5 Reasons To Get On Your Bike
Posted on 14 June 2009
We all grew up cycling and messing around on bikes. Its a shame that many us have grown up and lost the love of bikes, they are a beautiful mode of transport and give you the ultimate flexibility to be free.
Bikes provide time for exercise, a cheap mode of transport and best of all they are plain fun. Cycling can help you develop an amazingly conditioned cardiovascular system and strong legs. So let’s delve further into some of the best things about cycling…..
1- Get Around Easy
If you live in a city and are a competent cyclist its the best way to get around. You pay a one off fee for the year (the bike and helmet etc…) and you can get to work or wherever you need to go in spite of what is going on around you. It doesn’t matter if public transport isn’t working it won’t make a difference. I know people question the safety issue but in my view if you are cautious and sensible on your bike things should not be a problem, make sure you are confident on your bike though and take some lessons for city cycling if you need to.
You can stop wherever you like and get to your destination as fast or slow as you please. Parking your bike is easy just get a high quality lock and you can stick it wherever you like plus a lot of workplaces in major cities have bike storage.
2- It’s Fun
The feeling of riding a bike real fast is great, the wind rushing against your face and the raw speed is exhilarating and unlike a car you are actually working for the movement (peddling your legs) which makes it an ultimately rewarding journey. Plus having a bike provides a welcome hobby for most the maintenance and upkeep are something you can take great pride in, providing the satisfaction of manual labour that many of us lack in todays desk job world.
Cycling is also something you can do on the weekends as an activity, what better way to spend an afternoon than to cycle some trails with friends and family. I have fond memories of my parents taking me cycling in the park on saturday afternoons throughout my childhood. If your a parent its a great opportunity to connect and spend quality time with the family.
3- All Over Body Workout
Although you will mainly be using your legs to peddle away you will also use much of your upper body for support. Your abs are used to balance yourself and your upper and lower back muscles will secure your posture whilst your arms will be involved in some intense static holds to support your entire upper body. You will be pleasantly surprised how sore you will feel after an hour of moderately paced cycling…..
Not to forget your mind will also get a workout. Cycling is a test of mental clarity and it really forces you to be in the moment doing a good job at improving your reflexes whilst calming the mind.
4- Benefits of Burst Activity
Cycling by its nature is a stop start activity. There will be times when your peddling fast and times when your going slow, this is especially true in a city environment. Try the following:
- Burst out of traffic lights when you can
- Stop and relax gaining back breath when in traffic
- Try and peddle with your calves from time to time (feel a burn)
- Vary the speed of your cycling
By practicing what is written above you will get a great workout on your commutes around town.
5- Disease Busting Exercise
Biking for 30 minutes a day is not only a great stress reliever but it can help keep your body healthy. In spite of the benefits of strength training on their own I still think its imperative to participate in some Cardiovascular activity a few times a week for optimal health. The first and best option for this is a team sport (tennis doubles anyone?) next is something like this which would involve integrating sport into your everyday life. Thats why cycling is so great its something you do that holds great benefits and just becomes a part of everyday life rather than a chore.
People who participate in 30 minutes of exercise at least 3 times a week are shown to have far more positive moods and hold better natural protection again diseases.
Get On The Bike
All in all I feel having a bike and the ability to cycle is a great asset so its worth getting comfortable with a bike and untilizing the freedom it gives you. Just remember to stay focused and enjouy the process as wavering attention while cycling is not a good thing.
Comment by matt
14 June 2009
Hey Chris,
Great post! (Great blog too btw) I started riding to work last September and it’s changed my life. Now I spend about an hour a day cycling and it’s AWESOME. I have started taking the long way to work just to get a workout.
My two bits of advice : get a decent bike. Wear a helmet.
And remember just because you’re wearing a helmet doesn’t mean you won’t die if you have an accident – 65% of fatalities were with helmet wearing cyclists.
cheers
matt
Comment by Tobi
14 June 2009
Hi Chris,
thanks for another great post. Your site has slowly developed to become one of my top 3, keep up the good work.
Living in Edinburgh and having to commute to Uni everyday by bike, I have come to love traveling this way. Its faster and cheaper than any other alternative. The only annoying thing up here can be the rain though, having to dry your wet-pants whilst in the library or lecture is not so nice.
Other than that, I can only recommend for everybody living in a city to convert to bikes. It is much better for the environment obviously as well!
@ Tobi: Thanks for the support its messages like this that are awesome to receive! Living in Edinburgh must be amazing especially is summer time. Hope all is well with your studies, keep checking in on ZTF!!
Comment by Grok
14 June 2009
People thought I was weird when I got my drivers license and wasn’t into “cars.” To me, the drivers license was just a new way to transport my bike to new and exciting riding areas.
I was on the bike 3 or 4 mornings this week and threw in one jog. Have to say, the bike was much more entertaining.
Comment by Mark Lee
14 June 2009
Very nice. Bicycling kept me in the exercise game during a period of stagnation. Until recently I was doing about 100 miles a week and have since moved on to more “primal” activities. I still bike, though, and plan on enjoying it for the rest of my days.
@ Mark: Thats the beauty of cycling in a nutshell. It can keep you in the game even when life gets in the way of regular exercise…..Keep it up!
Comment by Rafi Bar-Lev
14 June 2009
It’s also just easy to get around on a bike! Nice post!
By the way, I served in a special forces unit in the IDF before badly injuring my knees in training. I have a lot of knowledge on fitness with an emphasis on injury-healing, and I think you might really enjoy my blog. (It’s linked to my name.)
Nice blog man,
-Rafi
Comment by funkright
14 June 2009
You mention “Cycling is a test of mental clarity and it really forces you to be in the moment doing a good job at improving your reflexes whilst calming the mind…”
Funny thing, I just started biking again this week, completed 2 24 km rides in the last 4 days, and I told my wife the same thing..
I was just so in ‘the moment’ and totally relaxed, not thinking about tomorrow or regretting the days gone past, just enjoying the now of it all..
Cheers
Comment by Scott Campbell - Let's Get Success
15 June 2009
I actually sold my car about a year ago and have been riding my bike around everywhere I go. Not only does it not take as much time as you would think to get to places, but you’re getting a great workout to boot! It definitely wakes me up in the morning before work and keeps me going through the afternoon as well when I go for a ride at lunch. Great post!
Comment by Yvonne Anderson
15 June 2009
I chose to leave my bike back in Melbourne, in storage. It was very pricey to bring over to NZ with me.
I live amongst lots of hills now so I have swapped my cycling for bursts of hill walking in between the gorgeous nature surrounding me.
Thanks for another great post!
Comment by Jeff B
20 June 2009
Hey Chris,
I like biking because it provides a great workout for my quads.
It’s one of a few total body workouts that should be incorporated into your exercise routine, it can be a great alternative for someone who can’t walk or run because of pain, although that’s not always the case.
I also recommend biking with a friend…
Use them as a motivational partner and your success will definitely improve.