Are BMX Bikes Good for Commuting?
With rising rent prices in metropolitan areas, a considerable number of city workers are commuters. Whether you commute from the countryside or the suburbs, statistics indicate that you are not alone: commuting is increasingly common.
But how are commuters getting from point A to point B? According to compelling 2017 reports by the Bureau of Transportation, some 150 million American workers commute by car. Though commuting time varies by region, time spent on the road is considerable everywhere you live. Commuters in the Northeastern region spend, on average, 30.3 minutes to travel to work, and the vast majority are doing so either through car-sharing services or individual vehicle use.
That’s a whole half hour spent catching up on NPR, listening to a new podcast, or cursing the stalled traffic in front of you. What if there was a better way? What if there was an alternative to environmental, health, fitness, and financial benefits? If you’re like many others, you might be quick to jump out of the driver’s seat and into the seat of a shiny new mini BMX bike.
An unconventional alternative for commuters
BMX bikes aren’t necessarily designed with the morning commute in mind, but that hasn’t stopped hardcore fans from putting their bikes to a surprising new use. Rather than driving to work, some commuters are saving money— and looking a whole lot cooler— by riding their bikes to the office.
You have to admit it’s a slick, timeless image to roll up to work on your bike rather than a tired, gritty old car puffing out the exhaust. Most bikers feel passionate about their hobby because biking allows them to blow off some steam after a difficult or stressful work week.
Hitting the open road and experiencing natural terrain can be a liberating and relaxing experience for the adventurously inclined, particularly for those who work stressful or time-consuming day jobs. Biking was once seen as something you did only on the weekend.
Nowadays, more and more bikers are deciding to mix business and pleasure. On the other end of the spectrum, there are employees without the funds to repair or replace a malfunctioning car which has used their BMX bike out of desperation only to find that it saves money, guzzles less gas, and provides a more exciting commute than a more traditional ride.
Just make sure your bike has mountain tyres that are of quality make if you’re going to be using it for a commute.
Are BMX Bikes Good for Commuting: Health and safety standards and responsibilities
Even the most hardened bikers may be intimidated by the prospect of riding a BMX bike down the highway during rush hour. After all, BMX bikes, invented in the 1970s by bored suburban kids playing at being professional motocross racers with DIY contraptions, were never intended to be used for long-distance commutes.
However, this doesn’t mean that they can’t be used for this purpose. On the contrary, with the vast variety of freestyle bicycle motocross bikes available on the market, you’re sure to find a bike that is within your budget and versatile enough to carry you from the weekday to the weekend without too much hassle. There are remarkable health benefits to biking, and every time you bike instead of driving, you are directly doing your part to help the environment.
If you’re not yet a BMX owner or you’re considering replacing your current bike with something capable of withstanding a commute and a few tricks flips at the skatepark, it’s advisable to do your research on what type of bike would best suit your specific needs. Best of all, since motocross bikers are big on brand loyalty, you can also find lots of cool swag to represent your favorite brands, such as Fly Racing or others.