How cycling for daily commute has had a positive impact on my life

An auto or car commute will be minimum 5-6k per month translating to 50k per year. In that respect, the bicycle has already paid for itself.

BHPian RashmiRathi recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

One of my new year resolutions for year 2022 was to start a healthy lifestyle. After pondering over several options, zeroed down on bicycle commute as the most sustainable one. After the pandemic, my office opened in Feb'2022 and that is when I put the resolution to practice. I have been commuting using a bicycle since then and had set a target of completing 4000 kms in FY 2022-23. Just completed the target this week:

Motivation:

When I mentioned the resolution to my better half, she jokingly commented that "She will give one week to this new resolution before it meets the same fate as other unfulfilled one". This added an extra layer of motivation.

The commute:

I live in a housing society very close to Gaimukh on Ghodbunder Road and my office is in Waghle Estate. Total commute distance is 13.3 kms each way. The terrain in way of commute is not exactly flat but there are few undulations. On a everyday basis, commute becomes physically demanding for few stretches.

The machine:

After some research, I decided to go for an electric bike from Hero. Bike cost me around INR 27,000. Best feature in the bike is pedal assist which gives additional torque on inclined roads. I mostly use the bike in manual mode during my commute and only use pedal assist during steep climbs. With my limited usage, one charge lasts for around 125 kms which gives me 5 days of commute:

The logistics:

Our office is located in a co-working facility. During rental negotiation, we had requested for a separate shower room with storage racks etc., which the facility manager complied with. So, every morning, I carry a fresh set of clothes and tiffin box in the saddlebags and carry the soiled clothes back in the evening. Initially I had some reservations on how this will work out but to my surprise, it has worked out excellently.

Route and safety:

Commute route mostly consists of service roads and internal roads which don't have much traffic. I take extra precaution to avoid Ghodbunder Road which is full of high speed and heavy vehicle traffic. On safety side, I wear a helmet and gloves without fail and have installed fwd and back side safety lights. During evening commute, I also wear a fluorescent harness.

Daily route:

Service road during morning commute. A Hanuman temple can be seen by the side:

Another view of the service road:

This brilliantly lit Yeoor Hill welcomes me every morning:

Benefits:

• Weight loss: Lost around 5 kgs of weight in last one year without any additional effort. I have to admit that loss of weight was less than what I had anticipated but I have also realised that for amateur athletes like us, weight loss is more a function of what we eat than what exercises we do.
• Better health: This has been an eye opener. During my annual checkup, discovered that all vitals including BP, Heart functions, Sugar levels have improved by a big factor in last one year. Doctor was also surprised by these improvements. As the stats prove, for same commute my maximum heartbeat has come down by almost 20% in last one year.

Stat for morning commute for 1st week of April'2022:

• Time management: Commute on bicycle saves me from these deadly traffic jams on Ghodbunder Road and provides me a better hold on my time. The commute is limited to 50-55 mins each way and doesn't vary much.
• Cost: An auto or car commute will be minimum 5-6k per month translating to 50k per year. In that respect, the bicycle has already paid for itself.

Summary:

It gave me a great sense of achievement that I decided on a resolution and managed to complete it. Also, health benefit is very good. Road Safety is still a bit of concern, which I try to mitigate by avoiding high traffic areas and by being extra vigilant.

Me in morning after commute:

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