One traditional way of getting the most from your exercise is by using your heart rate to set and maintain a proper pace. By measuring your initial heart rate level and setting a target heart rate zone, you can keep from tiring too quickly, or conversely, putting yourself at risk of an injury.

Understanding your Target Heart Rate Zone allows you to burn off calories quickly and safely. The American Heart Association recommends working out at a Target Heart Rate Zone between 60% and 80% of your maximum heart rate. A beginner should stay in the 60% range while an intermediate exerciser should strive for 70% to 75% of his or her maximum. Advanced users can push for the 80% range. This range also works if you're doing a short workout.

One of the easiest ways to track your heart rate is by using a heart rate monitor. These monitors use a chest strap to monitor your heart beats and send this signal to a watch that provides you with real-time feedback so you can reach your exercise goals more consistently.

Note: Check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program. A few high blood pressure medications lower the maximum heart rate and thus the target zone rate. If you're taking such medicine, call your physician to find out if you need to use a lower target heart rate.

Translated into calories burned, here is a chart that estimates calories burned per hour while cycling.

Unfortunately, it seems that as the popularity of bike paths has grown, the time and costs to construct these bike paths are growing even faster. Here in Massachusetts, they just opened the first 6-mile section of a new rail trail called the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. Located west of Boston, it will eventually connect miles of bucolic countryside and beautiful suburban towns. However, getting this first section constructed was not easy or cheap. The first section of this trail took 25 years to complete, and when completed costs for this rail trail are expected to approach $1 million per mile. As more and more towns consider these rail trail and similar multi-use path projects, they certainly must be wondering why it took 25 years, and questioning how they can justify costs of nearly $1 million per mile.

Want to go for a Bike Ride? Great, Everyone in the Car.

Like many of you - I have a house in the suburbs with a garage full of bikes, but no safe places to ride with my family. If I want to ride with my kids, I have to load the bikes in a car and drive them upwards of an hour to get to a trailhead. Which is why converting unused railroad lines to create multi-use paths seems like a great solution. The land is already cleared, hardened, and grated for proper drainage. And in many cases (at least here in MA), the land is own by the highway department, so it is deeded to the Rail Trail organization at no cost. Best of all, the cost of removing the rails and ties is more than offset by the sale price of the rails. Recent estimates put the value of the rails and ties at about $100K per mile. So theoretically before constructions starts, you've starting with a surplus. Ah-ah. Not so fast...

Get Ready for a Long Haul

As stated earlier, the Bruce Freeman trail took 25 years to complete phase 1. Twenty-five years is likely more than a quarter of most of our lives. In fact, Bruce Freeman, the founder of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail project didn't live to see it open. And just to keep this timetable in perspective, in the 25 years following 1956 when President Dwight Eisenhower initiated a federally funded program to create a national interstate highway system, we had over 200,000 miles of highways constructed. Also by comparison, this same railroad line that the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail resides on (the Old Colony Railroad line) was initially constructed in less than 18 months. So certainly some of this has to do with political will and prioritization, but it has even more to do with cost.

Public Service or Public Works Project?

Here in MA, the funding for the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail project was controlled by the MA Highway Department, which seems sadly ironic. This means the same contractors who build the state's highways and bridges are also building the bike path. It seems hard to believe that these contractors with their enormous overhead and massive infrastructure are the best companies to work on these projects. In fact, since the funds for projects like this are government controlled funds, you have to question whether rail trails are seen as public service projects, or as public works projects. In other words, does the government department controlling the funds believe the primary benefactors of the project are the contractors or the general public? When I was a kid, my boy scout troop would have built the same trail over a summer just to earn merit badges. Instead, these projects have become big business for a short list of state contractors.

With this said, state governments are not the only ones slowing down this process and building up its costs. Then you have a long list of lawyers, environmental studies, engineering assessments, politicians, abutters and due process to contend with. All of which I understand need to be part of the process. But let's keep this in perspective. Do they really think a path used by mom's pushing strollers, joggers and weekend cyclists will have more environmental impact than diesel fed locomotives hauling everything from livestock to industrial waste? Do abutters really feel their property is worth more next to a railroad than a bike path? In fact, national studies have proven that properties on and close to bike paths sell for a higher value than similar homes in towns without these paths. In towns that have bike paths now, the bike path has become a defining characteristic of the town; a centerpiece of its culture and priority.

Takers Matters into Your Own Hands

If you have 25 years to waste, don't read this last section. The only viable alternative to government funded, bureaucratically driven projects is to take matters into your own hands. Skip the public funding option, and look for ways to make yours a community service project - using local groups, businesses, volunteers and donations to make it happen. Use your town meetings to showcase plans and get it on the ballot. Nothing gets people thinking about something faster than when they have to vote on it. Form a committee of like-minded people who can reach out to local businesses and canvass neighborhoods to find support and donations. If so, perhaps the project you start will actually get completed while you are still young enough to use it.

Need resources, information and materials to support your cause? Try some of the links below for tons of reference materials:

Bruce Freeman Rail Trail - Studies of existing and proposed Trails and More... http://brucefreemanrailtrail.org/trail_plans/rail_trail_studies.html#proposed

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy - http://www.railstotrails.org/index.html

Bikes Belong Coalition - http://www.bikesbelong.org/

Daylight Savings has many myths to it origins. My informal survey revealed that most believe that Daylight Savings was started to help farmers in the US have more time to work their fields. Not true. Others believed that the primary purpose of Daylight Savings was to reduce energy consumption. Wrong again. In truth, Daylight Savings was first suggested to promote summertime leisure activities, not reduce energy consumption. Here are some interesting facts about Daylight Savings:

• Daylight savings was first proposed in 1905 by Englishman William Willett because he wanted more time to play golf and pursue other outdoor leisure activities in the summer
• To popularize this idea, proponents argued that Daylight Savings would reduce evening usage of incandescent lighting - the primary use of electricity
• Daylight Savings was first instituted in the US in 1918 during WWI, but was repealed after the war in 1919, only to be reinstated during WWII, but again repealed afterward
• Daylight Savings has now been used in the US continuously since 1966
• Daylight Savings was disliked by farmers
• Arizona and Hawaii are the only two US states that don't observe Daylight Savings

Although the US has been observing Daylight Savings continuously for over 40 years, it has not been without controversy. Countless energy usage studies have been performed, as recently as 2008, to measure the effects on energy usage during Daylight Savings. The results have been mixed; many studies have even showed higher energy usage during daylight savings due to rising cooling costs during daylight hours. Similar results were found on studies studies related to Daylight Savings and public safety. These studies have showed no significant reductions in traffic accidents, violent crimes or fires during Daylight Savings periods.

In fact, there is a growing population opposed to Daylight Savings. Opponents argue that it causes unneccesary complexity on computer systems, potentially affecting medical services, transportation and business operations, as well as other incoveniences to individuals and businesses.

What about William Willett's original ideas for increased health benefits by providing us with more time to spend outside enjoying healthy activies away from work? Unfortunately, studies on individual health have been contradictory as well. Although many studies have shown increased time spent on leisure and exercise during Daylight Saving, these studies have also cited the risks associated with longer daylight hours, including increased exposure to dangerous UV rays, effects on eyesight, and disruptions to sleep patterns.

With unclear benefits from Daylight Savings, you might wonder why we still obseve it. Some opponents claim it is partly political, citing the mid-1980's when the Daylight Savings was controversially extended due to the backing of retailers (who benefit from having more time for consumers to shop), and a pair of Idaho senators who believed it would help fast food restaurants sell more french fries made from Idaho potatoes. Other opponents call it Daylight Slaving Time, suggesting it only benefits businesses and employers.

So who does benefit from Daylight Savings? This year, I hopes it's cyclists.

• Healthy employees took 9 times fewer sick days than workers with poor health
• The healthiest employees were nearly 3 times more productive than those with poorer heath (Australasian Business Intelligence)
• Fit workers make 60% fewer errors on jobs involving concentration and short-term memory (Swedish researcher)
• Vigorous exercise (such as cycling to work) improved mental alertness and productivity for four to five hours afterwards (New England Journal of Medicine)
• Employees who exercised as infrequently as once a week reduced their average number of sick days in half-from more than 10 days in the previous year to less than five sick days (Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine)

Fight Healthcare by Caring for Your Health
Staying fit not only improves employee productivity, but it helps control rapidly rising health care costs. With rising health insurance rates and the push to do more with less, the health of workers is becoming a pivotal piece in any company's productivity.

• 70% of health care costs are for preventable lifestyle diseases (National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention)
• 50% of American adults are not physically active—putting them at higher risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes (National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention)

Ideas for a Healthier Workplace
Here are some ideas you can suggest to your company for creating a healthier workforce:

• Provide cash or equipment incentives for people to commute by bike
• Provide bike racks, lockers and showers
• Give away bikes in sales competitions or employee recognition programs
• Offer a "free ride home" service in case of bad weather
• Have a common vehicle available for employees to use at work for work-related errands
• Encourage workers to walk around the neighborhood or take a bike ride during lunch
• Have meetings in remote conference rooms that require employees to walk
• Offer classes in aerobics or other activities that promote health and reduce stress
• Make sure vending machines are stocked with healthful alternatives to junk food

When it comes to starting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, sometimes the workplace is the best place to start.

Here are some of the best ways to incorporate bicycling into your lifestyle:

1. Replace a bike ride with one of your normal driving routines, even if only one day a week to start. Did you know that across the U.S., households take an average of 11 car trips per day, but only 20 percent are work related? (according to the Governor's Institute on Community Design). This means we have lots of opportunities to replace one or more trips per day with our bikes such as riding to the store for milk, riding to a neighbor's house for coffee, or riding to see your kid's game. You'd be surprised how fast you can reach 3 hours of riding.
2. Commuting by bicycle to your work, train or bus stop. Here's an example: If your daily commute is 4 miles each way, at an average of 12 miles per hour, your ride would take just 20 minutes. Plus, commuting by bike helps the environment by reducing pollution, smog and global warming. But more importantly, biking to work is a great way to start and end every day with an invigorating and mind-cleansing routine.
3. Make time for rides with family and friends. Every day, new bike paths and park trails are being created to provide access to riders of every skill level. Recently, the US government pledged over $1 Billion to help improve walking and biking trails around the US. From the successful rail-to-trail programs (see www.railtrails.org) that turn old rail lines into walking and biking paths, to bike lanes and paths around parks and recreation areas, biking is more accessible than you think. Like to go off road? From coast to coast, the US has mountain bike clubs and organizations committed to creating and preserving trail networks (see www.imba.com). Feeling more adventurous? There are also more than 160 US ski areas that open trails to mountain bikers in the summer, with nearly 90 of these offering chair lift service for cyclists.
4. Take a bicycle tour or rent bicycles next time you go on vacation (instead of a car or bus tour) for a more rewarding and memorable way of experiencing the places you vacation.
   

1. Quit drinking soda! Replace every soda you drink with a glass of water. Soda is about as bad for your body as it gets (yes, even diet soda). Researchers calculate that for each additional soda consumed, the risk of obesity increases 1.6 times. Here are some reasons why:

• Soda is high in phosphorous (not to mention carbonation), which causes deterioration of calcium in the bones, making bones weak and brittle.

• A 16 oz. Coke has 40 grams of sugar. By comparison, a packet of sugar has 4 grams of sugar. These extremely high doses of refined sugar cause your body to overproduce insulin, further preventing your body from adding calcium to your bones.

• Soda is high in sodium which causes dehydration and fatigue, and can affect short-term memory and your ability to focus.

• Drinking water instead of soda actually saves water. Did you know it takes one gallon of water to make a single can of soda?

2. If you drink alcoholic beverages, drink one glass of water for each alcoholic drink. This will reduce the strain on your liver from processing the alcohol, and help prevent dehydration caused by alcohol consumption.

3. Drink a minimum of 8 oz of water for every 15 minutes of exercise. This is an easy one - just carry a water bottle with you whenever you exercise and take frequent small drinks. You'll be able to exercise longer with better muscle response and less fatigue.

4. At mealtime, between each bite of food, put down your fork and take a sip of water. You'll slow down your eating, feel full faster, and consume less food.

1. Complex Gearing and Shifting: Today's typical adult chain bike has multiple shifting controls on each hand needed to manipulate chain derailleurs across eleven sprockets to manage 24 gears. How many gears do recreational riders really need? Or use? Plus with all this gearing equipment, it takes practice to figure out what gear you are in, and when you're away from the bike for a while, you have to learn it all over again.
2. Specialty Parts = Specialty Maintenance: With new, advanced components comes a new degree of specialization required to maintain them. According to bike shops surveyed, the only service that should be done on a bike by a non-certified shop mechanic is a tire change. You shouldn't need specialized tools and a degree in bikeology to perform routine maintenance on a bike. It seems today's bikes were designed by people who like to tinker with bikes for people who like to tinker with bikes.
   

These "advancements" have created a void for those who want simple, reliable transportation; not a complex and technical piece of machinery. I think it's time bicycles got back to their roots of simplicity and fun.

Technologies That Simplify

Fortunately, not all new technologies for bikes add complexity. Some actually make bikes more user friendly - easier to operate and easier to maintain. One such technology is shaft drive technology which eliminates the chain, and replaces it with a fully enclosed shaft drive (or direct drive). Shaft drives have actually been around for over 100 years on bikes, using small gears and a spinning shaft rod to transfer power from the pedals to the rear wheel. Shaft drive technology has few moving parts, is simple to understand, and is very proven - which is why it is now standard on many motorcycles, including all of BMW's motorcycles. Shaft drives are also smoother than chains, last longer, don't have any external grease to get on hands or clothes, don't have any sharp moving parts, and don't require adjustments and cleanings like chains.

Another advancement that simplifies bikes is internal gear hubs, which replace the external sprockets and derailleurs. Internal gear hubs reduce the number of gears by 50-80%, which dramatically simplifies shifting, yet still offer a comfortably wide gear range and more intuitive shifting. Internal hubs are also sealed and protected from the elements and don't have the maintenance or repair costs of sprockets and derailleurs.

Used together, the shaft drive and internal hub create a new breed of bikes - called chainless bicycles - that offer a unique combination of performance, simplicity and low maintenance. For most recreational riders and commuters, chainless bicycles can dramatically simplify bike operation and ownership. And in turn, get more people on bikes more often. After all, isn't that the point?

1. Enter the hill in the gear you are traveling in (don't downshift to the lowest gear).
2. Lean a bit forward to shift your center of gravity forward on the bike.
3. As the bike slows, stay in your seat, and change one gear at a time as needed to keep your pedal momentum constant.
4. Use each gear until you feel the pedal speed slowing to about 2/3 of the target momentum rate you are trying to keep, then downshift. The gear drop will return you to the target momentum rate. Repeat this through the gears.
   

1. Wipe down the bike with a clean, damp cloth, especially the spokes, rims, headset area, brake arms/cables/pads and front fork stanchion areas (piston part of front fork). This will ensure that you remove any contaminants you may have picked up along the way that can corrode components (especially salt)

2. Keep the bike in first gear (Gear 1). This will reduce tension on the shifter cable to prevent stretching and extend the life of the cable.

3. Detach the brake cables where they attach to the brake arms. This is done by squeezing the brake arms together against the rim of the wheel and releasing the brake cable from the swing arm on the left brake arm. (See illustration.) This will reduce tension on the cables to prevent stretching and extend the life of the cable.