{"id":132786,"date":"2016-01-05T17:42:16","date_gmt":"2016-01-05T15:42:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/?p=132786"},"modified":"2016-01-05T17:55:44","modified_gmt":"2016-01-05T15:55:44","slug":"13-reasons-why-to-start-cycling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2016\/01\/05\/13-reasons-why-to-start-cycling\/","title":{"rendered":"13 Reasons Why to Start Cycling"},"content":{"rendered":"

With New Year’s resolutions there come lot of promises to do different kind of self-improvements. The most common\u00a0reason\u00a0for participants failing their New Years’ Resolutions was setting themselves unrealistic goals. Don\u2019t repeat the same mistake this time. Start\u00a0cycling! Because there are many good\u00a0reasons\u00a0to do so.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

1. It\u2019s good for you\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Cycling\u00a0is a good way to improve your fitness and heart health. Two short trips to the shops and back each day, which means about 30 minutes\u2019 of daily\u00a0cycling, will begin to benefit your cardiovascular system.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Discover your surroundings<\/h2>\n

Commuting by car or by public transport reduce your daily trip to work or to your school to the same routes. Now with the bike you\u2019ll explore new trails and streets and you may find a new world beginning just behind your neighbor\u2019s backyard soon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Feel well again<\/h2>\n

Cycling\u00a0releases invigorating bursts of endorphins, our feel-good neurotransmitters. Cycling helps\u00a0many people to overcome stress and anxiety. Research has shown that vigorous exercise is so effective at quelling anxiety and depression that some patients have been able to reduce or eliminate the use of medications.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4. It\u2019s suitable for all ages and fitness levels<\/h2>\n

It doesn’t matter what shape you\u2019re in, you can go at your own pace. The bike saddle holds 70 per cent of your body weight, so pressure on your joints is very low, too. If you\u2019re new to\u00a0cycling, recovering from an injury, or put off because you live in a hilly area, an electric bike may be an option.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

5. Cycling\u00a0saves you money<\/h2>\n

Apart from the initial cost of the bike (and there are plenty of inexpensive options) and its minimal running costs,\u00a0cycling\u00a0is free. Plus, you\u2019re getting fit while going from A to B, saving money you may have spent on a gym membership, as well as cutting travel costs. We know almost exact numbers. It is six times more expensive for society if you travel by car instead of\u00a0cycling. This has been shown in a Lund University of Copenhagen study, a city of\u00a0cyclists. It is the first time a price has been put on car use as compared to\u00a0cycling. Watch the video:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/lite-youtube>\n

6. Cycling\u00a0makes you stronger<\/h2>\n

Almost every muscle is used while\u00a0cycling. Leg muscles are worked the most \u2013 for pedalling \u2013 but abdomen and back muscles stabilise the body, while the shoulder-arm muscular system supports you at the handlebars.\u00a0Cycling\u00a0builds strength all over the body, and as your core muscles improve, so does your balance.<\/span><\/p>\n

7. It\u2019s planet friendly<\/h2>\n

A study showed\u00a0cycling\u00a0produces zero carbon pollution, making it an environmentally sustainable form of transport. A bike can replace your car or the bus, especially for shorter journeys, and more\u00a0cyclists\u00a0mean fewer congestion-related emissions. Add-ons like trailers and seats mean children can go green too.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"City<\/a><\/p>\n

8. You\u2019ll get there faster<\/h2>\n

Commute by bike in the European major cities and you\u2019ll get there in half the time the\u00a0car would, researches show. In fact, if you drive for an hour in European capitals rush hour, you\u2019ll spend over 30 minutes going absolutely nowhere and average just 7mph, compared to averaging around 12-15mph while\u00a0cycling.<\/span><\/p>\n

9. You will live longer<\/h2>\n

Cyclists\u00a0in the Netherlands live on average six months longer than their non-biking counterparts. Each year about 6.5 thousand deaths are prevented in the country. These are the findings of the Healthy Urban Living research program undertaken at the University of Utrecht. But we must consider that average Dutch person cycles about 75 minutes each week\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Senior<\/a><\/p>\n

10. Your brain will work better<\/h2>\n

\u00a0A Vanderbilt University study shows that activities that require balance, quick reactions and decision-making skills\u2014 like martial arts, gymnastics and\u00a0cycling\u2014 may help adults with focus and concentration. Participants who performed a short but complex exercise were 40 per cent more likely to solve a puzzle than idle participants. The takeaway: If you’re stuck on a problem, go for a ride.<\/span><\/p>\n

11. You\u2019ll be younger<\/h2>\n

There’s a\u00a0reason\u00a0all those Copenhagen\u00a0cycle\u00a0chic people look so good, and it’s not just those Nordic genes and tight jeans. It’s the exercising they are getting doing all that\u00a0cycling. Now a new study confirms that not only will\u00a0cycling\u00a0keep you looking good, it will keep you young. Researchers from King\u2019s College London and the University of Birmingham found that\u00a0cyclists\u00a0over the age of 55 “had levels of physiological function that would place them at a much younger age compared to the general population.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Cyclist<\/a><\/p>\n

12. Cycling\u00a0protects you from illnesses<\/h2>\n

According to research from the University of North Carolina, people who\u00a0cycle\u00a0for 30 minutes, \ufb01ve days a week take about half as many sick days as couch potatoes.<\/span><\/p>\n

13. Improve your sex life<\/h2>\n

One study from Cornell University also concluded that male\u00a0cyclists\u00a0have the sexual prowess of men two to \ufb01ve years younger, with physically \ufb01t females delaying the menopause by a similar amount of time.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With New Year’s resolutions there come lot of promises to do different kind of self-improvements. 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