It’s a Sunday morning in late February last year. I get dressed for my 9:30 a.m. church service downtown and make it out the door in record time. As I drive to my parish in the heart of the city, my typical route is blockaded by police vehicles. I decide to take an alternate route but quickly realize it’s also closed off. Then, I notice people walking by wearing numbered bibs labeled “Ascension Seton Marathon.”

No matter how far north I went, there was a continuous line of runners preventing me from accessing I-35. Suddenly, a guy on a road bike weaves through the standstill traffic with ease. In that moment of frustration, I thought to myself, ‘That guy’s got it figured out.’

Needless to say, I was unable to make it to church that day, which negatively impacted the quality of my whole week. But I learned something important: to live in Austin, you need a bike. 

Austin’s roads are constantly under construction. There are parking fees for every unoccupied square inch of cement, and unmanageable traffic caused by large scale community events like football games and marathons is a frequent problem. Because of this, I have found that my bike is one of the greatest tools I own as a UT student. 

Living on the fringes of West Campus, owning a bike has also saved me time getting back and forth to my classes in the far reaches of campus, and it enables me to bypass the traffic perpetually clogging 24th Street.

Ian Brown, a mechanical engineering junior, uses his bike four to seven times a day for the purpose of commuting to class.

“Just even getting to class from your apartment, you’d have to plan leaving 45 minutes in advance just to walk all the way over there to get to class on time,” Brown said. “Now, I’ve got to leave only 10 minutes before class instead of 45. My bike is a functional tool that helps me be more efficient while going through life.”

Biking also saves you money. Not having to worry about parking, for one, solves a host of problems experienced by students trying to get to campus or downtown.

On UT’s campus, there are dedicated bike racks for each building, as well as rentable storage lockers for added security. 

David Oancea, a neuroscience junior, commented on the financial benefits of owning a bike.

“I rarely use my car to go places unless I’m going somewhere that’s like more than a 10 to 15 minute bike ride,” Oancea said. “So that’s like $30 to $50 in gas I’m not spending each week.”

These savings certainly add up. For students, this money is better spent on groceries or other living expenses. While many college students might prioritize personal benefits, a used bike off of Facebook marketplace, which costs around the same amount as a brand new backpack, easily pays for itself in the city. 

Moreover, UT rounds up bikes left on its properties over the summer and auctions them off starting at $5 through its Parking and Transportation Services website, making it easy for students to find cheap options.

Austin can be tough on motorists. Commutes that should take five minutes easily turn into 15. But, by owning a bike, you really can unlock the city. 

Martin is an Advertising and Radio-Television-Film junior from Rockwall, Texas.