5 Major Health Benefits of Cycling and How to Bike Safely By: Allison Torres Burtka

5 major health benefits of cycling and how to bike safely

By: Allison Torres Burtka

Now that summer is on our doorstep, there is no excuse for keeping your bike in the garage collecting dust. Clean it off and tune it up, so you can hit the road or the trails and enjoy the benefits of a cycling lifestyle. This article by Allison Torres Burtka highlights five significant health benefits of cycling and offers tips on cycling safety. In particular, the article discusses the positive effects of cycling on cardiovascular fitness, promoting weight loss, improving balance and muscle coordination, strengthening joints, and enhancing mental health.

The author emphasizes that a rider obtains the same benefits whether riding on a stationary bike in your home or are riding outside in the great outdoors. If you are getting back on your bike after a long interval of inactivity, she recommends that you start slowly and gradually increase distance and level of exertion. When riding always wear a helmet, turn on your bike lights and wear reflective clothing..

Aerobic exercise does wonders for the overall health of your heart. The department of Heal and Human Services recommends 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity. There is no better exercise to accomplish these levels of physical activity than riding a bicycle. By following this protocol  the article claims that you will lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and death.

The author identifies weight loss as yet another benefit of cycling. She cites a 2019 study that concludes that cycling when combined with healthy eating habits enhances weight loss, reduces high blood pressure and improves your lipid profile. While effective calorie burn is achieved by walking or hiking, the amount of calorie burn rate riding a bicycle is significantly higher. For example, the article explains that moderate exercise on a stationary bike burns 622 calories per hour, light outdoor cycling burns 710 calories per hour and mountain biking burns 754 calories per hour. Moreover, moderate outdoor riding burns 888 calories per hour and vigorous outdoor cycling burns 1066 calories per hour..

Cycling is low impact exercise and consequently much easier on the joints than either walking or running. While there is some force absorbed by your joints while riding, the amount of force is much less than the compressive force to your hips and knees when walking. Cycling, therefore, is considerably more suitable exercise for people with hip and knee replacements.

The article relies upon a 2013 study to support the assertion that riding a bicycle outdoors improves a person’s balance and coordination and helps prevent older people from falling. As a result, cycling is recommended for people with neurological disorders to train balance and coordination. While riding an indoor stationary bicycle does not improve balance in general, it does help balance issues with stroke patients.

Finally, riding offers significant mental health benefits. A cycling lifestyle improves a person’s cognitive functioning, reduces depression, and enhances overall mental well-being. While riding outside or indoors on a stationary bike improves mental condition, the benefits are significantly greater when riding outdoors.

A rider should gradually increase the level and duration of exertion to gradually build up stamina, lung capacity and overall strength in order to acclimate you joints and muscles to the increased level of activity. Once on the bike riders must take some important safety precautions to avoid injury or accident. The author’s recommended safety tips are important safety measures all riders should follow. Always ride with lights turned on to make yourself more easily seen by motorist and other riders. Ride defensively and assume that any vehicle that is near you does not see you. Pick a route on streets that are familiar, lightly travelled by automobiles and have designated bike lanes. Take a class on bike safety offered by the League of American Bicyclists and always wear a helmet to avoid serious head injury.

We at Wishing Well Outdoors recommend that you read this article by Allison Torres Burtka. You may read the full article by clicking here or on the article’s title below the featured image. If you are in the market for cycling equipment, apparel or accessories, please browse the cycling section of our store.