When you’re 6 years old learning to ride a bicycle is a rite of passage, it spells freedom for children all over the world.
I remember my first bike, it was bright pink with tasseled handlebars and a banana style seat. I rode that bike for hours a day, up hills, down hills, to friends’ houses, and it was FUN!
But, alas, like many of us, when I hit my teenage years friends, dating, and looming “adult” decisions like college took over my life, and my poor bicycle was all but forgotten.
It wasn’t until I was 28 years old that I finally reconnected with my bicycle-loving self, and it was glorious! I gussied up a single speed beach cruiser bicycle for my first trip to Burning Man, and it was not very different from that bright pink banana seater of my youth.
Riding my bicycle across the Black Rock Desert was, once again, so FUN, and after that trip I vowed I would continue to reconnect with the bicycle loving kid inside me. I recommend you do the same, and here’s why:
1. Riding a bicycle is exercise in disguise
Riding a bicycle is one of the most enjoyable workouts I can think of. It doesn’t feel like exercise, but guess what….it really is a great workout! In just one hour of average bicycling you will burn 650 calories! Commuting to work by bicycle is a great way to get in a daily bike ride, and leads me to my next point…
2. Riding a bicycle costs almost nothing
Riding a bicycle is nearly free transportation. Aside from the initial cost to purchase the bicycle, and the very occasional replacement part/tune-up, bicycling to work will save you tons of money each month. Whether you currently pay for gas or for public transportation fees, you will save that money every month by riding your bicycle to work, and wherever else you’d like to go!
And remember, all that money you save can go straight into your travel/play/fun fund!
3. Riding a bicycle is FUN
As adults we are taught that fun is not important, it’s frivolous, it should not be a priority. I ABSOLUTELY disagree with that! Life is short, and if we don’t prioritize fun then we are missing out on a wealth of experiences and joyful moments.
Riding a bicycle is an easy way to add more fun to your life. It immediately feels free, fast, and exciting. When you’re blasting down a steep hill on a bicycle it is almost impossible not to say “Wheeee!”
Give your inner child some fuel, and go for a bicycle ride!
