Proof Biking Is the Absolute Best Way to Get to Work

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Tomorrow is National Bike to Work Day, people! And there’s free coffee and breakfast in it for you, if you join in on the fun. But we’ve got six more reasons aside from a free cup o’ joe to bike to work tomorrow, and every day after that forever and ever. One of them being the fact that you’ll never have to take SEPTA to work during the sweltering heat of summer, otherwise known as B.O. season, ever again. That’s reason enough for me — but if you still need convincing, you can check out the other five reasons below. 

And psssst: If you could use some pointers for biking in the city before you hop in the saddle, we’ve got plenty here!

1. Biking to work will turn you into one of those happy people you hate — and  you’ll be happy about it. 

You might think that having to pedal your way miles just to get work first thing in the morning would put you in a bad mood, but a study done by researchers at Clemson University and University of Pennsylvania found the opposite: People who bike to work are actually significantly happier than those who drive.

2. Biking to work is the definition of killing two birds with one stone.

If trying to squeeze a workout into your already packed week is often impossible, biking to work totally nips that issue in the bud: On a 20-minute commute, you can burn around 200 calories! (It all depends on your weight and how fast you’re going; you can get the exact calculation here.) And you know what that means? You can feel a little bit better about your mid-afternoon chocolate addiction. Because I know I am not the only one with a mid-afternoon chocolate addiction.

3. Biking to work will make your boss love you more — seriously!

A study published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research found that after just 30 minutes of spinning on a stationary bike — which, for some, would be the length of their commute — participants performed higher on all sorts of cognitive tests, including tests of memory, reasoning and planning, than they did before they got their pedal on. So biking to work primes your brain for a day in the office, and makes you a better employee.

4. Biking to work could make you thinner — and not just because you’re burning calories. 

A recent study found that folks who spent a good 20 to 30 minutes in the sun during the morning hours were thinner than those who didn’t. The study’s hypothesis was that light plays a role in regulating metabolism, and while the study didn’t prove a cause-and-effect relationship between light and metabolism, it does point in the right direction. Just don’t forget to slather on a layer of sunscreen!

5. Biking to work means you’ll have more money to spend on lunch.

Every single time I have to buy subway tokens, I think to myself, “I could be eating sushi with this money.” If you have similar thoughts when shelling out dough for your daily commute, just think about it: Once you have a bike — which, might I add, will cost you way less than a car — you don’t have to pay a dime to get where you’re going. Or, if you use Indego, it’ll only cost you $15 a month. Say it with us: Hallelujah!

6. Biking to work means you don’t have to take SEPTA. And that is glorious.

The warmer months are upon us, and if you’ve ever taken SEPTA on the regular during the summer months, then I’m sure you know: It is the worst. Every train is extra crowded because no one wants to walk anywhere — and they’re sweaty. And they’re rubbing up against you. And it’s not their faults that they’re sweaty and rubbing up against you: it’s summertime, and they are in a packed subway car. But it is still the worst. So if you bike to work, you will (hopefully) never have to start your day with another person’s sweat dripping onto your forearm. Amen to that!

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