Biking has become very chic, with recent features in the New York Times Style section, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar and not to mention store windows.

Who doesn’t want to ride a bike, especially when you have the right bike like an Electra Bike?

A recent study found that 71 percent of people wished they biked more but gathering the gear and know-how can be intimidating.*

I’ll bike anywhere…Paris, Rome, New York even Clermont Ferrand.   Biking not only allows me to eat the food I post about (especially chocolate from The Sweet Life), it’s convenient, there is always parking, it’s environmentally friendly and it’s free!

And above all it’s truly enjoyable!

In 2007 Paris launched a public bicycle program called Vélib with 10,000 bicycles and 750 automated rental stations, today the city has 20,000 bicycles and 1,450 stations.  Not only is the program a success, it’s the largest system of its kind in the world!

I’m patiently awaiting New York’s program but until then I continue to promote biking in the city, one person at a time… because the more bikers, the more bike lanes and with more bike lanes we can all bike to enjoy more sweets from The Sweet Life!

So if you looking for some free enjoyment, exercise included, consider a visit to your local bike shop to gather advice and information on the best bikes, gear and safety – and get biking!

Here are a few of my favorite NYC bike shops and a link to New York’s Bike Jumble on September 13th…

A Bicycle Shop 163 West 22nd Street, New York, NY 10011 - Tel: (212) 691-6149

NYC Velo 64 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003 - Tel: (212) 253-7771

Sids Bikes 235 East 34th Street, New York, NY 10016 - Tel: (212) 213-8360

Enjoy!

Leslie

* SHAPE, May 2009

CATEGORIES: Escapes, New York

TAGS: New York, Paris