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Sydneysider, Tessa Cammell, started cycling to work four months ago after buying her first e-bike.
The ride from her home in Sydney's eastern suburbs to the inner city is nine kilometres and takes her about 30 to 40 minutes each way.
She says riding to work has both health and financial benefits.
"I looked a lot at getting at buying a car, but then I just thought, you know, there's a lot of costs associated with that... and it kind of adds up quite quickly. And I was also keen on looking into something that also keeps me fit at the same time. So the bike was the perfect option for me, really, and I haven't looked back, that was the best choice I've made this whole year."
While Tessa raves about the benefits cycling has brought to her life, she is in the minority.
Data from the 2021 Census shows less than one per cent of the 12 million Australians who travel to work ride a bike to get there.
In fact, even those who do frequently ride, aren't cycling to work.
In a survey of 1000 Australian bike riders, just two in five say they use cycling to commute to their workplace.
The research was conducted by the International Workplace Group, and regional senior vice president for Australia, Damien Sheehan, says he was surprised by the results.
"You could assume that maybe it would've been higher. I guess the fact there was only 2 in 5 could be the fact that safety is a little bit of an issue for them depending on where they live."
It's an assumption backed up by Professor Melanie Davern, the director of the Australian Urban Observatory at Melbourne's R-M-I-T University.
She says Australia seriously lacks safe cycling infrastructure.
"Often the best you can hope for is paint on a road, and that's supposed to be some sort of cycling infrastructure. So to me, one of the critical things would be, if we really want to move to that kind of sustainable, healthy living, we have to make a transport that active transport or public transport, the easiest way to move around our city, not the car."
Out of all transport options, driving to work remains the most popular, but as Tessa mentions, it's also the most expensive.
Data from not-for-profit, the Bicycle Network, has found commuting to work in a Central Business District five days a week by car costs the average commuter between seven to 14 thousand dollars per year.
Meaning, cyclists could end up saving thousands of dollars.
For Tessa, having showers and dressing facilities at her workplace made the transition to cycling a lot easier.
"I sort of get to work anywhere between 7.30 and 7.45 and then have a shower, put my makeup on, blow dry my hair. I have all my clothes packed in my bag, so that's all ready to go, and my lunch is in there, and then I just stroll on up to work and get a coffee and eat my breakfast. And it's quite leisurely."
About half of those surveyed by the International Workplace Group agree employers should do more to support people who cycle, and Mr Sheehan says there are many ways to do so.
"In addition to infrastructure, employers could offer incentives, and incentives could be subsidies for purchasing a bike, financial support for cycling gear or even bike maintenance programs. So, if employers can work on some of those areas, typically you'll have happier and engaged employees which is good for all."
But he also says distance is a major factor, with four in five of those surveyed saying they would be more likely to cycle to work if they had a workplace closer to home.
Mr Sheehan says there's even an ideal commute time.
"Allowing those people to commute 15 to 20 minutes, or ride 15 to 20 minutes, rather than the average commute time of 45, just giving them back some more of their time leads to happier and engaged employees which is good for the employer."
The benefits of cycling are well-documented for both the environment and health.
A study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found 100 minutes of cycling per week reduces all-cause mortality by ten per cent in adults.
Tessa says she's seen her own fitness transform dramatically since she began riding.
"Going up and down the hills, I'm getting much better, noticing that I can ride into work, like not assisted by the battery so much. So stamina, and also the short bursts I'm getting a bit quicker at."
But the part she says she likes the most is the way it allows her to unwind.
"Sometimes it's quite easy to get a bit caught up in your work day, and then you come home a bit grumbly and a bit stressed and a bit worked up. But because I've taken my bike home, it's a nice way to just kind of let that out a bit, and it's a nice offload, and you're getting fresh air and you're riding in the trees and there's sunshine, and it's a really good way to start and finish the day."
With a growing population, it's clear a radical re-design of transport structures in cities, along with incentives for people to ride, will be crucial to see cycling rates increase across the country.
