10 Reasons Why I Bike to Work

If you have some reasons why you choose to ride to work not listed below, why not let us know!

1. Goodbye traffic
Living in a city like Perth means lots of traffic, which means it can take a long time to get to work. I found it took me the same time driving a car as it would catching public transport (a bus then a train). But once I started riding to work I realised I was passing the same bus that I used to catch, making my journey to work even faster, and ensuring I can't be late!

2. Money saving
It used to cost me around $3.50 one-way in fuel driving a car and $3.15 to catch public transport to work. Obviously, riding and parking a bike is free, so I'm now saving between $31.50 and $35 per week, which I use to splurge on nice lunches, instead of always scrounging for the cheapest food.

3. Improved fitness
My fitness has definitely improved. My leg muscles have strengthened, and my heart rate continues to drop. Riding to work means you won't have to waste time exercising later on, when there's other things you may be interested in doing. And everyone knows the fitter you feel the more attractive you'll feel for that special someone (ahem...Jaime).

4. Stickin' it to the man
Riding is one of my daily 'stickin' it to the man' events, because I don't want anyone making a cent from my daily commute. As long as I'm helping to bring down the oil giants, I'm happy.

5. The scenic drive
I've designed my adventurous route to take me through the natural parts of Perth as a way of escaping the traffic, sounds and pollution. I ride past 3 beautiful lakes that teem with wildlife, helping me forget about the chaos happening just minutes away from me on the highways.

6. Abundant wildlife
Everyday I notice different wildlife in my area, something you overlook from a bus. I hear bird songs from people's gardens, see lizards running into the grass, and notice the number of ducks change during the season on the lakes. I've made a habit of doing a quick count of the birds on one of the lakes as I pass it, and it's amazing the more and more I see each time.

7. Really helping the environment
Riding a bike means you are releasing ZERO greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It also means one less car is on the road, something we can all appreciate in busy traffic, especially pedestrians and those smaller, confused, animals.

8. Saying hi
Say goodbye to the isolation of being stuck in a car, and hello to all the people you pass on your way to work! Riding gets you talking or just saying hello to fellow riders...how often does that happen when you're a motorist?

9. Endless fun
I feel like a kid again racing down steep hills and jumping off curbs. Riding makes you feel young and exciting, with adventure always awaiting. Each day something interesting happens, and it gives me more to talk about at work or when I make it home.

10. Better smells
On the bus I often had to sit beside people that smelt of body odour, cigarettes or excessive perfumes/deodorants. My bike route takes me through peaceful, quiet streets, where all I can smell is fresh bread in the morning, sea breeze in the afternoon, and the amazing ever present scent of the eucalyptus tree.