With 2011 quickly approaching, you may be feeling the pressure of coming up with a grandiose New Year’s resolution. Don’t sweat it. We’ve come up with a list of some easy cycling-related resolutions that will make a positive impact on your health and the environment. Happy New Year from your friends at Local Ride Bike Shop!

Be a part of the One-Mile Solution.

The idea is simple: Find your home on a map. Draw a circle with a one-mile (or 1.6km) radius around your home. Try to replace one car trip per week within that circle by riding a bicycle or walking. At an easy riding pace you can travel one mile on a bicycle in about seven minutes. Walking takes about 20 minutes at an easy pace. Find out more about the One-Mile Solution here.

If you’re a summertime cyclist, try riding your bike once this winter.

C’mon, just try it. Chances are, you’ll like it! Snow on the ground? That makes it even more fun! As long as you’re prepared for the elements, you’ll be more than fine. Read more on how to make your winter cycling experience a success here.

Join a mountain biking advocacy group.

If you’re a mountain biker, you know how fragile the state of our local trails is. Not only are they prone to severe erosion, but pressures from urban development and government may threaten the status of your favourite piece of singletrack. That’s why your support of a mountain biking advocacy group such as IMBA Canada or more locally, TORCC, NSMBA, SORCE, SORCA, BMBA, and FVMBA is so valuable. These organizations represent the mountain biking community in their areas and work to maintain and develop trails, as well as advocate for the sport with various levels of government. Many of these groups organize trail days, so you can see your support pay off in a tangible way.

Try something new.

Did you know Burnaby, BC holds one of only four indoor cycling tracks in North America? That white-roofed dome on the south side of the Barnet Highway holds a 200m wooden track that can be ridden year-round. Track cycling is an Olympic discipline and some of Canada’s top racers are winning medals at the World Cup and World Championship level. For the newbie, we suggest you first check out what track cycling is all about by watching some of the world’s best in action this week during the Saputo Burnaby 4, Dec. 27-30. The racers are guaranteed to put on a good show, while you indulge in food and beverages from the concession, cheer from the beer garden, and listen to live music. Local Ride’s own Rich and Jean Ann will be ripping it up on the track, along with new Local Ride / Dr. Vie Superfoods+ Team riders Steph Roorda, Jasmin Glaesser, Rachel Canning, and Sarah Coney. If you decide you’d like to try track cycling, you can take Learn to Ride courses at the Burnaby Velodrome.