Why Should I Ride?
There are many benefits to cycling. The primary one, as far as I'm concerned, is that it's fun! There are several health benefits as well:
- Prevention: Riding a bike reduces your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and type 2 diabetes.
- Weight Loss: Cycling burns a lot of calories. It varies by weight, speed, and time spent cycling. A 250 pound person riding at 13mph for 1 one burns approximately 700.5 calories. That's lunch at Subway AND a mid-afternoon snack. Want to try it yourself? Cycling Calorie Calculator
- Mental Health: Cycling improves your mood, reduces depression and stress, and can raise your self-esteem.
- Strength & Coordination: Cycling increases your strength and can also improve your coordination. As you age, your history of cycling makes you less likely to suffer common accidents, like broken hips resulting from falls.
Are these conclusive arguments for cycling? For some people, yes. Others want more. How about this?
Cycling takes you away from your normal everyday worries, lets you see some great scenery up close, and will put a gigantic smile on your face whether you're 10 or 80.
Here are some common questions I've gotten from customers:
- What kind of bike do I need?
That will depend on what you intend to do. For more information about bikes and what kind you need, read the article What Kind of Bike?
- Do I weigh too much to ride?
Unless you are homebound and weigh more than a small car, no. No matter what your weight, a good bike shop can outfit you with a bike that will hold up to whatever you can put it through, within reason. I, for instance, weigh 300 pounds and I've never broken a frame or tacoed a wheel; and I used to jump off of things with my bikes.
- I have heart problems, should I ride?
In this case, I can't answer that. That's something that only your doctor can answer. Chances are that the doctor will be supportive of your wish to ride, and will caution you to stay under a certain speed, or a certain heart-rate.
- Why should I pay $350 for a bike when I can buy one for $80 at Wal-Mart?
Why should you pay $25,000 for a new Toyota when you can buy a used Yugo for $28.67? Most Wal-Mart bikes are disposable. They break, you toss them. Also, they can weigh twice as much as a good bike. Weight is your enemy when you start going uphill.
- Are you single? Can I have your phone number?
Okay, I never actually get that one. But, no, I'm married to a beautiful British girl who cycles as well. And no, I don't give out my phone number to anyone but Russian telemarketers and Nigerian bankers.
