Pedaling to work

"(Biking) is a whole different way of thinking, and I prefer the flexibility that cycling gives me," said Lenahan, 27, of Bloomfield. "It cuts down on so much frustration."

Today kicks off the 14th annual Bike to Work Week, when bike enthusiasts encourage friends and family to hit the road or a trail and pedal to work.

About 1 percent of Pittsburghers -- twice the national average -- bike to work, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 American Community Survey. More than 150 "Three Rivers" bike racks -- which incorporate a Y design to symbolize the rivers at The Point -- are outside businesses Downtown and in the East End, giving bike commuters a place to secure their ride.

The galvanized steel racks, manufactured by Red Star Ironworks in Millvale, are just one of the ways Bike Pittsburgh is trying to make the city more bicycle-friendly.

Many bike commuters live Downtown and in other city neighborhoods because "typically the suburbs have been developed without a pedestrian or bike-friendly mind-set," said Scott Bricker, executive director of Bike Pittsburgh, nonprofit organization that promotes cycling in the city. He said Pittsburgh is behind bike-friendly cities like Portland, Ore., but it's making progress.

"Pittsburgh is just getting with the program as far as developing for bikes," said Bricker of Friendship, who cycles to work in the South Side. He said Bike Pittsburgh published a map last year showing the best city bike routes. The map recommends street routes, marks trails and identifies areas where bikers should use caution.

Biking on city streets isn't as dangerous as it might seem, Bricker said.

There were 1,310 bicycle crashes in 2006 in the state, representing about 1 percent of traffic crashes and traffic deaths that year, according to the Pennsylvania Crash Facts and Statistics Book.

The number of bicyclists' deaths decreased for the fourth consecutive year to 13, compared to 22 deaths in 2002, according to the report, which was the most recent one available.

Brian Janaszek, 35, makes a 15-mile round trip from Morningside to his job in the South Side that includes a climb out of Panther Hollow. He said navigating the city's hills and narrow streets is challenging but not impossible.

"Getting around on a bike tends to shrink the world a bit," Janaszek said in an e-mail. "It's suddenly important that my employment or interesting places are close to our home so we can get there easily either on foot or by bike."

Lenahan bikes five miles each day from her Bloomfield home to the Carnegie Science Center on the North Shore. The weather has to be pretty bad before she'll take the bus: The bike ride across the 31st Street Bridge and along the Three Rivers Heritage Trail is too "super mellow" to skip, she said.

The development of bike routes or dedicated lanes is great, said Lenahan, who doesn't own a car. She said biking has become such a way of life for her that traversing the city in a car is confusing and frustrating.

Like other bikers, she takes pride in avoiding rush-hour traffic and high gasoline prices.

Janaszek said he simply enjoys riding.

"The commute generally provides a nice transition between work and the rest of life," he said. "It also integrates me a bit more with my surroundings -- it's easier to say hello to the crossing guard each morning or hear the birds."

And there's always the free parking.

Where to find a Pittsburgh bike map

• Iron City Bikes, South Bouquet Street, Oakland

• REI, South 27th Street, South Side

• Venture Outdoors, Forbes Avenue, Downtown

• YMCA, Boulevard of the Allies, Downtown

• Beleza Community Coffeehouse, Buena Vista Street, North Side

• Whole Foods, Centre Avenue, East Liberty

Click here for more locations.

Tips for a smooth ride

• Buy rain pants and a rain coat

• Use binder clips to wrap a skirt close to the legs

• On warm days, wear a cycling jersey or breathable fabric

• Have a change of clothes -- or at least a clean shirt -- at work

Source: Cyclist Caitlin Lenahan of Bloomfield

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