Happy National Bike to Work Day! Many CSE team members along with thousands of San Diegans throughout the county woke up early this morning to ride their bicycles rather than driving to work.

In San Diego, iCommute hosted the day’s events with more than 100 pit stops stocked with free t-shirts, snacks and lots of encouragement. Leading up to today, CSE hosted a staff Lunch & Learn discussing biking best practices and safety. Informed and ready to ride, our employees hit the streets this morning with enthusiasm.

Bike to Work Day is a great way to get outside, get to know your colleagues and try out your commute on a bicycle. If you think biking to work is only for the dedicated cyclist, think again. From 2000 to 2013, bicycle commuters grew by 62% in the U.S., according to the League of American Bicyclists.

Why? Just ask CSE’s Alex Kaufman in this video who is an energy engineer and regular biker.

The benefits? According to various reports, exercising before work makes you more productive, lifts your mood and, depending on the distance, can save you around $250 a year in gas.

Although Bike to Work Day only happens once a year, we hope the experience makes everyone more open to commuting by bike in the future. We’re proud of our biking employees and the Bike to Work nation for taking center stage today.