Reasons to Love (or justify) Cycling.

I'd like to share the reasons that I love cycling. Please keep in mind that these can all be reasons to justify cycling to yourself or others. Some of these reasons may not apply to everyone, or the people you are trying to explain this to may not want to hear certain reasons, but you'll have to use your own discretion there. This list usually comes flying out as soon as someone asks, "How much did that bike cost?". You may be surprised to discover that even 500 dollars will be enough to start justifying away! I get this question at least once a week, and the more expensive the bike the more necessary it becomes to lengthen the list. So lets get started.

1. It saves gas! This reason to love cycling worked wonders when gas was nearly 5 bucks a gallon last summer/fall. During that time I usually could stop there. Now that gas is "only" around 2.25 you may have to continue. By the way, on my 14 mile commute it probably took less than 6 months to reach the 500 dollar threshold. Of course every body's calculations will be different based on length of commute, cost of bike, and fuel preference. If your car requires premium fuel you win!!

2. You get fit! This should be obvious to most people, but I still get the deer in the headlights look. So you may need to further explain that you get two thirty minute cardio sessions five days a week! This serves a double big purpose for me as I need to maintain a fitness standard as part of my job. Still, non cyclists will doubt your sanity when the cost of the bike heads toward 1000 dollars. So you may have to move to more reasons.

3. Losing weight! This closely related to number 2, but if the cost of your cycling obsession reaches well beyond the thousand dollar threshold, to will need to split this list as much as necessary. Personally, I've lost 30lbs inside of probably 6 months. I've gained about 5 back, but I call that muscle!

4. Keeping miles off the car! This may seem like number 1, but it is entirely different. It costs money to drive. Gas isn't the only cost to driving a car, there are things like maintenance, oil, tires, etc. Something to consider when regurgitating this list is remember the significance of the order. This reason may move farther up, if your car costs 100,000 and all those miles will depreciate the vehicle rapidly. You may also consider moving it down if you drive a 23 year old Yugo that costs less than a huffy. (It just wouldn't make any sense!) I haven't been keeping track of my miles but I'm sure I put less than a thousand miles on my car last year.

5. Saving the environment! Here is reason that you will need to consider the person that you are trying to justify your insanity to. Believe it or not, a lot of people refuse to believe that their cars pollute the environment! At my place of employment just uttering the word environment will classify you as an immediate outsider, possibly a spy for Greenpeace, or PETA. I'm not kidding either. Call it ignorance, or brainwashing, but there are people that think humans are pretty arrogant to believe that they can affect the environment for the worst. I'm serious! I've heard it in regular conversation at work more than once! Now I'm not the tree hugger type, but come on! So, consider your surroundings when mentioning this one!

6. Saves money! This reason can be the most difficult to explain especially when cycling costs climb into the stratosphere. But carefully worded this can become a valid excuse...er reason. Gas, oil, maintenance all cost money, but so do other things. Going out to eat for lunch is impossible on my 30 minute break with my bike. So, even fast food will cost 6 or 7 bucks a day. so over the course of a year you could save This is a 1500 dollar a year expense at 6 bucks a day 5 days a week and 50 weeks a year! Now you still have to bring a lunch and they aren't free, but you could reasonably save 750 dollars a year! That will get you a pretty nice singlespeed, or city bike! All told you can easily mentally write off 2,000 a year without thinking too hard! Now you are talking a really nice road bike, and probably equipped with Ultegra! Not too shabby!

I probably could go on, but I've got to wrap it up, So with all the money you save commuting to work, you could easily justify spending more on an otherwise prohibitively expensive hobby. I for one know I far outspend any savings bike commuting will give me, but when considering all the other benefits involved, this is the cheapest hobby I've ever had!!