Something happens when you get in the habit of biking everywhere: At some point, getting around town by any other mode just stops making very much sense.
The more you ride your bike to run errands, get to work, go to the park or just to get our of the house, the easier and more appealing it becomes to ride your bike just about anywhere. Of all the habits you can form, biking is probably the best one. It saves you money and fills the spaces between errands with joy.
30 Days of Biking is a brilliant and simple project based out of Minnesota to help people get into the habit of riding their bike. Basically, you just take the pledge, then challenge yourself to ride your bike every single day in the month of April. If you need motivation to get out one day, you can remember that there are thousands of people across the country taking the pledge with you. People will be talking about their progress on social media using #30DaysofBiking.
What “counts” as a bike ride? That’s up to you. There are no hard rules about it. Some people set minimum distance goals, while others (myself included) count a quick ride around the block at 11:59 p.m. The point is that your bike tires have hit the street at least once every day for 30 days straight. If you make it, biking will become a hard habit to break.
Are you making the pledge this month? Let us know in the comments below!
Comments
10 responses to “A great way to get in the habit of biking around town: 30 Days of Biking starts today”
Pledged! It’s true, you can do almost anything by bike, and the more you ride, the more you realize what you can do. And it’s generally faster and easier too. My commute from Ballard is faster by bike on most days than if I drove. I love flying by all the autos stuck in traffic on Elliott. I pass three grocery stores on my commute, so it’s always a breeze to just stop in on the way home and pick up what I need and stuff it in the pannier.
I’m not taking the pledge, but I would like to brag that this morning I biked with my kids to their school on Cap Hill, then biked to a dentist appointment in the U District, then biked to work downtown. I had almost convinced myself not to do it and just do it all by bus, but I’m so glad I decided to go by bike. What a lovely ride! Through Interlaken/Montlake to get to the U District (about 20 mins), and then over the University Bridge and meandering along the water in Eastlake to downtown (about 30 mins).
Sorry, the 22 days I’ll bike to work this month are plenty for me. The chores done by car on the weekend would take hours longer, require multiple trips where one would do. It’s what comes from being in the burbs. Yes I have done them by bicycle when the car was in the shop but I find this campaign ridiculous. Oh well, if you can, I’m glad.
Okay, so everyone wanted to call out the negativity about the wool shirt Kickstarter, but this comment gets silence? Calling a campaign to attempt 30 days of biking “ridiculous” is far worse than rejecting a wool shirt made in the northwest only for men. The only thing ridiculous happening here is someone blaming their choice of living in the suburbs for their inability to bike even a little bit each day for 30 days. You can blame your need for a car on your “errands”, but I’ve been doing literally everything I need to do by bicycle (or foot, or bus once I moved to Seattle and we had such a thing) since 2007. Maybe you have kids and want to blame your car errands on them, but I see that awesome mom on her pink Surly biking around with a kid and she doesn’t seem to be making excuses. So sure, call out the wool clothing manufacturer while claiming you can’t bike for 30 days. But know that some of us see your hypocrisy and think less of you for it.
Gary, I think you misunderstand the game! You’re not required to do everything by bike, just add a bike trip to each day. Part of the fun is realizing, “Oops, it’s 11:50 p.m. and I forgot to sneak in a ride–off to ride around the block in my pajamas.” It’s a fun challenge and I love 30 Days of Biking because over the course of my first three rounds it changed me into an everyday biker. Many participants are inspired to replace a car or bus trip with a bike trip, but what about just adding a short bike trip to check out the closest spring blooms after your car errands are done?
I’m more interested in getting my neighbor to bike to work one day a week. This “contest” is a waste of my time. But hey, at one time I didn’t own a car and I had to ride everywhere. But riding just to say, “I rode today?” I ‘d rather rest up for the rest of the week. As it is I’m on track to ride 6k this year. And to tell the truth my legs are sore tonight, and I’m looking forward to two days off
Gary’s too hardcore.
I’m with you, Gary (sort of). Totally fine if you want to take the pledge, but not everyone is into that sort of thing. I’m not. Gary isn’t, I’m sure we have more company too. I’m in the just-ride-and-have-fun camp, one day at a time. And encouraging my neighbors to try it too! Just because I don’t want to take a pledge, doesn’t mean I don’t want to ride my bike every day.
http://carfreedays.com/2015/04/01/one-day-at-a-time-an-alternative-to-30-days-of-biking/
This would be more challenging in February, well, 30 days is maybe too challenging in Feb, how about January? I’m pretty sure I got 30 days in Jan. I am down about 4 days for the year, but I’m going to try to pick up the pace a little bit and aim for 353 days of bicycling in ’14. But then I ride cargo bikes, so I don’t have much excuse for not biking, need four bags of groceries?, ride the bike, need a couple 20lb bags of cat litter, take the bike, 100lb machine part, bike again, need to take a couple of kids? only hypothetical for me, but that lady on the pink bike makes it look like fun.
Going to work and its raining? well, I would spend as much time walking to/waiting at the (no shelter) bus stop as I would riding the bike, and even after the wait the bus ride would take about as long again as biking. Thanks Metro, you get most of the credit for reintroducing me to the joys of biking
Day 2!