I had a free afternoon with just about three hours until sundown, so I took a bike ride down the mystery road to see where it would go. It turns out this particular section of Olive street intersects with El Camino Real, the Royal Highway of “New Spain.”

I ended up in the historical center of San Gabriel. The road went almost in a straight line to one of the early California missions. People from the San Gabriel Mission went on to found the city of Los Angeles, so this bike ride took me to some of the roots of LA’s history.

I even got to see one of the first and oldest grape vines in southern California, and later on I tasted some California wine to celebrate.

If your a biking newbie, this just reinforces the point: It doesn’t matter how far you want to ride or how much time you have. Just get on your bike and explore. You’ll run into something interesting you’ve never seen before, or discover a new bike route to places you’ve already been.

I lot of things came up that I thought were obvious-and if you’re already a bike commuter, they’ll probably seem that way to you, too. But he kept saying, “I never would have thought of that” so I guess it’s time to post some tips in case you’re just starting out at bike commuting.

Side Streets

The best streets to ride your bike aren’t usually the same streets where you drive. Plan a route that goes on bike trails, bike lanes, and residential streets. Wherever major transportation corridor you drive through probably has a road or two that runs parallel to it. These side streets are usually almost as fast, with far less traffic. Residential streets are great for this. Drivers avoid anything with a 25 MPH speed limit, but on a bike that’s a very good pace. You’ll save your lungs, and possibly your life.

Trial Run

Test your bike commute route on a weekend. Make sure it’s doable, safe, fun and scenic. You also want to get a good idea of how long it will take you to ride your bike to work, and how you’ll feel when you get there.

Don’t Sweat It

You’re going to get to work a little bit sweaty, and you need to plan for this. Deodorant, baby wipes, and possibly a change of clothes may be merited. If you can stash some of these on-site, you’re in luck. In the summer I ride in shorts and a t-shirt, and change into business clothes when I get to my destination. Garment bags work great for this.

Rainy Weather

There are really three schools of thought on riding your bike to work in the rain. You can be a bike commuter warrior who always makes the trip, rain or shine. You can opt to ride only when the weather is good (and be proud that at least you’re doing something). Finally there are the loonies who don’t feel like they have to ride in the rain, but they do it anyway for fun.

Make sure you’ve got the right gear (which could simply mean a change of clothes when you arrive, and a place to hang up your dripping biker garments), cover yourself and you bicycle with lots of blinking red lights, and keep your sense of humor (or sense of honor?)

Plan B

Bikes are sometimes fragile pieces of equipment, and sooner or later you’re going to have a flat tire, a broken cable, or other minor nuisance. Take the time to learn some basic bike mechanics. REI does free workshops and classes on this, and so do a lot of community colleges and local non-profit organizations. If you’re in Los Angeles, check out the Bicycle Kitchen. Anywhere else, you can find out about stuff in your area by going to the regional section of BikeForums.net

Sometimes knowing how to fix your bike on the fly isn’t enough to get you to work on time. Get familiar with the buses and trains that run near your bike route. Maybe even put a cab company in your cell phone.

Enjoy Your Treats

Eat up! It’s more than just a reward, it’s bicycle fuel. When you start riding your bike to work, you’re going to burn a lot more calories, and you’ll notice that you’re feeling hungrier. Go ahead and have that bacon, avocado, and chocolate sandwich. Not only have you earned it, you need it.

First, if you have the option, you can cut your exposure to pollution by 10-30% just by riding in off-peak hours. The best time is early in the morning, before rush hour. Next best would be midday, or late at night.

If you’re not commuting by bike, and you just like to ride for the fun of it, be a weekend warrior. Ride your bike on the days when there are fewer cars on the road.

If you commute to work, and have to ride your bike during rush hour, you can save your lungs by taking alternate routes.

Almost every busy street has other streets running parallel to it, and the traffic on these other streets can be a lot lower. If you can get just 50 feet away from the heaviest traffic, you can make a dramatic cut in the amount of pollution you breathe in.

In fact, a Danish study found that when you bike on streets with low traffic volume, you can reduce your exposure to pollution by 50% to 60% or even more.

And when you think about it, you’ll have a safer, more quiet ride. Also more scenic. You’re more likely to pass parks and gardens. You won’t have to worry as much about being hit.

If you commute by bike, there might be stretches where you have to be on the busiest roads, but probably not for the entire route. Anything you can do to reduce the time you spend riding in traffic will pay off.

There will be more stop signs, and you might add an extra 10 minutes onto your journey. But you could also add years to your life.

Italy biker Lorenzo Viaggi writes:

“The cyclist should practice his skills and regard them with the same discipline and reverence as the Japanese of old mastered their fighting arts. When you conquer a hill or a great mountain pass, when you complete a long journey, your bicycle becomes a tool of honor, and instrument as sacred as a finely-crafted steel sword.”

–Lorenzo Viaggi, La Via della Bici (Which could be translated as “The Way of the Bike”)

I’m still at the stage where I can barely draw a wooden sword out of the sheath without hurting my wrist. If I had a real sword I’d be all stitched up by now, probably with a few missing fingers. I tell you this only to point out that my Italian translation skills are somewhat better than my swordsmanship, but any mistakes in Lorenzo’s quote are mine.

If you’d like to be in on this, let me know!

Fear not! I can show you a safe bike ride in your home town. I’ve been networking with bikers all over the United States, as part of a research project into safe and scenic bike rides. If one of them is near you, we can find you a ride. Just leave a comment if you’re interested in trying this out, and I’ll get back to you soon.

Better yet,  sign up for free biking tips–just leave your name and email below:

But I’ve found a way to really benefit from the saddle time I have.

Nearly all of my bike riding time is commuting in the city. I get a short stretch of biking in between traffic lights and stop signs. Normally I would take the whole route at an easy pace, the kind meant for bike touring, and get restless and frustrated whenever the usual urban obstacles forced me to stop.

Now I look at my daily bike route as a series of sprints through an obstacle course. Now when I hit a red light I’m breathing hard, my thighs are burning, and I’m grateful for the 45 seconds of rest. The results:

• More fun on the way to work, and less frustration
• I might end up in better shape after a few months of this
• I’m learning how to handle sharp turns, potholes, and bumps at faster speeds
• I get to workearlier

This connects with a very popular philosophy of bike touring. Use what you’ve got. On a tour this means fixing a bike with duct tape, broken pens, or anything you can find because the only other alternatives are walking or hitchhiking.

In an urban bike commute, you practice this philosophy through better training. The “duct tape” is the time and circumstances you have available. Use what you’ve got.
Try this. Seek more challenges, fun, and rewards without changing where, when, or how long you ride. The secret is to change how you ride the bike.

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Want to get in shape fast? I’ll kick your butt until your legs turn into sleek pistons of steel! Get a training plan from a professional coach!  Click Here!

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Both are essentially practical survival skills that benefit your health and physical fitness as a “side effect,” (Although for many people this side effect is the main reason to take up the art.)

If you get into it at all, it can become a lifestyle with social, mental, philosophical and spiritual dimensions. The experts incorporate daily rituals that include stretching and breathing, possibly visualization, and eventually dedication to the care and maintenance of your equipment. (For the bike Samurai, your bike is your sword).

Could this evolve into the richness of a martial art? Are there certain qualifications to be considered a master? What do you have to do to become a bike blackbelt? Who are the different, rival schools? (Think Karate vs. Kung Fu, Mountain Bikers vs. Roadies or Commuters vs. Messengers.)

At what point does a “sport” become an art, or a way of life? Are we there yet?

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Want to get in shape fast? I’ll kick your butt until your legs turn into sleek pistons of steel! Get a training plan from a professional coach! Click Here!

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For the rest of the time, try this.

Just ride for ten minutes. Anywhere. This will get you warmed up, and it makes it easy to get in the habit of riding your bicycle a few times a week. No matter how tired you are, or how cold it is, even if it’s raining, you can handle ten minutes.

And the benefits of bike exercise, even for just ten minutes, are incredible. Research shows that a 10-minute bike ride can lift your mood. It’s long enough to flood your system with endorphins that relieve pain and can give you a natural high that has been documented.

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Want to get in shape fast? I’ll kick your butt until your legs turn into sleek pistons of steel! Get a training plan from a professional coach! Click Here!

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If you happen to be really busy, you can still take a 10-minute bike break. Come on. I guarantee the rest of your day or evening will be a lot happier and more productive.

Over time this ten-minute ride can really tone you up. If you’re biking to lose weight or lower your blood pressure, these baby steps will help you right away, and they’ll psyche you up for longer rides. Pretty soon you’ll be ready to ride you bike to work, do a long distance bike tour, or even tour southern Italy on a bike.

If you have time to read this, you’ve got time to go on a 10-minute bike ride. Seriously. Go for it.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, and any health claims about the benefits of biking, bicycle fitness, or the amount of calories burned while biking have not been evaluated by a competent medical authority. You should consult with a physician before going on bike rides. Also be sure to obey all local traffic laws, unless you’re really feeling ballsy, you’re riding a fixed gear, or you work as a bike messenger. Don’t drink and bike. Always wear a SNELL-approved helmet. You’re probably going to die anyway, so don’t sue me. I warned you.

Anyway, there’s a reason most people bust out laughing when they see it. I keep my helmet on, play up the dorky aspect of biking, and try on purpose to be a nerd.

Because biking is for everybody.

All the bike magazines are filled with pictures of supermodels. Even the non-profits like Adventure Cyclist feature bicyclists who have made it a lifestyle, and tend to be in great shape as a result.

Most of the bicycle media portray cyclists as ultra-healthy athletes, and there is some truth to this.

But it’s enough to discourage a lot of “normal” people who would probably like to start riding, but say to themselves, “I’m too old/fat/weak/lazy/ to ride a bike.”

But the truth is, you don’t have to be an athlete to start biking. If anything, biking is one of the easiest and most fun ways of becoming more athletic. You start to see this happen pretty quickly once you get into it.

I had to start somewhere, we all did, and that’s the whole point. You don’t have to be an athlete just to start.

I was a nerd, back in the days before it became cool to be a nerd. Then I started bike touring, and my self confidence improved even faster than my physique.

But the quirky geek is still in there, so when I make a video about biking that’s the role I’m going to play.

Now I have a request for you. If you’re a biker, make a point to encourage people to ride who are especially insecure about their size, weight, or physical ability. Especially if you had to deal with those issues yourself at some point in your life.

If you like to show off, then start making videos. Here’s mine:

By the way, if you’ve ever had an interest in touring Italy by bicycle, check out the touring Italy FAQs page: http://www.bicyclefreedom.com/?page_id=19