Burn baby, burn - by biking

5/14/09
biking
By Heather Haddon

Burn baby, burn - by biking

Photo credit: Urbanite

Transportation Alternatives will help New Yorkers get geared up for biking to work during free events Friday

(Photo courtesy Nick Goddard)

By Heather Haddon

If miles of new bike lanes weren’t enough, city transit officials think vanity might encourage more New Yorkers to commute by two wheels.

The average roundtrip bike commute burns 440 calories, according to city figures released in tandem with Bike Month.

The Department of Transportation and transit groups have organized more than 200 rides and events to celebrate biking in May. On Friday, Transportation Alternatives will give away breakfast and free biking advice to celebrate “National Bike to Work Day.”

“Bike Month is a great occasion for New Yorkers … to hop on a bike, and see just how fun and welcoming the streets, bridges and parks have become," said DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan.

In other city biking news:

* The average bike commute takes 30 minutes, as compared to the average overall commute of 45 minutes for New Yorkers* The average cost of owning a car in New York City is $5,569, as compared to about $260 for a bike (with insurance).

* There are 185,000 cycling commuters in the city, up from 75,000 daily riders in 1992

* New York City currently has more than 620 lane miles of bicycle paths, lanes and car-free greenways

For more information about events, see www.bikemonthnyc.org.
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