the mathematicians as commuting objects. 对于数学家来说，不可交换的对象与可交换的对象是一样真实的。

15 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

16 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

17 tolls   

（缓慢而有规律的）钟声( toll的名词复数 )； 通行费； 损耗； （战争、灾难等造成的）毁坏

参考例句：

• A man collected tolls at the gateway. 一个人在大门口收通行费。
• The long-distance call tolls amount to quite a sum. 长途电话费数目相当可观。

18 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

19 intersections   

n.横断( intersection的名词复数 )；交叉；交叉点；交集

参考例句：

• Traffic lights have been placed at all major intersections. 所有重要的交叉路口都安装了交通信号灯。
• Intersections are of the greatest importance in highway design. 在道路设计中，交叉口占有最重要的地位。 来自辞典例句

20 hybrids   

n.杂交生成的生物体( hybrid的名词复数 )；杂交植物（或动物）；杂种；（不同事物的）混合物

参考例句：

• All these brightly coloured hybrids are so lovely in the garden. 花园里所有这些色彩鲜艳的杂交花真美丽。 来自辞典例句
• The notion that interspecific hybrids are rare is ill-founded. 有一种看法认为种间杂种是罕见的，这种看法是无根据的。 来自辞典例句

21 navigate   

v.航行，飞行；导航，领航

参考例句：

• He was the first man to navigate the Atlantic by air.他是第一个飞越大西洋的人。
• Such boats can navigate on the Nile.这种船可以在尼罗河上航行。

22 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

23 fret   

v.(使)烦恼；(使)焦急；(使)腐蚀，(使)磨损

参考例句：

• Don't fret.We'll get there on time.别着急，我们能准时到那里。
• She'll fret herself to death one of these days.她总有一天会愁死的.

24 garb   

n.服装，装束

参考例句：

• He wore the garb of a general.他身着将军的制服。
• Certain political,social,and legal forms reappear in seemingly different garb.一些政治、社会和法律的形式在表面不同的外衣下重复出现。

25 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

26 attire   

v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装

参考例句：

• He had no intention of changing his mode of attire.他无意改变着装方式。
• Her attention was attracted by his peculiar attire.他那奇特的服装引起了她的注意。

27 shortcuts   

n.捷径( shortcut的名词复数 )；近路；快捷办法；被切短的东西（尤指烟草）

参考例句：

• In other words, experts want shortcuts to everything. 换句话说，专家需要所有的快捷方式。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Offer shortcuts from the Help menu. 在帮助菜单中提供快捷方式。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

28 slashes   

n.（用刀等）砍( slash的名词复数 )；（长而窄的）伤口；斜杠；撒尿v.挥砍( slash的第三人称单数 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• They report substantial slashes in this year's defense outlays. 他们报道今年度国防经费的大量削减。 来自辞典例句
• Inmates suffered injuries ranging from stab wounds and slashes to head trauma. 囚犯们有的被刺伤，有的被砍伤，而有的头部首创，伤势不一而足。 来自互联网

29 impetus   

n.推动，促进，刺激；推动力

参考例句：

• This is the primary impetus behind the economic recovery.这是促使经济复苏的主要动力。
• Her speech gave an impetus to my ideas.她的讲话激发了我的思绪。