Pedal & mettle

Chad Benson, 36, of Ewa Beach, has a sweet commute.

While most people dread driving along the busy H-1 corridor that takes commuters from Leeward Oahu to downtown Honolulu, he’s cruising. That’s because Benson rides his bike on the 40-mile round trip five days a week.

It takes him one hour and 15 minutes each way, on average.

Compare that to the express city bus he sometimes takes as a backup, which travels the same distance in the same amount of time with light traffic. During the evening, the commute can take almost two hours on the bus.

Benson is part of a growing national trend of Americans who bike to work, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The agency estimates the number of bicycle commuters in the country rose 60 percent over the decade starting in 2000. However, pedal-pushers still make up only 0.6 percent of total commuters compared to the 86.2 percent who drive. (Hono­lulu ranks 15th among large cities in percentage of bicycle commuters, at 1.8 percent.)

The Census Bureau estimates there are 3,070 bike commuters in Honolulu like Benson who brave the streets to get to and from work. They do so even though Hawaii ranks 40th among states in terms of bikeability, according to the League of American Bicyclists.

Ask Benson about it, though, and he’ll tell you he’s hooked despite the need for more bike-friendly roads.

A clinical review nurse at the Queen’s Medical Center, Benson used to drive a Dodge Dakota pickup truck to work.

That changed when the father of four volunteered last fall for the American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure, a 25-mile bicycle fundraiser that opened his eyes to the possibilities of two-wheeled travel.

Before then, he enjoyed hiking, surfing and an occasional weekend bike ride.

"I didn’t know if I could do it or not," he said. "So I did it and I made it and said, ‘You know, this is a possibility.’"

He said biking saves him at least $300 a month — $110 in parking fees and about $200 in gas — while providing a good cardio workout.

Getting started was a challenge, he admitted, especially learning to maneuver between cars. His first ride home was painful and took two hours.

But it was fun enough that he wanted to try again. To start, Benson would take TheBus to work with his bike and then ride home. Eventually, he worked his way up to biking home five days a week, and then both ways.

It took some trial and error to figure out the best route, which he was able to navigate with some help from the local bicycling league.

From the hospital, he takes Punchbowl to Queen Street and Nimitz Highway, then cuts over to Dillingham Boulevard and then the Nimitz Bike Path. At Aloha Stadium, he gets on to Farrington Highway and then takes Fort Weaver Road home.

The greatest challenge about his bike commute, he said, is riding along the dodgy parts — Punchbowl, Queen and Dillingham streets — which have no bike lanes.

His greatest fear? Drivers who text behind the wheel.

Sure, there are risks, he said, but "anything you do in life has an aspect of danger to it. As long as you know the risks and you take measures to stay safe, you should be able to enjoy your life."

He always wears a helmet and bright clothing and carries a repair kit. Benson recommends investing in a good-quality bike because there will be wear and tear.

For safety, he says signaling and situational awareness are key. He keeps an eye out for cars up ahead that are turning right; many underestimate his speed and turn right in front of him.

Once in the clear, he zips along at 20 to 22 miles per hour.

From his 200-pound starting weight, which Benson said resulted from a desk job after working on his feet in the neuro-intensive care unit, he dropped about 10 pounds in the first week of his cycling commute. In all he’s lost about 25 pounds and hopes to shed another 25 pounds.

Benson is thinking of eventually adding running and swimming to his workout so he can participate in a triathlon.

With a busy weekend schedule filled with taekwondo, dance and art classes for his kids, ages 3, 8, 9 and 18, Benson said the bicycle commute is the best way for him to fit in some exercise during the week.

In addition to the physical improvements, bicycle commuting has provided psychological benefits, he noted.

"All of the stress of the day is gone by the time I get home."

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