This autumn, opt outside and skip the car trip for a bike ride — to soak up all the things that make this season awesome for bike riding.
Weather
Remember the heatwave that hit SoCal back in September? Well, cooler temperatures are on the way, ideal conditions for bike riding. Why sit enclosed in a car when you can breathe in that crisp autumn air atop a bicycle? It is not too hot or too cold but rather just the right conditions to take your two-wheeler out for a spin.
Scenery
Autumn marks the transition from summer to winter and, that scenic change is easy to "fall" for. A full spectrum of colors is present, yellow, red, orange, and even purple, turning any bike ride into a fall foliage tour. The fall palette also includes some of the best flavors of the year, pumpkin, apple, caramel, nutmeg, pecan, and cranberry, to name a few. All make ideal goodies to nibble before or after some bicycling.
Mood
There may be less daylight in the fall, but this is not the time for the winter blues to set in. The aerobic exercise provided by biking influences the release and uptake of chemicals in your brain that make you feel happy. Not to mention all the benefits for your body, too. And just being outside, during an especially pleasant season, is scientifically proven to lift your mood, lowering blood pressure, and reducing stress-related hormones such as cortisol.
While autumn does kick off the holiday season, this time of year can also be tinged with sadness or anxiety, especially considering the current challenges. Biking is a great diversion from world-weariness. Just pedal away, put problems aside for the moment, and lean into the feel-good experience that is riding a bike during the fall.
If you don't currently own a bike, you can still have the time of your life on a two-wheeler by hopping on a Metro Bike, with stations located in Downtown LA, Central LA, and North Hollywood. Bruins in Santa Monica can rent a Lyft Ebike. Ready to commit to ownership? Check out Helen's Cycles, Amazon, or a neighborhood bike retailer.
