When I tell people that I like to bike around the city, many say “oh that’s great but I would be too scared.” Or “I’m not really a bike person.”

Some will tell me that they own bikes but only take them out for special occasions and haven’t considered using them as transportation. If those comments resonate with you or if you haven’t been a bike since you were a kid, I would tell you this: Start Small. You don’t need to jump straight into biking to work or across town; just ride around your neighborhood side streets at first. Even far from the city center or out in the suburbs, there are bike lanes and designated routes off of busy streets that allow you the space to get comfortable without worrying about riding with traffic.

Though it may look scary from your car, once you get out there on two wheels, you may be surprised by how easy and safe it really feels.