Tired of traffic, trying to find a parking space, parking fees? Try cycling to work! Overpopulated cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Seattle and Chicago all charge a ridiculous amount to park. Whether you are paying for a parking pass or a meter, prices are through the roof. Perfect example, I went to a restaurant with my sister over the summer in Los Angeles. $6 an hour for a meter. Imagine having to pay for a meter all day for work. If you are fortunate to be close enough to work to be able to ride your bike instead, I will be listing some helpful tricks and tips!

When you decide that you want to start your commute via bike, start with a distant you can achieve. If you are about an hour away from work, maybe see if someone can drop you off halfway to start with that. Nothing would be worse than if you were to try to cycle the whole way and realize you won’t make it half way through or will be late to work. It is also a smart idea to only start out with going a few times a week at first. Maybe the first week you ride your bike twice. Keep that for a few weeks then add one more day, etc. This is a transition so there is no point in wearing yourself out at first!

If your commute to work is close, you would be lucky enough to wear your work clothes to work! Some people don’t mind this if their commute is only a mile or two. For longer commutes, it is best to bring a change of clothes to work. This is not ideal but it is better than messing up your work clothes! Cycling shorts are highly recommended while riding along with bright clothes. The more obnoxious your clothes are the better for cars to see you! Lastly, a good pair of riding shoes and a helmet is important. The proper gear for anything will always make everything go smoother.

A tip I didn’t know about before is that it is smart to roll up your pant leg on the leg that is by the bike chain. Your pant will most likely get dirty on that side and may be hard to get out. The easy solution is to just roll it up! A second tip is to try riding to work on a day you have off to see how long it takes you without getting very sweaty. There are many different tips and tricks you teach yourself along the way!

Lastly, you want to make sure that your bike is kept safe. Spending a little more for a quality lock is highly recommended. It is much better than saving a few dollars then getting your bike stolen which would cost you even more. With cycling becoming more popular, many places outside of work have bike racks to lock your bike on. Outside of the workplace is best because it is convenient and if you are along a busy street, that is even better. Maybe you can convince a co-worker to cycle to work with you. If so, make sure to snap a picture and put it on a Penless sticker! What better way to share the memory with your fellow friends and try to get them to cycle to work as well!