12 Reasons to Give (or Get) a Bike

You probably don’t need me to tell you the first two reasons: 1. that biking is good for you, it will help you stay fit and healthy, and is far easier on your joints less likely to cause injury than running, and 2. that bikes are extremely environmentally friendly and economical vehicles, and that using one in place of at least some car or transit trips will save you money.

But today, I want to focus on the very selfish reasons. Because I believe that the main reasons those of us who bike regularly do it is simply because we love it. And here are the 10 reasons that I think we do:

3. Solitude. Riding a bike makes it almost impossible to multitask, and after a few blocks, you tune in to the frequency of your own thoughts.

4. Leisure. The type that doesn’t consist of interacting with a glowing screen, but comes from breathing deeply, moving your body, and going at your own speed.

5. Autonomy. On a bicycle, you can come and go as you please without timetables, and alter your route on a spur of the moment.

6. Time. Regardless of traffic, on a bike you can travel at your own speed, save time not looking for parking, and arrive with a clear head and on time.

7. Immediacy. Experience your surroundings, whether you’re in the city or outside. A bike doesn’t shut out the world, so you really notice your neighbors, local attractions, businesses, sights and nature.

8. Efficiency. You can cover more distance and carry more than on foot, and still be in touch with your surroundings.

9. Exploration. Because it lets you move so easily, you can take spontaneous detours and check out streets, trails or neighborhoods that you might not consider on foot or in a car.

10. Humanity. We were made to move, and a bike lets you honor your ancestral heritage. Our prehistoric forebears didn’t have the benefit of this ideal two-wheeled conveyance, but if they had, that’s how they would have hunted and gathered.

11. Pure joy. John F. Kennedy claimed that “nothing compares to a simple pleasure of riding a bike.” And if you don’t believe him, check out Paul Newman riding a bicycle in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I rest my case.

12. Lifetime value. In the era of planned obsolescence, a bicycle is remarkable for its longevity. If over the course of your life this versatile machine gives you only half the things I listed, its value will far exceed its cost.