May is National Bike Month and this week we’re celebrating everything pedal powered by delivering some tips to help make cycling a bigger part of your life. Cycling can be a fun and healthy way to exercise or even commute. So celebrate National Bike Month by hopping on your wheels and heading for the open road—or consider using your bike to commute to the office on May 18, aka National Bike To Work Day.

Beat rush hour traffic by biking to work.

With spring in full bloom, many people are dusting off their bikes and hitting the pavement. But instead of biking just as weekend exercise, why not try using 2 wheels for daily errands, or even to commute to work? Over half of U.S. citizens work less than 10 miles from home, making biking a feasible—and healthy—option. And while some may say that driving is faster, research shows bikes can be 50% faster when navigating rush hour traffic in certain cities. Plus you’ll be killing two birds with one stone: commuting to work and getting in your cardio for the day. So gear up and pedal down with the latest (and most environmentally friendly) way to head to the office.

Is cycling a pain in your neck?

Neck pain is a common complaint for cyclists. The good news is that most minor ailments can be prevented and treated with stabilizing exercises and handlebar adjustments. In the case of the latter, often the cause is that the reach is too long, which can usually be solved by adjusting the number of spacers on the handlebar stem and/or by getting a shorter stem. Make small adjustments over time to allow the body to adapt to the new position.

Want to smash your next spin workout? Turn up the tunes.

Studies on cyclists have shown that music can improve performance of high intensity interval training. For those “all-out” 30-second efforts, music of your choice can increase peak and mean power and even allow you to enjoy the effort more. Don’t forget to compile a playlist for your next high intensity spin session. Research suggests it could make your intense effort a little more bearable and (potentially) a whole lot more fun.

PS: If you live/work near our headquarters in Mountain View or San Diego, there are several local observances for Bike to Work Day as well! Check out Bike to Work Day Silicon Valley, Santa Cruz, and San Diego.

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