Tune out the jokes about spandex and get in the right gear and, Chris Hoogeveen says, riding a bike to work is as easy as, well, riding a bike.
And it’s been easy on his gas consumption, too.
Hoogeveen is one commuter who is battling gas prices by pedaling to work instead of picking up the car keys. Area bike-shop owners are seeing increases in sales and repairs as more people start to consider a more wallet-friendly means of transportation.
Hoogeveen, of Carl Junction, said he began commuting the 10 miles to work on his mountain bike shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He said he saw the long lines at the gas station one day and decided to make the switch.
“I thought, ‘Forget this. I’m going to be self-sufficient,'” he said.
To make the commute work for him, he keeps about five sets of clothes at work, and a towel and deodorant in an overnight bag. He also has to leave home a bit earlier to get there on time. His commute takes him 30 minutes by bike – about twice as long as his car commute.
“Once you get over the hump, it’s easy once you get into a routine,” he said.
Read More on how this fella saved money by Commuting.