Not everyone loves cycling – but those who do know what makes it so special. In case you needed a reminder, or if you are about to buy your first bike, we put together a few reasons why that bicycle might change your life… and a few reasons why you will hate it, of course.Eight reasons why it is a great idea to Travel by Bicycle and two reasons why you might not want to do Travel by Bicycle.
Why travel by Bicycle?
1 – Protect the Environment
Up there with the top reason why you should cycle more is that it doesn’t have the same environmental impact as your car does. It won’t give off emissions, nor will it cost fossil fuels to power. All if needs is some hard work on your behalf. The carbon footprint of cycling a mile is roughly 65g CO2.
2 – Get Fit!
Cycling will help you get fit, particularly if you use it to replace your car once in a while. It is an aerobic exercise which is good for your cardiovascular health. Improving your cardiovascular system can help you avoid heart attacks and even lower oxidative stress[i].
3 – See the Countryside
If you don’t want to travel alone but you’d love to cycle around the countryside, joining a group like Ride International Tours could be an answer to your problem. It will let you travel your country of choice while meeting new people, and getting to enjoy the sights. That’s a win all-round.
4 – Improve your Posture
Cycling regularly helps to improve your posture and straighten out your back. Some research[ii] suggests that gentle cycling might be good for lower back pain. However, some cyclists can experience back pain if their everyday lives see them with bad posture. The spine will correct itself and may cause aches.
5 – Lose Weight
Cycling can help you lose weight, although this somewhat falls into the getting fit category. Cycling fat 12 miles per hour for 30 minutes will burn almost 300 calories. You can even set up an exercise bike in your living room and do it while you watch TV!
6 – Save Money
Cycling will save you the cost of fuel for a car. If you replace your vehicle entirely it will also save you maintenance, taxes, insurance, and all the other costs. It might even make you some money if you can sell your vehicle on.
7 – Avoid Congestion
If you live in a city center then you already have to pay congestion charges for sitting in traffic every morning on your way to work. When you cycle you can by-pass all of this. You can even arrive earlier, more refreshed, and ready to start the day!
8 – Eat More!
The best thing about cycling daily is that it entitles you to eat what you like to maintain you current weight. Provided you aren’t dieting, cycling for an hour a day earns you a whopping 600 extra calories of snacking… so tuck in, as long as you have done your miles!
Why Not Travel By Bicycle?
1 – It’s Hard Work
It’s hard to get around by bike. If you aren’t fit enough then it will be a steep learning curve. Those cardiovascular benefits might just help you live longer though. We suggest you give it a try.
2 – Pollution
Cycling in the city center during rush hour will see you breathe in some nasty fumes. These fumes would still be in your lungs in a car, or if you use any other means of transport. Unfortunately, until there are more bicycle riders in our streets this is just one thing we will have to contend with.
To Bike or Not to Bike?
That is the question. We will leave the answer up to you.
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