The New Hampshire Bike-Walk Alliance's annual Green Commute has expanded to an entire week this year, from May 11 through May 15. The project challenges Granite Staters to use human power to get around as much as possible during the week.

Commuting by bike makes a lot of sense.

• It gets you fit. Riding a bike not only burns calories, but it also builds impressive lower-body strength, and improves aerobic (heart-lung) capacity. Riding a bike for half an hour or even a few hours doesn't really feel like work--to me at least--compared to, say, running or swimming for the same amount of time.
• You'll arrive at work refreshed, and you'll have left your work worries behind by the time you return home.
• It connects you with the natural world. Cycling back and forth from work has brought me breathtaking scenery, the scents of pine woods and lilacs, the sounds of rushing streams and, once, a whinnying horse who galloped the length of long field alongside me, matching my pace as I rode by.
• Cycling burns calories instead of gasoline. You save at the pump and reduce air pollution. You can cover a lot of miles on a well-fitting bike, occasionally even faster than you could get there by car. During my fittest years, I commuted distances of up to 50 miles round-trip (a feat that confers tremendous bragging rights).

Approach bike commuting with a blue-collar attitude

Pump the tires, fill the water bottles, don the helmet, climb on the bike and start pedaling. Keep a couple of fresh changes of clothes in a supply closet or other handy storage space at work. Keep a towel and a bar of soap in a drawer and swab off in the office rest room. Carry your lunch, wallet, ID, insurance card and hairbrush in a backpack.

A few essential tips for bike commuters:

• Wear the helmet. Twice I've crashed badly enough to send me to an emergency room. Both times, ER physicians told me my helmet saved my life. Buy a helmet that meets the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CSPC) safety standards. To protect you, your helmet must fit snugly and sit squarely on your head, with the inner band of the helmet resting just above your eyebrows and the chin strap pulled as tight as you can comfortably wear it.
• Don't wear a helmet again after a crash, even a minor crash. Even the best-designed, most expensive helmet will protect your head for only a single impact. Don't buy a used helmet. You can't tell by looking at it if it's gone through a crash.
• Invest in some bike-specific clothing. You don't have to garb up in skin-tight spandex. Cycling gear comes in many different styles. But do choose "performance" fabrics that wick sweat from your body for comfort and that dry quickly after a wash. Wear a vibrantly colored jersey or jacket so you'll remain visible to motorists. Although many riders riders prefer shorts with a protective crotch-pad, others (especially women) find they ride more comfortably in shorts without pads.
• Explore saddle types. If you experience discomfort on the saddle that came with your bicycle, don't despair and don't resign yourself to the pain. Many bike shops let you take test rides to try out saddles of different sizes, shapes, and materials. Many men and women prefer saddles that feature cut-outs which offer relief from saddle pressure on their sensitive private parts.
• Buy local. Unless you do all your own mechanic work, it makes sense to buy your bike, most of your gear, and your service from a local shop. You'll want and need to form a long, trusting relationship with your shop's mechanic(s). The folks you trust and rely on deserve your money, too.
• Get your bike "fit" and have it tuned annually by a professional. "Fitting a bike" means adjusting it to accommodate your body, your intended use of the bike, and your riding style. A proper fit will help you avoid injury, improve your riding comfort, and boost your energy efficiency. Have a professional tuneup each spring to check the bike for safety and replace worn parts.
• Train up. Especially if you haven't cycled for years, start with a few easy miles and work up gradually. Rather than risk knee injury by grinding away in a high gear, learn to "spin" fast in a low gear. Polish your shifting, turning, climbing, and other skills with practice runs on a traffic-sparse road before moving onto a major roadway. Build your confidence by joining the Granite State Wheelmen or another local cycling club for group rides.
• Follow the rules of the road. If you ride on paved roads, ride assertively, but courteously, with traffic. Ride single file. Use appropriate hand signals (but avoid rude gestures. You can't win against a road-raging pickup driver). More rules

Have a few good excuses for why you can't bike to work?
Many successful self-powering commuters have found creative ways to overcome just about any of them. Check out these sites for a solution to your problem:

• No more excuses


• Save Time Commuting by Bicycle


• Tips for bike commuters

More information for bike commuters

• Calculate the true cost of driving
• Safety information for New Hampshire cyclists
• The basics of cycling in traffic
• New Hampshire bike trail maps