In the pursuit of a healthy and active lifestyle, finding an exercise that is not only effective but also enjoyable is key.
Benefits
1. Cycling may help you lose weight
Cycling habitually, especially at a high intensity, can help lower your body fat levels, which promotes healthy weight management. Additional studies suggest that including sprint and strength training with regular cycling may temporarily increase your metabolism and build muscle, which allows you to burn more calories, even while at rest .
2. Cycling will help strengthen your legs
Cycling improves overall function in your lower body and strengthens your leg muscles without overstressing your joints. To make your legs even stronger and enhance your cycling performance, try doing weightlifting exercises, such as squats, leg presses, and lunges, a few times per week (3Trusted Source).
3. Cycling is good for beginners
Riding a bike is fairly simple. If you have difficulty with a standard bicycle, stationary bikes are a great alternative. If you’re new to fitness or bouncing back from an injury or illness, you can cycle at a low intensity. As you get more fit, you can increase the intensity or continue to cycle at a chill pace. Studies have shown that even sedentary people reap the health benefits of cycling, so it can be a great introduction for exercise novices.
4. Cycling may lower cholesterol
According to one review of 300 studies, indoor cycling has a positive effect on total cholesterol. It may boost HDL (good) cholesterol levels while lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglyceride levels (4Trusted Source).
5. Cycling boosts mental health and brain power
Cycling can ease feelings of stress, depression, or anxiety. Focusing on the road or your cadence when cycling can help you develop concentration and awareness of the present moment. This may help take your focus away from the mental chatter of your day. One study found that biking outside improved cognitive functioning and well-being for older adults (5Trusted Source). If you find yourself feeling lethargic, listless, or like your brain is moving slowly, get on your bike for at least 10 minutes.
Exercise promotes the release of endorphins in your body, which helps you feel better while lowering your stress levels. As the study above found, exercise outdoors only increases these effects (5Trusted Source).
6. Cycling can help people with cancer
However, many cancer patients experience low energy and pain during treatment, so be sure to work with your care team, listen to your body, and exercise only if you’re up for it.
Cycling can also help keep you lean and fit, which may reduce your risk for certain types of cancer, including breast cancer (6Trusted Source). According to research from 2019, if you have breast cancer, staying active may help reduce side effects of cancer treatment, including fatigue, and improve your overall quality of life
7. Cycling can offer a positive start to your morning
Beginning your day with a healthy activity like cycling wakes you up by boosting your circulation and allows you to start your day with a sense of accomplishment. You may feel more inclined to make healthy, positive choices as the day progresses .
Fasted morning rides at a low intensity may burn fat, enhance endurance performance, and boost your energy and metabolism levels all day . The caveat? The research seems to show that this is mainly true for casual bikers, and it’s not recommended that highly trained athletes fast before long endurance rides (9Trusted Source).
8. Cycling may help prevent and manage medical conditions
Whether you want to prevent health concerns from arising or manage existing conditions, regular exercise is key. Cycling regularly is one way to avoid a sedentary lifestyle and its possible accompanying health concerns. Regular exercise can help prevent heart issues such as stroke, heart attack, and high blood pressure (10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source, 12Trusted Source). Cycling may also help prevent and manage type 2 diabetes (13Trusted Source).
In fact, very recent research suggests regular cycling can lower mortality rates for people with diabetes by 24% and, if continued for at least 5 years, can decrease mortality rates by 35% (14Trusted Source).
9. Cycling is environmentally friendly
Reduce your carbon footprint by riding your bike whenever possible. Recent research in Europe found that commuting by bike instead of by car once a day decreases your transportation carbon footprint by 67%. It’s especially useful when you’re going places that are a bit too far to walk, but you don’t want to take a car. A bonus is not having to fight for a parking space in crowded areas.
10. Cycling improves balance, posture, and coordination
As you stabilize your body and keep your bike upright, you’ll improve your overall balance and coordination and even your gait (16Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source).
11. Cycling is a low impact option
Cycling is easy on your body, providing a gentle, low impact option for people who want an intense workout without stressing their joints .
The results of a 2019 review suggest that cycling is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. It’s also associated with lower mortality rates and lower rates of physiological risk factors such as diabetes, physical inactivity, and high blood pressure (19Trusted Source).
Cycling drawbacks and safety
There are a few drawbacks to cycling to consider. A serious disadvantage is the risk of an accident, whether in an urban or rural area. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, there were 726 accidental cyclist deaths and 50,000 injuries in 2014 alone . When possible, ride in lanes reserved for cyclists or on neighborhood streets.
Some research has shown that cycle tracks, and streets within 550 meters of the tracks, have fewer collisions between cyclists and vehicles . Always follow traffic laws. Use caution while going through intersections and busy areas, even if you have the right of way. Invest in a quality helmet and any other protective gear you may need.
Avoid wearing any loose clothing that could get caught in your bike chains. Use bike lights and reflective gear for nighttime cycling or early morning cycling before the sun comes up. If bike-commuting a long way to work, consider bringing a change of clothes to freshen up. On days when it’s not possible to cycle outside, you can ride a stationary bike or choose another activity. If cycling is your mode of transportation, invest in rain and cold weather gear and have a backup transportation plan for when conditions are unsafe for riding. For extended daytime rides, use sunscreen on all exposed skin. Reapply every 2 hours, especially if you’re sweating. Wear UV-protective sunglasses and a hat. Air pollution is another concern if you’re cycling in a city. You may choose to cycle on days when the air is cleaner or ride on less congested roads.
Cycling every day
It’s possible to cycle every day, especially if you use your bicycle for transportation or ride at a low intensity. Take a break if you experience pain, fatigue, or muscle soreness.
If you’re cycling for fitness, you may want to give yourself at least 1 full day of rest each week — especially if your rides are longer or higher in intensity. Exercise scientists agree that recovery is necessary to prevent injury and enhance performance . This is especially important if you ride at a high intensity or find your body getting sore in specific ways.
Who shouldn’t cycle
If you have any injuries that cycling will affect, it’s best to stay off the bike until you fully recover. Talk with your doctor if you have any conditions that cycling may affect. People who have concerns with balance, vision, or hearing may prefer a stationary or adaptive bicycle. If you don’t want to cycle but want to give your body a similar cardio workout, opt for a rowing, stair-climbing, or elliptical machine.
The bottom line
Cycling is an enjoyable way to stay healthy and in touch with the world around you.
If the weather is in your favor, hop on your bike and go the distance. And it beats the feeling of boredom that can come from repetitive workouts. When the weather is not conducive to outdoor cycling, indoor cycling is a great option that’s somewhat less risky and offers many health benefits. Either way you ride a bike, appreciate the satisfaction that comes from improving your fitness while having fun.