Commuters on bikes gain savings
Winnipeg Free Press
Sunday, April 2nd, 2006
GEOFF KIRBYSON
THEY are an endangered species, most of them just awakening from a long winter slumber. They risk injury or even death every day they head out into the jungle of concrete and iron.
This rare breed relies on instinct and reflexes -- and to a lesser extent, store-bought padding and lights -- to keep from falling prey to its natural enemy -- automobiles.
They are the city's cyclists, road warriors who have to share Winnipeg's streets and avenues with SUVs, mini-vans and motorcycles because there are but a few scarce kilometres of bike paths within the Perimeter Highway.
Now that the ice and sludge on the side of the roads is subsiding, hundreds of cyclists are packing their shirts, ties and shoes in a backpack and heading off to work. Some of them are trying to save the environment, some of them want to keep fit or shed a protective layer of winter fat, but all of them have one thing in common -- they're saving money.
With the price of gasoline threatening to break through the $1 barrier again, it's easy to see how cyclists -- depending on what kind of vehicle they own and the length of their commute -- can save as much as $50 a week in fuel costs.
If you spread that out over the April to October period when cyclists can ride without the threat of a winter storm, that could mean $1,500 in fuel savings alone.
If you park your car in the garage for those months and don't insure it, you could keep another $600 or $700 in your bank account by not having to pay Autopac premiums. There are also maintenance costs on your car that you won't have to worry about, either.
Most commuters, particularly those who work downtown, have parking costs as well. Not cyclists.
Tim Woodcock, owner of Woodcock Cycle Works Inc., says Winnipeg is one of the best cities in Canada to commute by bike.
"It's not like Vancouver or San Francisco with all the hills. It's very easy to get anywhere in Winnipeg. And you don't have to be in great shape to give it a try. Once you start doing it regularly, then you'll get into shape," he says.
He says navigating Winnipeg on two wheels is easy because you can get most places without having to travel on major thoroughfares. Perhaps the biggest challenge in the early spring and late fall is making sure you have the proper clothing, he says.
"You don't need anything really exotic, just some good mitts. One of the best insulators is newspaper. Stuff it inside your shirt or jacket and when you're done, throw it in the recycling bin," he says, noting spectators at the Tour de France often hand riders newspaper during the windy mountain stages.
Sure, there are some costs to cycling. If you don't have a bike, you've got to buy one and if you do have one, you'll probably want to get it tuned up. But beyond that, the costs are a fraction of what you're paying for your car.
"Most new bikes are made so much better than ever before. You can get a bike for $300 that would have cost you twice that a couple of years ago. And you can get a phenomenal helmet for $49, down from $200 a little while ago," Woodcock says.
Other costs might include cycling shorts (about $40 but they come with the most important characteristic -- bum padding), dry-fit shirts ($20) and those blinking lights that let cars see you from blocks away ($9).
Beyond the financial considerations, Woodcock says cycling commuters are making an investment in a most valuable possession -- their health.
"People ask me, 'Aren't you dead?' when I ride my bike to and from work. But when you hop on the bike, it relaxes you. You forget about your worries at work that day and what you were thinking about. You're getting in good shape mentally and physically," he says.
Gilles Gobert agrees. The air traffic controller at the St. Andrews Airport rides to work twice a week during spring, summer and fall from his home south of the perimeter -- a three-hour round trip. He admits it's a grind sometimes, but it's well worth it.
"You've still got to mow the lawn, wash the dinner dishes and read a story book to your kids. It can become a pretty long day. But if I didn't, I'd be huge," he says with a laugh.
Gobert says cyclists also get to test their character and see what they're made of when riding to and from work because much of the time, the only thing holding them back is their willingness to pump their legs harder.
"Sometimes when you're struggling against the headwind and you finally get home, you're tired, but you feel like you accomplished something. You don't get that with cruise control on the highway," he says.
Jon Benson, sport director for the Manitoba Cycling Association, says riding to work usually doesn't take much longer than driving. But just as with your car, the better your bike is oiled and tuned up, the more efficiently it will run and the faster you'll be able to get to work.
"Having regular maintenance done on your bike, say once or twice a year, will add years to its life. If you don't take care of it, it's going to die a lot quicker," he says.
To ensure the shortest and safest route, Benson recommends doing a practice run on the weekend.
"You want to get familiar with the traffic, the streets and the potholes," he says.
geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca
9 to 5 on two wheels
If you've decided to trade your four-wheeler in for a self-propelled two-wheeler for your commute to work, here are a few tips:
* Avoid major thoroughfares whenever possible. If you do have to venture out on one, use extreme caution, particularly in the spring when motorists haven't become acclimatized to sharing the road with cyclists yet.
* Find a place where you can shower. A growing number of workplaces are making this option available to employees. If something isn't available at work, maybe there's a YMCA or another club nearby that you could use. If you have to change into work clothes without the benefit of a shower, leave the house earlier so you don't have to ride like Lance Armstrong to get to work on time.
* Make sure your bike has a fender on the back wheel. There's nothing worse than getting that skunk strip up and down your back when it's raining.
* If you've got a lengthy ride, do yourself a favour and buy some cycling shorts. They've got strategically-placed padding that comes in extremely handy.
"Spandex is the most comfortable," says Jon Benson, sport director for the Manitoba Cycling Association. "But some people wouldn't be caught dead riding in it."
Source: Jon Benson