If you have been driving to the grocery store for most of your life, you have probably noticed how quickly the gas costs of your trips can add up. While taking a trip every so often isn’t likely to break the bank or accelerate climate change significantly, the negative effects of driving can really add up over time. Provided you have the right essential bike gear, biking to the store instead of driving can be a safe, rewarding way to knock out those daily chores.
Getting Extra Exercise
Depending on where you live your nearest grocery store may be quite close or rather far away. So long as you have the ability to do so, biking to the store can boost your exercise routine to new heights. As the human nervous system is designed to accommodate itself to any activities you do regularly, you should become accustomed to your grocery route relatively quickly. Any exercise you do on top of your ride can compound your long-term health gains.
Getting Yourself Outdoors
You may not realize it at first, but simply going outside can offer a host of mental and psychological benefits. Although driving to the store technically requires you to leave the house, it isn’t quite the same for your overall wellbeing as feeling the wind and sun in your face while riding a bike. Over time, you may notice yourself feeling less stressed and more motivated to do what you need to do. As you keep at it, your good habits are likely to build themselves.
Saving the Stress of Parking
If you live in a busy city or shop exclusively on weekends, finding parking for your car can be a nightmare. Finding a place for your bike, on the other hand, is almost always a simple affair. Even if all of the dedicated bike stands in your area are being used, you can still legally lock a bike to a post, sign, or streetlight.
Although many bulk shoppers prefer vehicles for their spacious storage compartments, certain bikes and bike accessories provide plenty of places to store food and supplies. A good speed tricycle, for example, can get you around quickly and store everything you need in a rear-situated basket.
Saving On Gas While Being Eco-Friendly
If everyone in the world biked instead of driving for work and chores, air pollution would quickly plummet, and climate change would likely abate. Unfortunately, certain segments of the economy, such as freight shipping, are dependent on fossil fuels. So, although biking isn’t a magical solution to climate change, it can have a significant positive effect over time.
By biking to the store, you can do your part to make the world a better place. As you bike where you need to go, others you know may even follow your example and go eco-friendly themselves.
If biking to the store sounds like a tough transition, just consider the many benefits of making the switch. If you think the pedaling involved might be too much, try an ebike for women or men that can increase your range and assist you during difficult sections of road. Over time, you may notice that you don’t even need the extra help.