Last summer, when gas prices were hitting $4/gallon I had the fortune of attending a fantastic presentation on bicycle commuting at the Minneapolis EcoTuesday. I was reminded today about that discussion when I read Julie Urlaub’s article on 10 Reasons to Bike Commute to Work .  Kevin Ishaug, owner of Freewheel Bike Center in Midtown Minneapolis (on the Midtown Greenway), talked about the “Red Herrings” nature of arguments against bicycle commuting, especially in the Northern Climates.

Here are a few of the slippery red fish:

Red Herring 1- “It’s too far” – Most commutes are between 3-10 miles. What about biking to the train or bus stop if it is farther.
Red Herring 2- “I’m not in shape” – Great way to change that
Red Herring 3- “It’s too cold” – Would you rather sit in your car waiting for your car to warm up (5-10 minutes) for a 15 minute drive in the morning. Or in less than 5 minutes on a bike you will be naturally warm from the exercise and smile at all those frozen people huddled in cars in their commute.
Red Herring 4- “What about the snow” – In the Twin Cities the bike routes are often the first to be plowed. If need be, put on tires with special traction.
Red Herring 5- “My clothes will get ruined” – Keep your dress clothes at work and/or use a Garment Pannier bag (water resistant saddle bags) – designed like airline garment bags.
Red Herring 6- “Where do I shower?” – This is an issue and it can be relatively easily resolved. Check to see if your building actually has a shower. Local gym may offer shower only option. Talk to your management about installing a shower/changing room – it will give them points if they plan to make their building LEED certified (SS4.2)

So why aren’t you riding to work?
What’s your excuse that doesn’t work any more?

The second reason for this article is to showcase what can happen when private enterprise, government, and corporations come together to solve systematic sustainability issues.  The Freewheel Midtown Bike Center is an interesting  joint effort between the city of Minneapolis, Freewheel, and Allina Health Systems to provide in the heart of the city a full service bike transportation hub, storage, repair, cafe, classes, and meeting place for the community of Minneapolis. It is located directly on the Midtown Greenway across from the bustling Midtown Public Market. The location made for an easy partnership with Allina Health Systems, which campuses at the Midtown Public Market, which can now offer a bike option to their employees and honor their heath care mission.

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Copyright ©2009 Matthew Rochte, Opportunity Sustainability℠ – Share with attribution

Opportunity Sustainability℠ is a Midwest-based sustainability and corporate responsibility consulting firm specializing in green innovation and seeing opportunities where others see burdens. Matthew Rochte LEED AP, an experienced, operations-based sustainability consultant, working with company management to navigate and realize the opportunities in taking their company green and growing sustainably.