Riding a bicycle can improve both physical and mental health, as well as reduce the likelihood of many health problems.
Obesity and weight control
Riding a bicycle is a good way to control or lose weight because it increases your metabolic rate, builds muscle mass and burns fat. If you are trying to lose weight, cycling should be combined with a healthy eating plan. Riding a bike is a comfortable form of exercise, and you can vary the time and intensity – it can be built up slowly and varied to suit your needs.
Studies show that you should burn at least 8,400 kilojoules (about 2,000 calories) per week with exercise. Sustained cycling burns about 1,200 kilojoules (about 300 calories) per hour.
If you bike twice a day, the kilojoules burned accumulate quickly. British studies show that a half-hour bike ride every day burns nearly five kilograms of fat over the course of a year.
Cardiovascular disease and cycling
Cardiovascular diseases include stroke, high blood pressure and heart attack. Regular cycling stimulates and improves your heart, lungs and circulation, reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Riding a bicycle strengthens your heart muscles, lowers your resting heart rate and lowers your blood fat levels. Studies also show that people who bike to work are two to three times less exposed to pollution than those who ride a car, so their lung function improves. A Danish study conducted over 14 years involving 30,000 people between the ages of 20 and 93 showed that cycling regularly protects people from heart disease.
Cancer and cycling
Many researchers have studied the relationship between exercise and cancer, especially colon and breast cancer. Studies have shown that if you ride a bicycle, your chances of colon cancer decrease. Some evidence suggests that cycling regularly reduces the risk of breast cancer.
Diabetes and cycling
The incidence of type 2 diabetes is increasing and is a serious public health concern. Lack of physical activity is thought to be the main reason why people develop the condition. A large-scale study in Finland found that people who ride a bicycle for more than 30 minutes a day have a 40% lower risk of developing diabetes.
Bone injuries, arthritis and cycling
Riding a bicycle improves strength, balance and coordination. It can also help prevent falls and fractures. Riding a bicycle is an ideal form of exercise if you have osteoarthritis because it is a low-impact exercise that puts little stress on your joints.
Riding a bike doesn’t help specifically with osteoporosis (a disease that leads to thinning bones) because it’s not a weight-bearing exercise.
Mental illnesses and cycling
Mental disorders such as depression, stress and anxiety can be reduced with regular cycling. This is due to the effect of the exercise itself and the pleasure that cycling can bring.