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For bicycle commuters, continuing to pedal through the winter months can be a daunting task, especially if one lives in a northern city. Often the decision for winter bicycle commuting comes down to perspective: Is cycling a sport or a viable form of transportation that offers a multitude of advantages such as saving money and improving the health of the cyclist and the environment? For commuters who travel by bike 3 or more days a week, the Minneapolis transit system offers a free Guaranteed Ride Home Program good for use up to 4 times a year for emergencies such as snowstorms.

From 2000 to 2010, bicycle commuting rose 40 percent in the U.S. But, in the 38 largest BFCs, the rise in bike commuters was almost double the national rate, growing a staggering 77 percent over the same time period. Cities like Portland, Ore.; Boulder, Colo; Davis, Calif., and other leading BFCs are almost ready to join the ranks of world-class bike communities - and the League has been working with BFC representatives to envision a higher standard that challenges and charts new heights for bicycle-friendliness in the United States. "If it sounds like we are moving the goalposts, it's because we are," says Andy Clarke, League President. "Communities are doing so much more, and the state of the practice in innovative infrastructure and programs has developed so rapidly in recent years, that it really is time to challenge communities to do even more to make biking better." Attaining Diamond designation will involve an individualized challenge tailored to each community. The League will conduct a detailed audit for each city and work with community leaders to create clear 5-, 10- and 15-year goals for important factors like bicycle mode share, land use, crashes, network connectivity and bike culture. The primary measure to Diamond designation: The number of people riding and citizen satisfaction. Cities will delve into a more detail evaluation of ridership and level of service, using standard methods of measure like the American Community Survey and National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project, but also more challenging and broader tools such as Copenhagen's Bicycle Account. The end goal: American communities that rival top international cycling cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam with world-class facilities, like protected bike lanes - and so much more. "In Portland, bikes mean business," says Tom Miller, Director of the Portland (Ore.) Bureau of Transportation. "Our commitment to bike-friendly streets has helped to attract a wealt

The Bicycle Commuter Act of 2008, which became a law on January 1, 2009, is a transportation fringe benefit that provides a small sum to qualified employees to offset costs incurred through bicycle commuting. Passed as an addendum to the larger Renewable Energy Tax Credit legislation, the tax provision sought to elevate cyclists to the same level as people who received qualified transportation benefits for taking transit. This tax benefit is mutually beneficial for employers and employees. Receiving the bicycle commuter tax provision is estimated to save 40% on every dollar that is used through the program for employees, while employers should save around 10% on every dollar in saved payroll taxes (San Francisco Bicycle Coalition 2010). The actual text of the law can be found at http://www.bikeleague.org/news/100708adv.php.

A few stats immediately leap out at you: For one, 70% of America's car trips are shorter than 2 miles, which translates to about an easy 10-minute bike ride. One can lose 13 pounds in a year, just from riding to work?!  If you're trying to fight cars as an American politician, you'll be out of work fast. Especially since, as of this moment, only a tiny .6% of all errands and trips in this country are made via bikes. But the last panel does actually suggest that change isn't totally impossible. Portland, which is covered with relatively new bike lanes, has 6% of its population commuting by bike; ridership across the country is growing.

The building's interior would have appropriate conveniences such as seating, free wi-fi and computer/laptop recharging sites, restrooms, changing/shower facilities, ATM, coffee shop/snack bar/newsstand, storage lockers, security, ticket terminals, intermodal arrival/departure display monitors, and similar resources. Outside of the hub station would be a solar-lighted/heated transit/intercity bus shelter for each direction of the adjacent route(s); a minimum of six sheltered solar-powered EV charging/plug-in stations; sheltered bicycle parking racks; a quick-fix bicycle service station; a taxicab stand; and a minimum of 50 carpool/vanpool parking spaces. Alternative energy vehicles shall be given priority parking locations along with those for the disabled nearest the hub station. Throughout the site, appropriate and native landscaping would be utilized for cooling/shade in the summer months and to deflect winter winds whenever practical. Recycling and waste containers will be located throughout the interior and exterior of the site and all exterior lighting would be solar-powered, as well. Gray water from the hub station will be used for the trees and plantings. For those cities fortunate enough to have commuter rail or light rail, every attempt should be made to link the Ecomodal Hub to a railroad passenger station. Otherwise, it should be situated in close proximity. Ecomodal Hubs should also be located adjacent to or very close to important transit routes and major bicycle commuting corridors/trails.

In their new book, John Pucher and Ralph Buehler come right out and state their belief in plain English: "Cycling should be made feasible, convenient, and safe for everyone." The editors of City Cycling, just published by MIT Press, aim to further that cause by gathering together as much data as they could find to support their case that "it is hard to beat cycling when it comes to environmental, economic, and social sustainability." This is not a book of impassioned arguments or heartfelt polemics. Pucher and Buehler are academics, the former at Rutgers University and the latter at Virginia Tech. The 19 contributors to the book are also academics. Each chapter is followed by multiple pages of references and citations, and the entire book underwent peer review. City Cycling is unabashedly pro-bike, but its authors aren't relying on gut feeling. This is all about the numbers. Cycling advocates pushing for better bicycling infrastructure on streets around the world are accustomed to meeting with skeptical audiences. They will find a lot of ammunition here, much of it gleaned from studies of nations such as Germany and the Netherlands, where cycling is a routine part of daily life. Divided into chapters on subjects such as health benefits, safety, bikesharing systems around the world, cycling for women, and cycling for kids, the book marshals an impressive and fascinating assortment of facts, figures, trends, charts, and diagrams.

"A Sober, Data-Based Approach to Bicycle Advocacy"

This is a company that assists corporations to become bike friendly with special designed bikes, bike commutes, bike shares, etc.

The United States saw a nearly 62 percent increase in bicycle commuting between 2000 and 2013. But when it comes to reporting crashes between bikes and motor vehicles, police departments around the country are still using incident forms designed for an earlier era.