A Bike to Work Day soundtrack

A dozen tunes for Bike to Work Day, courtesy of Dan Grunig, executive director of Bicycle Colorado:

"Bicycle Race" by Queen. "Colorado is the mecca for bicycling. Actually, this whole week is Bike to Work Week. Get out any day this week."

"Everyday Is A Winding Road" by Sheryl Crow. "Sheryl came on to the bicycling radar when she started dating Lance Armstrong. It broke that self-esteem issue bicyclists have. You saw stars in basketball and football dating musicians and movie stars, but bicyclists were always off doing their own little thing. All of a sudden, Sheryl Crow made bicycling cool. To see her riding a bike up the major climb in the Tour de France Alp Duez was very inspiring. She continunes to be a cyclist today."

"Motorcrash" by Sugarcubes. "This addresses road safety. We want folks to stay safe on the roads. In the song, Bjork observes this whole incident on her bicycle as she's riding past it."

"Should I Stay Or Should I Go" by the Clash. "It's the question you face each day before you start your commute - do you grab those car keys, or do you grab the bike helmet and head out? We're encouraging people to grab that bike helmet and leave the keys at home."

"Tony’s Theme" by Pixies. "It brings back that sense of adventure and fun and freedom and discovery that you have as a kid on a bicycle. If we get people back on their bikes, they're going to recall that point of time in their childhood and realize that it's not a stressful way to get to work, it's a wonderful way to explore your environment and get to know your neighbors."

"People Are Strange" by the Doors. "At first glance, the impression of bicyclists is that they're a little different culturally, wearing lycra and bright colors all the time. But it's there for a purpose. If you've ever tried to ride sixty miles in a pair of jeans, you'll never do it again. From the bicyclist's perspective, the people that are strange are the ones who end up spending more and more time in their cars each day. You get that feeling of stress and helplessness, you're stuck in traffic . . . leave that all behind. Get outside, get some fresh air, do a healthy activity - grab your bike!"

"Back in the Saddle Again" by Aerosmith. "Your bicycle seat is called the saddle. Colorado is home to so many huge bike events, multiple-day rides like Ride the Rockies, Bike MS, Coors Classic. When you're out there day after day, getting up after riding seventy or eighty miles the day before, sometimes it feels like you're getting back in the saddle again!"

"It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" by R.E.M. "It's a statement that's coming back as we face environmental challenges in our world. Bicycling is a non-polluting way to transport yourself, and it addresses Denver's `brown cloud.'"

"Gone Ridin'" by Chris Issak. "One of the major songs on the `American Flyers' soundtrack, a movie that was made all in Colorado, inspired by the Red Zinger Classic and Coors Classic that happened here, starring Kevin Costner and Alexandra Paul of `Baywatch' fame. It really put bicycling on the map during the first wave of the Seventies and Eighties."

"Elevation" by U2. "Colorado is all about elevation, isn't it? We've got so many of the best climbs for bicycling out here. Nowhere else can you ride to the top of a 14er like Mount Evans like you can in Colorado. Berthoud Pass, Monarch Pass - we've got some incredible, inspiring places."

"Don't Crash The Car Tonight" by Mary's Danish. "Another applicable song for road safety."

"(Nothing But) Flowers" by Talking Heads. "David Byrne is out there beating the drum for bicycling."

"Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine" by James Brown. "Bicycling makes you feel good. It makes you healthy, it gives you energy, it helps you lose weight . . . and all of those things might help you in another area of your life, too!"