As a student, time is a precious commodity. Here at Sacramento State, the search for parking demands students lap row after row of full parking spaces, wasting time and searching in vain. Those laps add up. This kind of hassle early in the day can negatively affect almost anyone’s positive outlook.

After a long day of fighting traffic in cars and classes, many students find themselves – once again racing – on their way to the gym to try and bring their stress back to a reasonable level. Smart students have found a way to consolidate commuting and exercise by bicycling to campus.

“I found I saved both time and money riding, rather than driving 20 minutes and then spending an hour circling and looking for a spot,” said senior Tiffany Tallar, who made a round trip of about 10 miles a day for several years.

Peak Adventures provides students with a full service bike shop right in the University Union. They carry KHS bicycles and student discounts make their labor rates the cheapest in town. Peak Adventures also rents those bicycle lockers that resemble Tokyo hotel rooms.

“The lockers are much cheaper than a parking pass,” said Coralie Wilhite, an employee. “But, with only 112 units the lockers can fill up pretty quickly.”

At $25 a semester with a $20 deposit, the cost is about half that of a parking pass at $84 a semester. Don’t forget that returning the key on time will get you your $20 deposit back.

CSUS also provides a guarded bicycle compound at the base of the Guy West Bridge. The service is free and supervised from 7 a.m. to 11p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 5 p.m. on Friday.

The proximity of the American River Bike Trail and the recent addition of the Elvas Avenue pedestrian entrance make riding to campus an excellent option for people in downtown, the Arden area and along La Riviera Drive.

Are you ready to get out there and try two-wheeled commuting yet? There are a multitude of shops around Sacramento that can help you get started.

American River Bicycle has several locations including a store at 9203 Folsom Blvd., near the end of La Riviera Drive. They sell Specialized, Giant and Raleigh bicycles. Mike Leivas, a salesman and repair technician there, encourages shoppers to ask about special pricing for students.

“We can save you money on gas and insurance and if you have a mechanical problem we guarantee a one day turnaround on all service,” said Leivas.

Bicycle Products, “Sacramento’s Premier Service Shop,” has two locations located close to the American River Bike Trail. Closest to campus is the location at the intersection of Arden Way and Fair Oaks Blvd. It is about a quarter mile from the Goethe Park Pedestrian Bridge. Another location is at 12401 Folsom Blvd., near the Nimbus Dam.

“I commuted on a bike to Sac State,” said service manager Ryan Vellanoweth. “We like to work with students to get the best price on the best equipment for their needs. We can relate.”

Bicycle Products, also on the web at www.bicycleproducts.com, sells Trek, Gary Fisher, Klein and Le Mond bicycles. In February they are offering a storewide 10 percent discount.

City Bicycle Works has a prime location downtown at 2419 K Street. Cannondale, Bianchi, Santa Cruz, Merckx, Lightspeed and Free Agent are only a smattering of their extensive inventory. “Commuters are making up a larger portion of our business than ever before,” said Ben Kohls, a salesman. “Sacramento is flat and that makes it a great place to ride. We are selling beach cruisers and flat handlebar road bikes like crazy.”

Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates works to encourage people to consider the health benefits of incorporating cycling into their commute.

“Integrating exercise into your daily routine is a time saver,” said SABA’s executive director, Walt Seifert. “Time spent at the gym and driving to and from is time wasted.”

Watching that clock tick past the top of the hour as your gas gauge drops steadily lower and the knowledge that your class has already begun as you finally find a spot (in the overflow lot) takes a toll on stress levels, pocketbooks and grades, too.

Some might swear that race walking from remote parking, and the embarrassment adrenaline (from walking in on a lecture in progress), fill their exercise needs. If you are not among them, it might be time to consider the convenience, exercise and cost savings of getting on a bike.