That's a lot of bikes

Courtesy of the New York Times:

PEDAL POWER "Retailers predict that they sold close to 20 million bicycles in 2005, a number not seen since the oil embargo of the 1970's," Bicycling reports.

While the media coverage Lance Armstrong received for winning his seventh consecutive Tour de France certainly deserves some of the credit, it seems clear that a good number of them were bought for commuting, something that the magazine could not be happier about.

"By using a bike instead of a car just one day a week, the average American (who drives 29 miles daily) would save $609 in gasoline, maintenance and depreciation costs per year, reduce auto emissions by 24 pounds per week, and on that ride, even at a comfortable 12-m.p.h. pace, burn an extra 1,315 calories."