Want to ride more electric bikes? Here's how.

When you want to bike more, you should make it easy and convenient to get on your bike, and be flexible about how long and where you ride. Here are five specific steps I recommend:

1.Keep you bike in good repair.There is nothing that will discourage you from riding more effectively than approaching your bike with firm resolve, only to discover that your tires are flat and you have no idea how to pump them. Take your bike to your local bike shop for a tune up, or at least a safety check, to address any obvious problems. Make sure you get the supplies you need to properly inflate your tires and oil your chain while you're there. This is the only step that costs money. All the other steps are free, and if you make biking a habit, you will actually save money. 

2.The bike, along with everything you need for your ride, should be easily accessible and in a consistent location. You probably don't need anything else than a helmet if you only plan on biking for recreation and fitness. For more utilitarian trips, keep your bike lock, bike bags and lights in the same place for easy access. Consider setting up a small charging station next to your bike so your lights are ready for use, and keep your bike pump nearby for last-minute fill-ups.

When you're running late, you'll become frustrated by not being able to find things if your stuff is scattered and disorganized. Keeping everything where you can easily find it next time will prevent last-minute excuses.

3.Decide in advance how you will handle obstacles, such as bad weather, fatigue, running late, etc. If you fail to account for obstacles ahead of time, you will be tempted to use each obstacle as an excuse not to ride. There's a slippery slope there: once you make one excuse, it's easy to make another. If you have a strategy and a set of rules for handling less than ideal situations, you're still sticking to your plan.

I ride in the winter, but not when ice or snow has accumulated. I don't have to beat myself up if I choose a different mode of transportation on a snowy day since this is my pre-determined rule.

4.Motivate yourself by counting things that are easy to count, add up quickly and encourage you. Instead of keeping track of distances or time spent on your bike, just count the days you've ridden. A day may come when you only ride five minutes to the store and back, but another day you may ride for several hours. The important thing is to ride more often.

5.You should ride your bike for the only reason that matters. Not for fitness, financial savings, or the environment. You should ride because you enjoy it and love the way it makes you feel. If you do, you'll find that you're doing it more and more without any plan.