Want to feel amazing and energized when you get to work? Bike to Work!

By Laurel McJannet

Alex is one of our newest Community Transit employees, but he's not new to the world of biking to work. So, it was only natural for him to join Team VeloCeeTee during Bike to Work Month.

Ok, Alex. Same questions I asked Rita-- ready...set...go! (Answers below!)

Alex commutes to our Kasch Park Operations Base 4-5 days a week.

How often do you bike outside of Bike Month?

Regular bicycle commuter- 4-5 days per week.

Why do you bike?

Primarily health and stress reasons-- I simply cannot put up with sitting in traffic when I could be pedaling through a beautiful forest on the North Creek trail, or zipping past congestion on the InterUrban.

I feel amazing and energized when I get to work, I get the best parking in the office, and I’ve met my daily cardio goals-- and then some!

What do you like most about biking?

It’s such an easy way to get around. No need to worry about parking or traffic, just a straight shot to my destination.

What makes biking to work challenging at times?

Weather can be tricky, and dealing with time constraints or hauling in the middle of the day.

Luckily, Community Transit accommodates for all of that--I can shower and change at the office, take transit for part of my trip with my ORCA Card, and use a company vehicle for midday meetings.

Alex’s Bike: I have a Spot Wazee, which is a little company based out of Golden, CO that specializes in belt-drive bikes. I love it.

Alex’s advice for the beginning bike rider contemplating biking to work:

Plan your route in advance and give it a trial run on the weekend. That’ll give you an idea of the time it’ll take-- and you don’t even have to factor in rush hour since that really doesn’t apply to bikes! Also, bring a few changes of clothes and some shower stuff and leave it at your office for those days you get rained on or are a little too sweaty for business as usual.

Thanks, Alex-- and welcome to Community Transit! Has Alex inspired you to bike to work?

Team VeloCeeTee Redefines Commuting with Heart

By Laurel McJannet

The wheels on the bus go round and round, but employees on Team VeloCeeTee get all over town (and to work) with the velocity of two wheels and lots of heart.

The team represents a cross section of employees that make up Community Transit: Transportation, Strategic Planning, Transportation Demand Management/Marketing, and Transportation Service Planning.

Pictured (left to right): Rocky Cazares, Rita Fox, Roland Behee, Alex Mehn, Sara Hayden and Dana Osborn.

Biking goes beyond Bike to Work Day and Month for members of Team VeloCeeTee. Some bike year-round. Many dust off their bikes as soon as the weather warms up. Given all this experience (and because I'm a hesitant wanna-be bike commuter myself), I posed this question to the team:

What advice do you have for the beginning bike rider who is contemplating biking to work?

"Get out there and try it! Don't get hung up on having all the right equipment or clothing. Get a functional bike, Find a place to park it (rack, stairwell, office). Look for ways to make it easy-- combining bus and bike can get you over hills, distance or high traffic areas." - Roland

"Plan your route in advance and give it a trial run on the weekend. That'll give you an idea of the time it'll take-- and you don't even have to factor in rush hour since that really doesn't apply to bikes!" Also, bring a few changes of clothes and some shower stuff and leave it at your office for those days you get rained on or are a little too sweaty for business as usual." - Alex

"Try it, even if you only do it once a week. You don’t have to have all the latest gear or an expensive bike, it doesn’t matter. What matters is the exercise you get, and how you contribute to making your carbon foot print just a wee bit smaller.  It counts." - Rita

"It can be really easy to become discouraged in the early stages.  If a person does not overdo it or give up early on, the little steps of the beginning and early stages will eventually become an accomplishment that will bring a great deal of satisfaction.  (Take that from a 62-year-old!)" - Dana

Do you bike to work? What advice do you have for biking to work? To school? Let us know in the comments.

5 Answers, 1 Piece of Advice On Why to Bike to Work

If you haven't already heard by now, May is Bike to Work Month. This Friday, May 15 is Bike to Work Day where diehard bikers and tentative beginners will hit the road to get to their 9-to-5 gig, biking alone or on a team.

Speaking of teams, we have one at Community Transit. While it's gone through a few name changes over the years, this year's team, Team VeloCeeTee (Get it?) is six members strong. We interviewed some of the team members to find out why they bike and asked what their advice would be for first time bike commuters.

First up: Rita, an administrative assistant in our Transportation Department. She has biked on the team for several years and also enjoys biking in her free time. 

How often do you bike outside of Bike Month?

Once a week or so from Spring to Fall. I'm a weekend cyclist basically, but do enjoy mid-week riders in the summer when there's more light.

Why do you bike?

Because I love outdoor exercise and have always loved riding bikes ever since I was a kid. I love riding trails and just soaking up nature along the way. Stationary bikes are good exercise, but just aren't the same.

What do you like most about biking?

Going fast! Having a destination and getting exercise along the way-- challenging myself to hills and feeling the breeze (on a hot day) on the way down the other side.

What makes biking to work challenging at times?

Hard it do it with after work commitments and when you're sick or when it's just dumping down rain. Or, pea soup fog. I won't ride in fog.

Rita's Bike: a Specialized Dolce road bike.

Rita's advice for the beginning bike rider contemplating biking to work:

Try it-- even if you do it once a week. What matters is the exercise you get and how you contribute to making your carbon footprint just a week bit smaller. It counts!

Thanks, Rita! 

What do you think? Will you be biking to work anytime soon?