Ride to Work Day kickstarts a journey to health, savings and sustainability

By Ed Birt, the president of the Illawarra Bicycle Users Group

October 15 was National Ride to Work Day, perfectly timed in the middle of spring. This is an ideal time when people emerge from their winter routines and think about becoming more active and creating habits that benefit themselves and their community. In Wollongong, organisations like Healthy Cities Australia celebrated Ride to Work Day with a staff ride to the office.

The perfect fitness fix

There's no better way to achieve your fitness goals than by incorporating the incidental exercise that comes with riding to and from work into your routine.

Consider this: the average commuting distance in Wollongong is 15km. Think of getting into Wollongong from Thirroul, Dapto or Windang – all roughly this distance. Of course, many people live much closer. Wollongong's Cycling Plan aims to increase cycling-to-work trips from a modest 0.7% to 2.0% of commuter journeys.

A 15km commute is in the sweet spot for 45 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each way. This means if you live 15km from work, riding just two days a week will meet the recommended guidelines of 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate-intensity physical activity weekly.

A triple win

Cycling to work delivers three major benefits:

• You get to work
• You complete your recommended weekly physical activity
• You save money on petrol and vehicle maintenance

Quantifying the savings

The financial and environmental benefits are easily calculated. Based on the average fuel consumption for passenger cars in Australia (11.1 litres per 100km), cycling your 15km commute twice per week over 48 working weeks saves you:

• 2,880km of vehicle wear and tear
• 317 litres of fuel (which produces 757kg of CO2 when burnt)
• Approximately $570 in direct fuel costs (based on $1.80 per litre)

Seriously, what's not to like?

How to get started

This brings me to an important point: how to get back into cycling to work. From my experience leading countless rides for occasional adult cyclists in Wollongong, I can tell you that jumping on your bike on a busy Monday morning with a packed schedule ahead is not the right approach – it will set you up to fail.

While you may fondly recall your youthful cycling skills (and I don't doubt them for a minute), if you haven't been maintaining them, like any other skill, they will have declined. A demanding work week is not the time to discover this.

Preparation is key

Get your bike ready on the weekend and do practice runs outside commuting hours – perhaps a few Sunday rides before you actually intend to commute. Explore the safest, most comfortable route for you without the pressure of a working day deadline.

Riding to work is an admirable and achievable goal for most adults with a stable workplace. However, leaping in unprepared sets you up for disappointment – or worse.

Set yourself up for success

Here are three practical steps to take:

• Get both your bike and your body ready with regular weekend rides
• Inform your boss or team about the day you plan to ride to work, so they won't be surprised if you arrive slightly later or less polished than usual
• Consider joining a group like the Illawarra Bicycle Users Group (IBUG) to meet fellow cyclists through programs like Bike Buddies, which helps women gain confidence and take up cycling in our city

The bottom line

Riding to work is one of the most logical and practical ways to benefit your health, wellbeing and family budget. With proper preparation and the right approach, you can make it a sustainable and enjoyable part of your routine.

About the writer

Edward Birt is a committed and enthusiastic cyclist. As the Bicycle Mayor of Wollongong and the President of the Illawarra Bicycle Users Group, Ed volunteers his time to get more bums on saddles and improved cycling infrastructure and conditions for everyone.