POWER OF THE PEDAL HEALTH, SANITY AMONG BENEFITS REPORTED BY L.A.'S BICYCLE COMMUTERS.

Byline: Christina Uss Correspondent

As president and chief executive officer of Los Angeles' Good Samaritan Hospital, Andrew Leeka practices what he preaches.

The avid cyclist rides his bike 40 miles round trip between his home in La Canada and his downtown office. He's even created a hospital cycling club and instituted an annual ``Blessing of the Bicycles,'' modeled on a similar New York event. This year's ceremony is scheduled for May 19 in front of the hospital, located at 1225 Wilshire Blvd.

During last year's blessing, the hospital's chaplain read Bible passages and sprinkled holy water on about 50 gathered cyclists and their bikes.

``We did it to promote fitness and bike safety among our employees and the community,'' says Leeka, who hopes the regular spring event will inspire more people to begin biking to work. ``This could change somebody's life, getting them into cycling.''

Commuting by bicycle is not just for serious cycling enthusiasts. Dozens of commuters from all walks of life pedal through the San Fernando Valley each morning, including teachers, police officers, small-business owners and corporate executives. Some ride daily, others weekly, and many commuters combine cycling with public transportation such as buses or trains.

Countywide, about 2.4 percent of all trips are made by bicycle, representing 720,000 out of 30 million total daily trips. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Agency hopes to boost that figure to 5 percent by 2025. In line with that goal, the agency in recent years has provided about $102 million for bike projects throughout the county, including bike maps, education and safety programs, bicycle parking facilities, racks on buses and bike lanes and paths.

And the money is well spent.

According to Dr. Charles Pollick, medical director of noninvasive cardiology at Good Samaritan Hospital, there's no question about the benefits of cycling to work.

``If you cycle one hour or more per week - just 10 to 20 minutes per day, five days a week - you're absolutely going to have health benefits. It reduces LDL (bad) cholesterol, increases HDL (good) cholesterol, reduces blood pressure, and cuts down on the risk of obesity, the major scourge of America right now.''

Pollick has determined that two or three hours of biking a week cuts the risk for heart attack by about 20 percent, and six hours a week cuts it by 50 percent.

Among the county's dedicated cyclists is Dan O'Connor. The 44-year-old computer production artist began biking 11 miles across the east San Fernando Valley ``because I was over 40 and fat and suddenly recalled that 20 years ago I had been a lean, mean cycling machine.''

He moved to Santa Clarita a year ago, but didn't let the extra distance stop him: He now rides 30 miles in the morning over Newhall Pass and down San Fernando Road into Burbank, catching a ride home with co- workers in the evening. He says his two-hour commute improves his mental as well as physical health.

``Cycling seems to induce meditation or prayer, and thus mental well- being, like driving a car never could,'' says O'Connor. ``I would venture to say that few drivers would describe jumping into the car and trying to get to work on time in ever-worsening gridlock while doing their best to keep another tired, over-stressed driver from plowing into them as quality alone-time.''

After riding for about 10 years between Mount Washington and Burbank, Michael Nance can't believe more people don't take up bicycle commuting.

``I've lost 35 pounds doing it, and my cholesterol has gone down by 100 points,'' says the 45-year-old international marketing director. ``I often tell people this: 'What if I could offer you a vehicle that costs nothing to run, is relatively fast, you don't have to worry about parking, it will help you lose weight, (and) add years to your life?' You'd be nuts not to take advantage of it.''

Bike resources

--The BikeMetro Web site provides cycling-specific directions and maps: www.bikemetro.com.

--The L.A. County Bicycle Coalition, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a better bike community in Los Angeles, offers a bike-to-work resource guide and commuter checklist at www.labikecoalition.org.

--The League of American Bicyclists offers a free commuter booklet and commuting tips at www.bikeleague.org/educenter/factsheets.htm, as well as local classes on improving bicycling skills and safety.

--Looking for fellow neighborhood bicyclists? Join the San Fernando Valley Bicycle Club, whose 500-plus membership includes dozens of two- wheeled commuters. www.sfvbc.org.

--For information on taking bikes on MTA or Metrolink: www.mta.net/riding-metro/bikes/bikes.htm and www.metrolinktrains.com/about/faq.php

Getting in gear

--Start out modestly. Michelle Mowery, senior project coordinator of the L.A. Department of Transportation Bicycle Program, admits that her current bike commute sounds intimidating to most. ``People hear of my 50-mile round-trip commute and think, 'I'll never be able to do that.' But the bike's the most efficient machine ever made by man.''

--Get panniers - bike saddlebags - and begin running simple errands, like biking to the store for a gallon of milk. ``Get used to using your bike, being on the road.''

--Mix in cycling with public transit. ``Take your bike on the train, take your bike on the bus. Then, try riding to work.''

While the average commute in L.A. is about 14.5 miles, cyclists can cut that in half by using public transportation. All MTA buses and Metrolink trains are equipped with bike racks, and the Metro subway allows bikes, except during commuter rush hours. The MTA's long-range transportation plan indicates that about 2.4 percent of all trips in the county are currently made by bicycle, and the agency's goal is to double that to 5 percent by 2025.

--Plan your exact route. Mapping out a bike-to-work route in L.A. got easier in 2003 with the launch of BikeMetro.com (www.bikemetro.com), a Web site that allows cyclists to view maps and request detailed cycling directions within Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The site even allows you to choose your personal hill tolerance and skill level.

--Don't worry about buying fancy gear. Numerous San Fernando Valley commuters use bikes they've had since they were kids - one reported that his Schwinn has about 95,000 miles on it.

--Focus on practicing safe riding. Wear a helmet; inflate your tires to the proper pressure; wear bright, reflective clothes; and obey the laws of the road.

--Dr. Charles Pollick of Good Samaritan Hospital says, ``If you're going to commute regularly, it's well worth it to get positioned on a bike properly to prevent wear and tear on your body.'' Ask your local bike shop where to find a professional bike fitter for this service.

- C.U.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) The road LESS traveled

Bicycle commuters keep air clean, streets uncrowded, bodies in shape

(2) Dan O'Connor of Santa Clarita bicycles through the Newhall Pass on his way to work in Burbank - a 30-mile trip. ``Cycling seems to induce meditation or prayer, and thus mental well-being, like driving a car never could,'' he says.

David Crane/Staff Photographer

(3) Andrew Leeka, president and CEO of Good Samaritan Hospital, weaves through the traffic on Glendale Avenue as he heads downtown. He rides 40 miles round-trip on his daily commute.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) Bike resources (see text)

(2) Getting in gear (see text)