Riding a bike is a good way to get some exercise and it can also be good on the wallet. According to new data released by the League of American Bicyclists, the Sierra Club and National Council of La Raza (NCLR) the savings can be big with a capital B. U.S. bicyclists save $4.6 billion per year by riding, instead of driving. The study’s release coincided with last Friday’s National Bike to Work Day, which saw more than one million U.S. resident participant by riding instead of driving to work.
New and key data highlighted in the fact sheet includes:
- Bicyclists in the U.S. save $4.6 billion per year by riding, instead of driving
- If American drivers replaced just one four-mile car trip with a bike each week for the whole year, it would save more than 2 billion gallons of gas.
- From 2001 to 2009, Hispanics, African Americans, and Asian Americans took up biking at faster rates than other Americans, representing 21 percent of all bike trips in the U.S. in 2009.
“There are so many reasons more people are riding, from improving their health to protecting the environment,” said League President Andy Clarke. “But, especially in tough economic times, bicycling can also be an economic catalyst, keeping billions of dollars in the pockets of American families.”
League of American Bicyclists Official Website
Sierra Club Official Website
National Council of La Raza Official Website