Ideal Bite

While I was glad to finally see biking mentioned, I found the tone of the tip to be strange--biking as a hippie, crunchy activity? as a long-term bike commuter I see bikers of all kinds out every day--in every kind of weather here in portland oregon--and they are hardly all "crunchy"--not that that would be a bad thing. how biking rates as more hippie than soy clothes and hemp shower curtains is beyond me--so next time, please leave out the unnecessary rationalizations and present biking as what it is--one of the easiest and most beneficial choices you can make to reduce your impact on the planet.

I agree wholeheartedly with Diana R. Bikers come in every shape, size, and way of life, from uber-spandex racer to homeless to just plain ol' khakis and button-down types, and everything in between. By apologizing for mentioning biking in the tip of the day and calling bikers crunchy, you're further stereotyping a community that already deals with some pretty serious marginalization. As Diana mentioned it's a very cheap way to make a huge difference and simultaneously get healthy. Driving to work and then driving to the gym to get a workout and then talking about sustainability is laughably hypocritical.

I love your daily tips on being green, but I found your attitude on biking a bit disappointing. Why would you label biking to work "granola?" People in lower income brackets and people in other cultures rely on biking and walking as their main form of transportation. And why identify as "light greenies?" What does that mean? You are only green if it is designer?

If you want to bike, but need a challenge or good cause to get you out there pedalling then check out the American Diabetes Association website for the TOUR DE CURE www.diabetes.org/tour. They organise rides all over the country for beginners and experienced cyclists in May and June. Have fun, & get fit for a good cause and it's environmentally friendly too!

I bike to work in Los Angeles - 7 miles one way. I love it. I feel energized and elated when I get to work, it takes the same time as driving (although when traffic is really bad the car is slower), and I spend hardly any money on gas. There are bike communities and bike orgs that help people to learn to bike safely, be visible to traffic, and know your rights on the road. I'd encourage anyone who likes the idea but is intimidated because they just don't know anyone else who does it to see if they can find the bike community in their city. Bikes could change the world. Thanks for this Bite!

Biking in major metropolitan areas like Lost Angeles (CA) can be quite hazardous to your health!! You are litterally taking your life in your hands by doing it. The majority of vehicles simply ignore bike lanes or do not even see the cyclist in the first place. We all know what happens in any bike VS car accident; 2 tons of car is always going to win against 200LBS of unprotected human.

Agree with the tip whole-heartedly, but like others, am annoyed by the tone. What's the point of apologising for this? As has already been mentioned, cycling hardly seems hippy-ish compared to some of the other (also great) tips that come from the Bite. Biking is awesome in so many ways. in the past month I have had two different people crash into my car, which has come to a cost of more than $2000 (fortunately covered by the other drivers, not me). I also went to pick up my bike one morning after catching a taxi home (green or not, cycling drunk is a dumb idea), only to find the vandals had been at it. It was a 2nd hand bike, a relic of the early 80s acquired by me when my Mum stopped using it, so worth nothing other than the fact that it was my transportation, but now it's not even that. I had to carry it home, as neither of the wheels were in working order. The thing is, I could get the bike fixed for much less than the cost of repairing the car. I could buy a whole new bike, and all the fancy gear to go with it. biking is fun, sociable, cheap and good for the environment. Only in America would anyone be embarassed to extol the virtues of cycling. Ad thank you to those Americans who are proving that not all Americans are in love with their cars and/or too lazy to use other means of transport.

I didn't realize that as a biker I am part of a community that "already deals with some pretty serious marginalization." When I am alert enough in the morning to take on the traffic and bike to work, all I get are smiles and encouraging comments from people in my building. How dare they! Thanks for the tip! I don't mind the tone at all and I must say that biking is far more mainstream than being pulled around town by a dog, as suggested last month!

I tried biking to work last year, even though it is pretty unsafe on the roads. The only margin the cars will give you is full of potholes, and the so-called 'bike lanes' are full of parked cars with their flashers, apologetically, on. This isn't my main problem. In two years I've had three bikes stolen - two from work, and one from my backyard. The ones at work were locked, in my yard the thieves found the one hour my bike wasn't locked and took it. So, my capital outlay for bikes is coming close to $1000 per year. I'm not buying wildly expensive gear, but I do want to have fenders, a carrier, a bell and lights, plus NEW LOCKS every time, and these things seem to add up to the price of the bike. Probably they make it more attractive to theives also, but I want to be safe and reasonably dry when I ride, as well as carry my laptop and purse, so a stripped down junker won't really do the job. I also tried rollerblading, but crashed and had to go to physio for three months - another $1000.

Sometimes I think the ideal bite crew gets a little out of touch. (Ride a Horse tip) Maybe it is scrambling to find a new tip everyday or it is living in two of the best cities in the U.S. (San Fran and Bozeman). Most non-cities--er towns in the U.S. are still relatively in the dark about bikes lanes. The "bike lane" in my town is half a block long. We barely have sidewalks so that you can walk to the grocery store. It blows my mind. Maybe the tips should have mentioned ways to encourage your town to add bike lanes. And of course, my personal pet peeve. Why didn't you mention anything about safety? Put a light on the front and back of your bike, because you never know if you will get caught in the dark and no one can see you. Don't forget the reflective tape on your bag, shoes, something. No one wants to hit a biker and no one wants to be hit. It ruins your day.