Oct 25, 2019

Why cycling is great! - 20 tips

The first 8 reasons...

1. Cycling is good for your heart because... SCIENCE!
A team of scientists from Glasgow studied 250,000 commuters in the U.K. over five years*. The results were clear, cycling to work is awesome! they found that for those that cycled, the risk of dying by ANY disease was reduced by 41%, of developing cancer reduced by 45% and developing hear disease reduced by 46%!
*http://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j1456

2. Lean machine
Use your amazing body the way it was meant to be used. Burn that stored energy, keep that system working and maybe go down a jersey size.

3. Save cash
It all adds up. With petrol prices climbing faster than a Tour de France cyclist with bills to pay, this is a no brainer, the further you cycle, the more money you save by not using a car or public transport. Disclaimer: we do not take responsibility for the level of your GAS (Gear Aquisition Syndrome) ;)

4. Wake your brain
Hit the ground running when you get to work. Cycling really does kick-start those neurons into life in the morning. On the ride to work there are so many inputs to your brain, the wind against your skin (and rain for U.K. residents ;) , the thrill of avoiding sleepy hedgehogs, the glimpse of a deer over the hedge and all manner of unconscious decisions that we make while cycling. All this together will nearly always result in you being more awake than your car driving colleagues.

5. Sleep better
It's not entirely clear why exercise helps you sleep but one of the main reasons could be that it reduces anxiety, which can be a major cause of insomnia. The connection between cycling and less weight gain is another reason which can improve sleep for those suffering from sleep apnea.

6. Experience the weather as it was meant to be
Nothing screams 'spartan cycling deity' more than your glistening body being silhouetted by flashes of lightning from the storm you've just cycled through as you walk into reception after the ride to work.

7. Free fitness!
We've all been through the agony of trying to force your brain to think it's a great idea to go to the gym and ultimately failing. Cycling to work is different. Once you have cemented riding to work as part of your daily routine, there will be much less hesitation about getting on with it. Thank us later.

8. Save the planet
Bikes are green. Not all bikes though, some are red and some are black. Seriously though, make Greta proud and do the planet a favour.

And now 12 tips to stay safe in the saddle...

1. Protect your noggin
Wear a helmet. Well, obvious really.

2. Keep your distance
However tempting it is to ride very close behind and draught a large lorry or bus, let's just remind ourselves for a minute that they are a several ton block of metal on wheels and we are a soft bag of bones and cake. Should the aforesaid lorry or bus brake hard, there could be tears before bedtime. Keep your distance!

3. Stay alive
Whenever turning left or right or changing direction at all really, do what's called a "lifesaver" in the motorcycling world. A lifesaver is a simple look over you left shoulder if you're going left and you guessed it, your right shoulder if you're going right. You never know, it might just do what is says on the tin.

4. Stay pumped
Picture thee scene, you arrive at work late, with the excuse "Sorry, my bike got a puncture..." Let's face it, they're not going to believe you. You will henceforth and forever be known as "Lying Bob" or "Untruthful Jane". Nobody wants that. We have the solution: hard tyres pumped to the correct pressure will help prevent punctures, ironically, the bane of the punctual cyclist (bad pun intended). If you can, always carry the minimum amount of tools to mend a puncture. With quick release wheels and brakes, you should be able to patch that hole in under 10 minutes.

5. Hear dangerous things!
Although it's not illegal in most countries, riding with headphones can be super dangerous for a cyclist, especially in urban areas. Anything that distracts you from the task in hand, however careful you are with signalling and looking around will pose a risk to your safety.

6. Tell your kids
An obligatory task for any parent who cycles, is to pass on safety knowledge to your children. Do it.

7. Connect with motorists
If you're thinking of doing anything remotely risky like cycling over a crossing, never assume that the cars have seen you. Always try and make eye contact to make sure, and who knows, they might be your new flame.

8. Smile and wave boys, smile and wave
As the wise old penguins in Madagascar say, smile and wave to other road users, let's make cycling great again.

9. Show us your moves
Indicate, indicate, indicate. Show us where you're headed, when in doubt, stick it out! Your arm that is.

10. Think Biomotion
The new word on the streets of safety is "biomotion". Basically having bright or reflective colours on the bits of our body that move while cycling, i.e., feet and legs, makes some deep dark part of a motorist's brain register that we are a human... don't be surprised to hear "Look! a human riding a strange 2 wheeled vehicle! Better be careful not run him over!"

11. Ride confidently
Don't ride too close to the curb, motorists will find it tooo tempting to squeeze by when there's not really enough room.

12. Lights
Invest in some bright high-powered lights. Tiny LED lights might be ok at close range when the conditions are clear but in a rainstorm, at night, you can't see them. When cycling at night, good lights are compulsory. Pair them with a Hi-viz jacket and you should be golden.