Sometimes, in our hyper-frenetic world, we forget that biking is essentially about fun. Biking to work should thus = a fun way to get where you are going. So in no particular order, here are 16 ways to have more fun today on official Bike To Work Day, May 16, 2014.

1) Have a visor on your helmet. Why is this more fun? Keeps the sun out of your eyes and the rain off your face.

2) Start happy. Eat your breakfast, have your coffee – do what it takes to start out without any crankiness that could add to commuter stress.

3) Bring H2O. Some transport bikers forget that hydration is more fun than the opposite!

4) Wear one crazy thing – your weirdest helmet, strange socks, a tutu. It starts a conversation, and helps us connect to each other.

5) Get your bell on. Some people thinking belling is rude –that’s something we need collectively to get over. Bells help signal intentions.

6) Just bring your ID. No need for an Alec Baldwin moment.

7) Do one nice thing for a car driver, even if it’s just a smile. Think about it – they are stuck in an aluminum cage while we cyclists are smelling the fresh-mown grass and seeing our surroundings in Technicolor.

8) Get new spoke cards.

9) Bike this morning with a bunch of friendly folks.

Photo San Francisco Bicycle Coalition via flickr.

10) Hand out cookies to other cyclists. Chocolate chip.

11) Follow the rules, but don’t be pedantic about it. Part of the joy of biking is the feeling of freedom. Of course freedom means a certain amount of responsibility to keep things safe for yourself, other cyclists, and all the other humans.

12) Tattoos. Temporary or otherwise. Check out the cool Nutcase temp tattoos we recently made.

13) Put your helmet on…right. Is the whole of your forehead showing? It shouldn’t be.

14) Take the scenic route. Aside from the scenery, why is this fun? See # 15.

15) Just did an awesome mega-commute? Time for your second breakfast before work!

16) Last but not least, party on the way home. It’s Friday, after all. And easy to do in New York City, where lots of #bike2work festivities are happening.

What’s your tip for making bike commuting more fun?