bike to work

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar!

The cool breeze, scenic view, money saved on gas — biking is one of those leisurely Summer workouts that not only helps tone the legs (and slim the wallet), but it also blasts about 500 calories per hour!

This week kicks off National Bike to Work Week and the only proper celebration includes leaving the car at home and busting out the bike for your commute. Your party favor — a hot bod.

"I bike to work once or twice a week," American Council on Exercise-certified spokesperson and exercise physiologist Pete McCall, M.S. says. "Even if you're doing it at a moderate pace you're still expending more energy than you would sitting in a car or riding the subway. Biking not only targets the entire lower body, but it's great for reducing stress--the ride to work allows you to relax before the day starts, and on the ride home you can unwind from the day. Plus you can always push a little harder on the way home since you can jump right in the shower afterwards."

But I know what you're thinking: "biking to work is such a hassle!" Think again! We have easy solutions to some of your top two-wheelin' dilemmas. Time to saddle up!

In honor of Bike to Work Day and Bike to Work Week, FitSugar reader Soniabonya posted this in the Sweet on Biking community group. Here's an excerpt of her post.

Today is bike to work day and all over the country, people will be dusting off their two wheelers and heading out the door to work. Some may already commute to work via pedals, while others may be testing the waters for the first time. Some know their routes in their sleep and others might have to fiddle their way around streets if there are no safe bike paths.

This morning so far I've seen 53 cyclists on the road from commuting to work and making deliveries. It's barely going to be 10 a.m. Meanwhile there must be hundreds more around the busy Bay Area busting their butts on the pavement, maneuvering through traffic, and making their actions heard. Some may do it just because it's a special day and figured they'd try something new. Some do it for health, others for the challenge and the mere enjoyment of being on a bike on the road. For whatever the reason, we all have to be aware of one another.

Over on Central Expressway, Sports Basement and Applied Materials popped up a little tent, a fueling station as it were, to the cycling commuterists. While I was at a stop light, I saw a cyclist I passed before, approach the intersection. The flow of traffic going his way stopped at the red, but he kept right on going through the intersection, right into the path of the two cars turning on their green light in the turning lane. Luckily, the cars he flew in front of jerked to a halt, avoiding a collision, as he continued on only to stop several seconds later at the fueling station.

To hear the rest, check out her post here. And if you're not into biking, check out these other community groups: RunningSugar for all your running questions, Yoga Stretch and Tell if you're a yogi, and if you're into healthy eating, check out the Healthy Recipe Group.

Being that the idea for Clif Bar began on a bike, it seems only fitting that I would meet up with the current president of the company, Kevin Cleary, on the last leg of a bike commute to the office. Legend has it that the lack of a palatable energy bar during an endurance bike ride back in the early '90s inspired the company's founder, a baker by trade, to tinker in the kitchen to create the Clif Bar. Looks like his experiments paid off, no?

As the current president and COO of the company, Cleary continues the company's commitment to biking and commutes on two wheels 44-plus miles round trip about twice a week. Clif is one fit company! Not only are employees encouraged to exercise during the workday in the on-site gym, which offers 33 fitness classes a week from Zumba to spinning, they are also encouraged to green their commutes by biking, carpooling, walking, and taking mass transit.

Kevin has been bike-commuting consistently for four years. In honor of the upcoming Bike to Work Day, I asked him to share his top tips on how to start cycling to work. Here they are:

1. Map it! Go to Google maps and map out your route using the bike feature, which highlights bike paths too. Research the safest route possible, which might not be the quickest. It helps to talk to other bike commuters about alternative routes. Cyclists are friendly and love to share shortcuts.

For three more helpful tips, keep reading.