1) Improves mental well-being
Cyclists scored 32% higher on a study of wellbeing vs. people who didn’t exercise.
Cycling gives you time to process your worries or concerns and also take out any frustration on the tarmac rather than others around you.
Fresh air and the outdoors are known improvers for depression and cycling gives you a routine to stick to.
2) Promotes weight loss (or allows for second breakfast)
Burning around 500 calories per hour makes for positive weight loss. Cycling is one of very few sports where you can choose how hard you push, especially with the new age of eBikes. This means cycling is an activity for everyone where any goal is achievable.
You must enjoy a form of exercise to truly use it as a life-long weight loss tool, so the flexibility of different cycling disciplines means everyone can find one to love.
3) Builds general and specific strength
Core strength, leg strength and heart strength are all beneficial in everyday life, these are all greatly improved when cycling. You use your core every single day, so strengthening it will increase balance & stability and de-crease the likeliness of acute injury and repetitive stress injuries.
4) Cuts Heart Disease and Cancer risk by up-to 52%
A recent study from BMJ (of 263,450 people) found that cycling to work/in general was associated with a 41% lower risk of dying. Cycle commuters had a 52% lower risk of dying from heart disease and a 40% lower risk of dying from cancer. They also had 46% lower risk of developing heart disease and a 45% lower risk of developing cancer at all.
This was one of the first cycle specific studies of its kind and shows what cycling can really do for anyone’s health.
5) Cycling is low impact
Many people move from running as a hobby into riding because of impact related issues & injuries.
Riding a bike is almost as low impact as swimming, but is much quicker & easier to access.
If you have issues with your body and are considering getting into road cycling, a bike fit would certainly be worth its weight in gold in order to set you on the correct path for success.
6) Time Saving
Short journeys are easily accomplishable by bike. They could also save you time.
Think about these 3 scenarios:
For any journey longer than 5 miles, we can understand why other forms of transport are worthwhile, but for anything less, it really can be quicker to ride a bike.
7) Improves your sex life
Muscles that are developed during cycling are all used during under the sheets action. So, it’s just one more reason to get your leg over the saddle.
8) Promotes better, deeper, sleep
Exercise is a natural sleep remedy; your body is kicked into action when your heart starts pumping. It means you burn calories; muscles have to change; you require more sustenance and need to take on more fluids. If you tie this in with absorbing natural sunlight and fresh air, your body will need to recover.
You’ll find you will drift off to sleep easier and your sleep will be much deeper – making for a better evening.
9) Strengthens your immune system
You can knock down sick days by about 40% if you exercise aerobically most days of the week.
Keeping your blood flowing helps kick away anything that may normally affect your system, just be careful when you train at a high intensity as this can have a temporary, opposite effect.
10) Makes you more social
As a cyclist you will always be meeting new people, whether it is on the road, at a club ride or in the café. Cycling is one of the most social sports out there, and if you can find the right group of people, you will soon have more friends than you realise.
So, there you have it, 10 great benefits of getting on two wheels.
We hope to see you on the road!
The Specialized Chelmsford Team