More Business Travelers Bring Bikes

A New York Times article by Tanya Mohn describes a trend in which more travelers are bringing bicycles with them on business trips. When these road warriors arrive at their destinations, the bicycles help them to stay sharp, avoid traffic and experience foreign lands in ways which would be impossible for travelers who spend all their time in hotels, taxis and office buildings. Mohn interviewed Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists, who said, "Health, being green and, more recently, economics were among the reasons more people are cycling to work. Many riders are continuing the habit on business trips."

Christopher Bennett, a civil engineer, experiences Tbilisi, Georgia on a bicycle

The article also discusses the difficulties in transporting full-sized bicycles on airplanes, but the recent introduction of many wonderful folding bicycles allows travelers to pack high-performance machines into small suitcases. Airlines may charge extra for travelers bringing bikes on planes, but this expense can be small in comparison to the money saved by getting around on a bicycle once you have landed. Alison Chaiken, a software engineer in the San Francisco Bay area, "estimates that she saved the company hundreds of dollars by not renting a car and avoiding the high price of gas overseas. And she skirted rush-hour traffic."

We are told that the world is getting smaller all the time. Business travelers who bring their bicycles, or rent bicycles once they arrive, have the chance to expand it a bit by seeing how people live outside of office buildings and fast-food joints in destinations across the globe.