Almost everyone learned to ride a bike as a child, and some people continue to enjoying cycling into their old age, however many more give up riding as soon as they learn to drive. Some people may even never have learned to ride in the first place. Yet, there are many compelling reasons why everyone should ride a bike, and here are some of the best reasons to get pedalling.
Boost Your Health
Cycling is very good for the heart – just 20 miles of riding a bike per week slashes the chance of developing coronary heart disease in half. It also helps to give the immune system a boost, allowing you to fend off minor infections and colds much more easily than if you remain inactive. The more time you spend outside cycling in the fresh air, the more sunlight you will be exposed to and the more Vitamin D you will be able to absorb. This will improve your mood while reducing your risk of developing cancer. Studies have shown that people who get plenty of regular exercise enjoy extended lifespans, so there is every reason to get on your bike.
Make a Saving
Riding a bike to work every day will save you a fortune on your commuting costs. By eliminating bus fares or petrol bills, pedalling to work will help you to save up and invest money in the future, and as an added bonus, you can save on parking costs too. Finding a parking space can be one of the biggest hassles of your day when you have to drive round in circles, competing with other drivers as soon as a space becomes free. But when you travel by bike you can park pretty much anywhere you like, and often you will find that the bike rack will be close to the front door so you won’t have to walk so far to get to your desk! .Using your bike for all your short journeys instead of your car will also help you to prolong the life of your vehicle. It has been proved that regularly driving short distances actually shortens the lifespan of your engine by subjecting it to extra wear and tear. By switching to your bike you can save yourself the cost of repairing or replacing your car, and when it comes to the time to sell your vehicle on you will have maximised its value by minimising the amount of mileage it will have covered. If you switch permanently to using your bike instead of a car, you could even sell your vehicle and use the money to invest in other projects.
See Things Differently
When you travel by car, you tend not to really see the landscape that you are travelling through. When you cycle you can actually really experience the area that you live in. Cyclists can get off the main roads and explore the local environment, and you may be surprised by all of the hidden gems that you can find when you get off the beaten track. What better way to learn to appreciate your community? When you go on holiday, considering travelling by bike too. The whole point of holidaying is to experience a new country so make sure that you see more than just the airport and the motorway. A cycling holiday need not mean hours of cycling every day, but it will allow you to truly discover a destination.
Lose Some Weight
Most people who want to lose some weight take up jogging, however cycling is a much better alternative. Not only is it a more cost effective way to lose the pounds than by signing up with a gym but it is also a low impact way of working out, and this is ideal for anyone who has never been especially active before. Cycling is gentle on the joints and will not cause potential damage to the ankles and knees in the way that jogging does and has actually been proved in a study carried out in 2014 to be better for you than running. Cycling also allows you to train for longer, allowing you to burn more calories and lose even more weight. Even if you are already a healthy weight, if you cycle regularly you can prevent yourself from becoming obese in the future.
Save the Environment
Not only is cycling good for your health, it is also good for the environment. A huge amount of harmful greenhouse emissions are produced by motor vehicles, so if more of us used our bikes instead of our cars we could cut the environmental impact of our journeys substantially. The production process of bicycles is even better for the environment that the manufacturing of motor vehicles, so it just makes sense to make the switch.
Enjoy Quality Time
Whether you are single, part of a couple or have children, riding a bike is a great way to spend quality time. Cycling is one way to get the entire family together to join in a shared activity, whether you are a grandparent, parent or child. Even toddlers and babies can ride in bike trailers, making this mode of transport the ideal way to enjoy family adventures all together. One of the most fun activities that you can enjoy is teaching your child to ride a bike. Everyone remembers learning to ride for the first time and as a parent, these early cycling lessons can be among your fondest memories for a lifetime, so you should never miss out on them. Also, if you ride your bike regularly, you are showing your children a healthy and environmentally conscious pattern of behaviour. We all know that children are influenced by their parents and therefore if you cycle frequently, they will grow up copying you, thus becoming fit and active adults. Even if you don’t have children, you can still spend quality time with your partner in the saddle, or even enjoy some alone time spent in a positive and constructive way.