Four dollars for a gallon of gas? Twenty pounds overweight? Cholesterol a little high? Need to incorporate more cycling time into your busy life? No matter what the personal tipping point, many cyclists and non-cyclists are getting serious about bicycle commuting.

The 2000 U.S. Census estimates that somewhere between 400,000 to 750,000 Americans regularly commute by bike. In an earlier study, The Bicycle Institute of America put that number at 4.9 million. Regardless of the disparity in estimates, I’m guessing that the number is going up with every increase in the price of a barrel of oil.

Consider the benefits of bicycle commuting:

Save a buck: The cost of owning and maintaining an automobile is considerable: depreciation, financing, maintenance, fuel, insurance, taxes, license, registration, parking, and tolls. Using my 2004 Nissan Murano, my cost per mile is around 61 cents a mile (using $3/gallon). That doesn’t include the opportunity cost of using those dollars elsewhere.

Better Health: Some of us have too many burgers under our belts or cholesterol levels that are a tad elevated. Bike commuting is an ideal way to pedal ourselves back to health.

Training: Greg Anderson and Chuck Thomas at Spin Doctor Cyclewerks (www.spindoctorcyclewerks.com) in Bartlett, Ill., both commute by bicycle. They confess that commuting is a great way to get those base training miles into busy lives. They see that reasoning in their customers, too.

Attitude: The calmer disposition, the unexplained smile, the annoying serenity that comes with cycling all carry through the entire day.

Extras: The best parking place at work; the ability to eat more and eat healthier. If you’ve decided to try bicycle commuting, what do you need to know?

Find a Bike

Most commuting cycles are non-suspended aluminum frames and forks giving a light, swift ride. Handlebars are conventional straight bars that promote an upright riding position with a better line of sight.  Smooth wide tires provide a less “delicate” ride while still giving less rolling resistance than a knobby, mountain-bike tire. Save those for snow days. Expect to pay around $400. Many models have internally geared rear hubs that allow a cyclist to change gears while stopped at a light. More expensive models will have disc brakes and front “Dyno” hubs that power a lighting system. Tricked out with racks and lights, you can pay over $900.

Accessories

Rear racks, panniers (closed saddle bag for work, open top market bags for shopping and chores), bolt-on fenders, front chain guards to keep your pants leg out of the front gear cluster, and mirrors are necessities for the commuter.

Lights

There are pros and cons to generator vs. battery powered lighting systems. Generator driven lights are less expensive and don’t need recharging, but provide weaker road illumination. They are better in urban areas where incidental lighting helps cyclists see and be seen. They lose their efficacy in less well lighjed stretches of suburban or rural roads. Battery powered halogen lights throw a stronger, more even beam, but only last around 2.5 hours. Inclement weather that lengthens your ride can suddenly leave you in the dark. You must remember to bring your charger to work, or buy and extra one and leave it there. Red blinking LED rear lights are a must. See and be seen.

Clothing

Helmets aren’t really clothing, but you do wear them on your head. Make sure the straps are adjusted properly and tightly.  A loose fitting helmet is a hat. Layer garments for the season: wicking base layers, wool or synthetic jerseys and tights, GoreTex (spend the money) jacket and wind pants, MTB shoes and/or neoprene booties, gloves. Learn to pack wrinkle-free work wear in your panniers so it doesn’t wrinkle.