The following is the estimated caloric expenditure for a 160-pound person for one hour of the activity listed:
Cycling, 10-12 mph, 435 calories
Roller skating, 508 calories
Skateboarding, 363 calories
Driving a car, 153 calories
Safety first
It is easy to forget that once we climb onto a bicycle, we leave the pedestrian world and become individual vehicles and drivers. The rules of the road now apply to you.
Start with these basics:
•Ride with traffic, not against it.
•Ride as close to the right side of the road as you can.
•Use appropriate arm signals when turning or stopping.
•Obey all traffic signs and traffic signals.
•Use the shoulder or a bike lane instead of the road whenever possible.
•Unless specifically designated as a bike trail, sidewalks are not for bicycles.
Organizations
These groups promote alternative forms of transportation:
Transportation Solutions, 280 Columbine St. Suite 306, 303-377-7086; info@transolutions.org.
Advice: Walk or bike for short trips. American drivers now make an average of 3.4 vehicle trips per day, many of these to destinations within 1 mile; replace some of these short trips with a walk or bike ride.
Freewheelin’ .
Mission: Freewheelin’ is a bicycle sharing program that incorporates the ideals of health, environmental conservation and community. Freewheelin’ allows you to track your bicycle usage so you know how your health and the environment benefits from your ride. What was your carbon offset? How many calories did you burn?
More information
Bicycle promotion and lobbying groups
Bicycle Colorado, 1525 Market St., Suite 100, 303-417-1544; info@bicyclecolorado.org
Bike Denver, 1536 Wynkoop St. Suite 801, .
Bikes Belong, 1920 13th St., Suite A, Boulder, 303-449-4893, .
