HOUSTON -- Keith McCollum will burn plenty of fuel commuting to work, but the school teacher won’t spend a dime on any of it.

That’s because 10 years ago McCollum turned in the gas pedal for the foot pedals.

“I just love getting on my bike,” said McCollum. “I probably save $7 a day."

He uses pedal power come rain or shine.

McCollum makes the trek every day from his home just outside the North Loop into downtown on Main Street. He then heads east past the courthouse and then another couple miles to De Zavala Elementary. 

“There’s health benefits, I’m saving money, plus it’s fun,” he said.

McCollum is not alone.

More and more Houstonians are turning to bicycles to get around the town.

The most popular are commuter-style city bikes, which are made for riding in the streets, running errands and getting to work.

Bike shop owners say sales have spiked because of high gas prices, increased eco-awareness and advances in bike features.

Some bikes even have baskets that snap onto the front. They come right off, so you can take them into the grocery store.

But there may be one drawback to pedaling your way through the day.

“If I work up too much of a sweat. I treat it almost the same way as if I rode into the rain. If I’m wet I’m wet, I just need to deal with it,” McCollum said.

It is a minor inconvenience that McCollum says is far outweighed by the benefits of biking to work.