This is a guest blog post written by AAA of Nebraska. You can learn more about AAA of Nebraska here.
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You love the sense of freedom a bicycle offers. It gets your heart pumping and your muscles moving. Plus, you save on gas for your car. There are plenty of reasons to enjoy the outdoors on two wheels. But did you know that AAA has you covered while you’re at it?
Here’s why you should hit the road on your bike:
1. It’s good for you
Sure, it’s common sense: Biking is exercise, so the more you do it, the healthier you’ll be. The American Heart Association confirmed this with a 2016 study that found people who bike regularly—either for fun or to get to work—have a lower risk of heart disease. The study showed that as little as a half-hour of biking per week can have a benefit.
2. It’s good for the environment
About 76 percent of American workers drive alone to work, but only 0.6 percent ride a bicycle, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. If you can commute by bike safely just two days a week, you could reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by an average of two tons per year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. That’s more than switching to a low-flow showerhead or CFL light bulbs.
3. AAA has your back
The roadside assistance coverage that offers peace of mind while you drive, also includes your bicycle. So if your bike breaks down, AAA will pick you up and take you and your bike to wherever you need to go—your car, a bike repair shop, home. (The distance covered depends on your membership level.) All types of bikes are covered; AAA just needs to be able to access the bike from a road or parking lot.
Take it from avid bicyclists like Andy Maskery and Dennis Blanchard, who know firsthand how important it is to be taken care of on the road, regardless of their chosen vehicle:
“As an avid cyclist who does over 5,000 miles a year on my bicycle, I think the new AAA benefit is a fantastic addition to the other member benefits. I always cycle with supplies to fix 99% of my road issues, but in October, I was on a ride 25 miles away from home and got a flat tire I couldn’t fix because my pump broke. AAA came to my rescue and got me home safe.”
— ANDY MASKERY
“On July 19, 2016, I set out from Lincoln City, Oregon, on a coast-to-coast bicycle ride. On Sept. 3, about 20 miles from the Wisconsin border, I had a mechanical failure and the front wheel locked up and I landed on the top of my bicycle helmet. I seemed to be OK, but it was apparent that the bike was severely damaged. I called the AAA operator and she was very helpful and called a wrecker to come get me. I was very thankful for the AAA bicycle service. Being far from home it was a comfort to know that AAA would come to my rescue, even on a bicycle.”
— DENNIS BLANCHARD
AAA Bicycle Service is not available in all states. Bicycle transportation service is counted toward your allotted roadside assistance service calls per member, per membership year. AAA will transport you and your bike to any point of safety within the limits of your coverage.