BURLINGTON, ON—When Jake Hyland, 34, decided to purchase a bicycle last weekend at Canadian Tire, he knew it was now entirely up to him to convince everyone in his office of the benefits of a cycling lifestyle.

"I've started educating people about how much they can save by not buying a Metropass," he explains proudly. "I also like to stealthily attach health warning labels like the ones on cigarette cartons to people's car key rings when they go to the washroom."

Even though Hyland has only been commuting to work on his bike for three days, he has already made a huge impression on his co-workers.

"He keeps his god damn cycling shoes on all day, which are super loud on the linoleum floors," says co-worker Chantel Moore. "Also, he pretty much only eats PowerGel packets now. He says 'needs the energy boost' but we're pretty sure he only lives a few blocks away."

This isn't the first time Hyland has relentlessly campaigned for his coworkers to follow his lead on an exercise craze. He fondly recounts this time last year when he started doing CrossFit and running to work in his Vibram toe shoes. He eventually had to stop when his cubicle mate started "bitching about the smell" and "didn't appreciate me drying out my workout clothes on the cubicle divider."

Unfortunately, his newest phase seems to have some staying power. Between loudly mapping out alternate bike path routes home, blogging about his experiences on his new cycling website (jakebikestowork.com), and making minor repairs to his bike in his own personal bike workshop (the office lunchroom), Hyland says he barely has any time to get his work done.

Luckily, he has a plan. "Look, I can already tell that I've found my calling," he says. "That's why I've already talked to my boss about starting a cycling club right here at the office. Too many people are ignorant about the benefits of a bike lifestyle, or bistyle."



Hyland added that he is planning on trademarking the term and having it tattooed on the back of each of his calves later this month.