Why do people love bikes so much?

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Always popular in Europe biking is becoming quite the rage in America.

(There is nothing quite as sexy as a girl on a bike. European women have this subtle way of attracting men down pat. They put on some cute heels and a skirt and attach a simple woven basket to the front and voila! They are irresistible!)

There is even a magazine devoted exclusively to girls on bikes. What about bicycles appeals to our aesthetic and soulful natures so very much? Is it some primitive sense of freedom we feel when our hair is blowing in the wind and our body is being propelled right through the air? You just can’t get that same feeling in a vehicle, not even a convertible. But I digress.

Probably the closest feeling to that of the unimpeded freedom of being on a bike is possibly roller skating or even snow skiing.

People are drawn to bikes for some many reasons. At the heart of the attraction may lay a very simple answer: it sparks the romanticism in people.

Throughout cinematic history, a pretty girl on a bike has been perceived as romantic. She seems so nonchalant and carefree and that might be her secret. It also allows even the most sophisticated, refined, and poised woman to let out her girlish side a little bit when she rides a bike.

People love bikes so much that they will spend thousands of dollars on the perfect bike. They will go to a bike shop and through a very arduous process and with the help of a salesman, design their perfect bike on paper, picking piece by piece and building it from the ground up. This process can take hours.

More and more cities across the United States are allocating budget dollars to build trails for its citizens to ride bikes.

In Minneapolis, an elaborate system of bike trails designed by the park system can keep a bicyclist on paths for days at a time and allow the biker to travel from the far remote corner of a metropolitan area to the other.

These greenways are becoming increasingly popular with urban dwellers.

Clubs and friendships are formed based on a love of cycling alone.

In Minneapolis, for instance, one group of men get together to ride 75 miles every Wednesday evening. Another group called Brothers Who Roll, make stopping for a beer at several small pubs a part of charting their daylong trek through the Twin Cities.

Bicycling is a worthy endeavor on a number of levels.

It is good for people in so many ways. It is good for them physically, mentally, emotionally, and dare I say, spiritually. In addition, it is good for the environment. As more and more people leave their vehicles parked at home and ride their bike to work, the ozone is thanking them.

San Francisco is another city very popular for bike riding. In fact, the movement to ride bikes has taken on epic proportions there and on designated days, bicyclists actually shut down all traffic in the city. They give fair warning to motorists, but it just goes to show you that whether it is a cute girl on a bike, a band of friends stopping at pubs, or a serious cyclist with a passion for the sport, bicycling is here to stay.

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Why A Ride Is The Perfect Second Date

So you’ve had a great first date. Everything went so perfect, now what? Well my advice is to call her after a few days and ask her if she wants to go on a second date, but warn her – it’s gonna get physical. And just in case the first date didn’t go great, get a copy of Vin Dicarlo’s Pandoras Box so that you will start getting second dates… :)

Again here is the url you need: vin-dicarlo-pandoras-box.com.

And by physical I mean you are going to take her on a biking adventure. This is great as it shows how spontaneous you can be and also is a bunch of fun for both of (showing off another quality that women love).

I recommend looking for cruiser bikes to rent as they are easy to ride, require little skill and will ensure that the date remains fun, and is not competitive.

Check your local bike clubs or the internet for easy trails in your area, and have fun!

Read more ideas on a bike date here:
Fun Fitness Date.

What I Love About Riding My Bike

I use a lot of different forms of transportation, but one of my favorites is my bike. I’ve had it for a little over six years, and the thing has become like my best friend… with wheels. There are plenty of reasons why, but most of all it just makes things really convenient.

I got the bike during my second year of college, when it was difficult for me to justify walking twenty five minutes to and from classes. The bike cut down my travel time, allowing me a few extra minutes of sleep in the morning and laziness between classes. Also, when I arrived at my destination, I didn’t have to waste time trying to find a parking space before walking back to the building – I only had to look for a bike rack… or a lamp post, tree, bench or other stationery object.

After college, my bike is still practical. Though I’m not using it to make sure I got to classes and meals on time, it still serves a purpose. My house is really close to a system of parks with plenty of biking areas, so I mostly use it for recreation now. There is nothing like spending the afternoon riding on a path next to a lake or through the woods, and before I know it I’m miles away from my home without even realizing it. Riding my bike has turned into a way for me to escape from loud and congested areas with ease and get exercise at the same time.

One of the obvious perks to owning a bike is that they do not require much in the way of maintenance,and you never need to fill them with gas. The most extensive repairs that I’ve had to make to my bike since I got it were replacing tires and changing the chain. In the same span of time, I have had countless oil changes, tire replacements and rotations, wiper blade replacements, and to buy a new battery for my car. Not only were the bike repairs way less expensive than the automobile ones, but I was able to do them myself in very little time. The fact that something going wrong with my bike doesn’t result in hours spent waiting in a repair shop means a ton to me, and I know that I’ll be back on my bike before I even have a chance to miss it.

I really love that my bike says a lot about me as a person, too. When people see me riding it, they immediately know a few things. The first is that I’m not lazy. It’s hard work to ride a bike for moderate to long distances, and even harder on varied terrain. It took me a little while to make the transition from simple rides around campus to day trips through the parks, and I had to work for it. Once my legs and body decided that they could handle it, it became less like work and more relaxing – now I know that I’m getting exercise and peace and quiet at the same time.

Another thing that is immediately said about me by looking at my bike is that I take care of my possessions. The bike itself is always clean and ready to go. My tires are full of air, the chain is well oiled, and my helmet fits properly. I’m taking the whole process seriously and ensuring my own personal safety as well as that of others around me. Biking is more than an occasional hobby for me, and I treat it as such.

My bike also gives me the opportunity to save money, which I love. Not only am I not spending cash to put gas into it, I don’t have to pay for parking when I ride it places. As most locations offer bike racks and even in some cases bike “areas” to keep them while inside, I know that my bike is in a great location – for free. It’s like valet parking, but I only rely on myself, not someone else to take my bike and park it. In addition to saving money, I know that my bike is safer from other objects than a car would be in a parking lot. Parking my bike closer to the building also means that when I’m ready to leave, I don’t have to walk around in a parking lot and hope that I remember where I left it, and I have a shorter distance to carry anything that I may have purchased.

My bike is overall pretty awesome, and I love riding it. I was kind of skeptical when my college roommates suggested I buy a bike like they had, but now I’m really glad that I did. Not only did it get me through college, but riding my bike has become something that I enjoy even more now than I used to.

From The Web:
29 Bold Bicycle Racks – From Sea Creature Bike Racks to Ones That are Barely There
How to protect your bike from being stripped for parts