I love my commute to work. How many people can say that in Calgary? I live close to downtown and in spring summer and fall (about five months in Calgary) I ride my bike. It's silly how much pleasure I get from doing this: my heart beats faster while I get exercise, I make it to work in about 10 minutes, and I inevitably feel like a kid again as I race through the streets.

Even if you don't live close to downtown, you have options to make riding your bike a reality. The City of Calgary has seven Park 'N' Bike sites across the city, so you can, well, park your car and bike into downtown. The sites are about 5 to 8 kilometers from downtown, on reasonably flat routes, and you get to avoid the two things that make Calgarian commuters pull their hair out: downtown parking fees, and finding a spot to park, for those without a designated lot. You can plan your route using the City of Calgary's interactive Pathways and Bikeways map.

If you've never biked downtown you might think it's too scary a proposition. But if you follow basic bike safety tips and use common sense, you'll be fine. Give it a spin!