You already know cycling is great for your physical fitness. But did you know it also has profound effects on your brain? We did some digging and chatted with experts to find out exactly how.
Staves Off Depression “Clearly exercise is beneficial for mental health, and the area that we have the strongest evidence in is depression,” explains Brandon Alderman, Ph.D., an assistant professor of exercise psychophysiology at Rutgers University. A recent study at the University of Bern suggests that physical activity leads to nearly the same neurophysiological changes as antidepressants.
And last year, a review published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine looked at 25 studies, all of which showed that exercise plays in maintaining good mental health and preventing the onset of depression later in life.
Calms Your Mind “Over the past two years, we’ve been conducting a large study looking at aerobic exercise and meditation,” Alderman says. Test subjects in the study did a combo of meditation and exercise, in the form of spinning on a stationary bike followed by a short meditation session. Then Alderman and his team analyzed the effects on their mental well-being.
The outcome was exactly what he expected: Subjects moved from clinical to nonclinical levels of depression. "That’s huge," Alderman says, "and it happened in just eight weeks.”
Boosts Brainpower Think about a typical ride and everything that goes through your head, consciously or unconsciously: how to negotiate that gravelly corner, bunny hop that log, or navigate your way home on unfamiliar roads. It’s like doing Sudoko, but at warp speed—which is great for keeping your brain healthy. “When you’re on a road bike, you’re more likely to try a new route so you have something novel in the environment. If you’re mountain biking, you have to stay alert, and that’s really wonderful,” Alderman says.
So how does that make you smarter? Simple. Using your brain in these different ways while riding, Alderman explains, "results in increased cognitive control, and stimulates the parts [of the brain] that regulate executive function, decision making, things like that.”
This isn’t a new idea, by any stretch: work done by Charles Hillman at the University of Illinois in 2007 showed that exercise boosts brainpower and helps to stave off Alzheimer’s in older people, while parallel work being done at the University of Georgia by Phil Tomporowski showed that kids are even more positively impacted—and that exercise can help control issues like ADD.
Makes You Sexier One study in the Archives of Sexual Behavior found that when men performed regular, moderate exercise, they experienced more and better sex than men who did not exercise.
Then in 2004, a study at the University of Arkansas found that men and women with self-proclaimed higher fitness levels believed that they had above-average sexual desirability.
Most recently, in 2012, a University of Texas study reported that exercise—20 minutes of cycling, in this case—increases genital arousal in women, even when sensory nerves were suppressed by antidepressants.
Makes You Friendlier Whether you hit a spin class or head to the trails with a buddy or two, riding a bike can keep your social life active. A recent study at the University of Toronto showed that teams playing group sports had better overall mental health and less stress. “We suspect it might be due to school sport providing adolescents with opportunities to bond with other students, feel connected to their school, interact with their peers and coaches, thus, really providing a social and active environment," lead author Catherine M. Sabiston, Ph.D. explained. Sounds a lot like the benefits of joining a cycling club, doesn’t it?
“One key aspect for brain health is that you need to have a social life,” Alderman says. “You need to socialize with other people. I think when people are depressed, they don’t get out, they don’t do anything. It impacts their confidence and self-esteem. And if you exercise, you get out, and you have an opportunity to interact with other people, especially if they exercise outside.”
How do you stick to your New Year's Resolutions? First, I make them realistic. If you cut foods you love from your diet, you will fail. Next, I set a couple of easy-to-reach goals to build confidence. Last, I make them fun. If your goal is just to lose weight, you will likely yo-yo. But if you want to get in shape for a big ride with friends, you will more likely succeed.
What's your best tip for continuing to ride through the winter? Throw some knobby tires on your bike and go outside and play. Though riding in a few inches of snow might not be fast, it's a great leg workout and lots more adventurous. People may call you crazy, but come springtime you will be way ahead of your fair-weather cycling buddies.
Will booze really prevent water in my bottles from freezing? When we sought popular opinion via Twitter, our timeline filled with spirited endorsements. When we ran it by someone with actual nutrition cred, the answer was less emphatic. "A two-ounce shot of vodka lowers the freezing point in a 20-ounce bottle to about 27 degrees Fahrenheit," says Allen Lim, coauthor of the Feed Zone Cookbook. That leaves just 5 degrees of leeway when the temps fall below freezing. And he says, "There's a trade-off between keeping fluid 'watery' and the inebriation that may result if a bottle is consumed in less than an hour." Other options: Stow bottles in jersey pockets, use insulated containers, or start with a piping-hot drink.
What's the one piece of cold-weather gear I need? If you live in a location where the winters are no joke, there isn't a single magic piece of gear that will keep you from shivering in the saddle. (You need everything from booties to a balaclava to a baselayer and more.) Building a chilly-weather wardrobe begins with a really great jacket. A warm core will help keep your extremities more comfortable. What to look for? It should be windproof and have an insulated fleece lining. Don't expect it to be 100-percent waterproof—it needs to be breathable to let moisture escape—but do expect it to be water-resistant. Other key details: a covered zipper, a high collar, and 360 degrees of reflection to make you more visible in low light. Last, before you commit to dropping $150 to $250, make sure it fits—it should be roomy enough to accommodate layers underneath without being bulky.
My group ride has been smelling pretty aromatic these days. Should I join the fun and embrocate? Regardless of how you feel about the sinus-clearing fragrance of embrocation, rubbing the linament onto your legs could transform your cold-weather riding experience. When temps start to dip below 60, embro will take the bite out of wind. The heating balm also increases blood flow, so oxygen circulates more efficiently, keeping your muscles warm and loose, and letting you ride harder for longer. On frigid days, use embro under tights or warmers for extra protection. Before you slather up, keep this advice in mind. First, embro is like hot sauce: Don't go for the ghost pepper right away—start with a medium warmth and adjust from there. Second, it works everywhere, and we mean everywhere, you put it. Use caution (or latex gloves) when applying so you don't end up with an awkward burning sensation where you don't want one.
What does "hand-ups are not a crime" mean? Origins of catchphrases are notoriously tough to pinpoint. Here's one take: At a 2011 'cross race in Breinigsville, Pennsylvania, a passionate fan got into a heated exchange with a USA Cycling official. At issue? The referee's strict adherence to a rule that disallows hand-ups—food or drink passed to a rider during a race outside of a specified zone. Though beer hand-ups are a staple in the current party scene that is 'cross spectating, USAC considers it "outside assistance." Riffing on an iconic skateboarding phrase that has been around at least since the 1980s, the fan argued that "hand-ups are not a crime," hash-tagged the outburst, and suddenly the idea was all over social media. We don't make value judgments in Ask Bicycling (unless doing so makes us laugh), so if you don't believe beer hand-ups are a crime, have at it with these tips from Dave Pryor, promoter of the 2013 Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships in Philadelphia, the fan responsible for the meme (and, in full disclosure, the spouse of Bicycling's own Fit Chick). First, find the right spot on a course—an outside corner where there's room to pass (and where the officials won't see you) is ideal. Avoid places where a racer won't be able to reach for it, like at the start/finish line or near a tough obstacle. Never force beers on riders. When you're handing off a cup, "make sure you hold it from the bottom so the racer can grab it," Pryor says. "And use cheap beer, since most of it will probably spill."
Why are cyclists so into Pabst Blue Ribbon? It's cheap beer and it's not even good. To clarify, not all cyclists swill Peebers; some of us are into really good beer and appreciate the craft-brewing scene. But it was the riders rebelling against the popularity of craft brewing who made PBR cool—precisely because it wasn't. We're not making this up. A 2014 paper published in the Journal of Consumer Research reported that people think things are cool that are inherently uncool. Want to jump on this trend? You're probably too late. PBR has gone mainstream, and the American company that produced it recently was sold to a Russian brewer. It still tastes the same, but the tastemakers we know seem disenchanted. If you want to get ahead of the curve, Colt 45 is your chance to say, "I was into this before it was so uncool that it was cool."
Can I trust my mechanic? No more or less than you can trust anyone who holds your health, happiness, financial stability, and free weekend afternoons in their hands. But relax: You aren't responsible for making that judgement. Just listen to your bike, and it will tell you whether or not you can rely on the wrenching that's been done to it.
What's the difference between how much being skinny helps you climb and how much being heavy helps you descend? It would seem simple: The lighter rider crests the hill first and the heavier rider makes it down first. But there's more to the puzzle than weight, says Tim Hall, head cycling coach at Lees-McRae College in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains. True, a lighter rider may have less mass to drag up a hill, but will struggle if he lacks strength and a solid aerobic engine. And plenty of heavier riders are able to scamper up an incline. Descending, on the other hand, comes down to skill before weight, power, or any other physiological factor. "It's about knowing how to take the fastest line, when to brake, use momentum, and power out of turns," Hall says, adding that the sweet spot is when you can match your skill with physical strength.
How do I keep my bike from slamming backwards when I stand on a climb? This is a feat of complex and nuanced proportions, worth a lifetime of study, but the simplest and most effective tip is: Before you stand, shift into the next hardest gear.
How do I learn to wheelie? This is about finding the balance between tipping forward and back. (And for the record, you don't need a full-face helmet and body armor to master it.) The biggest obstacle is overcoming the instinct to keep both wheels on the ground, says Lee McCormack, a skills instructor in Boulder, Colorado. When most of us approach the point at which it feels like we're about to topple backward, McCormack says, there's a stress response and we back off. He recommends practicing in sneakers on a mountain bike with flat pedals. To create enough pedaling torque to raise the front wheel, shift into a gear that gives you a roughly 1:1 ratio (equal chainring and cog size). Soft pedal a few strokes on flat terrain, then do a sharp, quick power stroke as you also lift upward on the handlebar and lean backward. Keep pedaling, and the front will lift while the back wheel feels as if it is surging forward under you. Scary? Sure. That's where the platform pedals come in. When you fear you're going to be flung backward, "just step off the back," says McCormack. Then try again, and again, until that panic reflex goes away. Experiment with torque and balance until you hit the sweet spot where the front of the bike floats in a sustainable position. To end a wheelie, simply tap the rear brake to bring the front wheel back down. Pretty soon you'll be nailing Danny MacAskill impressions.
I'm left-handed. Will I screw up the cyclocross race if I dismount on the drive side? After a lifetime of fumbling with scissors and gadgets, you understandably want to avoid kowtowing to the right-handed power complex—and we not only applaud you, we can offer support. Dismounting on the right (or drive) side feels natural for a lot of southpaws—and even some right-handers, like elite rider Amy Cutler of Guru Cycles Haute Wheels Racing. As long as you're willing to put up with lodging your drivetrain into your back, there's no reason to force yourself to dismount on society's terms. Cutler suggests you start by practicing on the side that feels most comfortable, but work on mastering both. "Despite a few grease-stained kits, dismounting to the right sometimes can be an advantage," she says, "especially when the ideal line is on the far left." Now, if only using spiral notebooks could be made easier.
How can I learn to ride no-handed? First, get comfortable pedaling with one hand off the bar, says Peter Glassford, owner of Smart Athlete in Collingwood, Ontario, and a mountain bike racer for Trek Canada. For safety and stability, keep one hand on the top of the bar, closer to the stem than the outer end, with your thumb curled under it to make sure your grip doesn't slip if you happen to hit a bump; if you keep your hand on the hood, in the drops, or too far outward, you're more likely to lose control. Lift your opposite hand a couple of inches off the bar for a few seconds. When that feels natural, work on the other hand. Once you can remove either hand for at least five seconds, practice reaching back into your pockets with each hand (still keeping one on the bar). When you're comfortable with that kind of multitasking, experiment with taking both hands off the bar and pedaling for a few strokes. Several things to keep in mind: • Momentum is your friend—and so are slight declines. • Always look ahead.Your bike goes where your eyes go. • Sit upright. Rotate your pelvis back so you're not falling toward the handlebar. • Ease into it. Resist the urge to push off the bar into the upright position.
Why was there never a sequel to Breaking Away? Because no one—not even Steve Tesich himself, who won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for the script—could ever, ever, ever beat the first one. If someone tried, we'd all end up asking for a refund. (Refund?!!) Of note: A year after the 1979 film's debut, Tesich and director Peter Yates teamed up for a TV series that served as a prequel and was cancelled after seven episodes; you can catch it on YouTube. And in 1985, Tesich penned another cycling classic, American Flyers, which features the finest wheel change in all of cinematic history, by Rae Dawn Chong.
y am I seeing so many tires with tan sidewalls? Is it just a cool trend, or is there another reason? Tan sidewalls were once ubiquitous because many tires used to be made with light-colored cotton casing. Nowadays vulcanized clincher tires generally are made with rubber (usually black or dyed another color). "There was a trend about a year ago with tan on vulcanized clinchers," says Chris Clinton of Challenge Tires. "It reminds people of traditional tires." And there's another reason: Cotton and silk casings are making a comeback, too, showing up under some of the world's top pros—from Tony Martin, who rode Specialized Turbo Cotton tires in the Tour de Suisse, to Nino Schurter, who won the Windham, New York, XC World Cup on Dugast Pipisquallos. Why? Superior grip and suppleness. Even though they are pricier and may require more maintenance, Clinton says, road and cyclocross tires with fabric casings have sold well for Challenge this year.
Do I need better tubes? When I check my tire pressure before I get on the bike, it's down to 40 to 60 psi even though I pump them to 100 before every ride. Probably not, says Kyle Robinson, service manager at Pure Energy Cycling & Java House in Lambertville, New Jersey. For the most part, there's not a huge quality difference from one inner tube to the next, though latex tubes (which are lighter) seep air quicker than butyl tubes (which are cheaper). It's normal for air to pass through a tube. On a tire pumped to 100 psi, Robinson says, expect to lose 10 to 15 psi a day. If you're losing much more than that on a daily basis, it's worth checking your tube for a puncture. You can limit air loss by always closing the valves and removing the pump carefully. How? Place both thumbs under the pump head and push it off the valve in one quick motion.
Why does a jersey have three pockets instead of two or four? Blame your drinking habit. "Traditionally, pocket size was determined by a 20-ounce water bottle," says Josh Cook, retail brand manager at Pactimo, a Colorado-based apparel company. And there's only so much room between a jersey's two side panels, so three became the magic number. When packing your pockets, apply these criteria to the contents: value, accessibility, and weight. Important items (phone, ID, money) should go in the center where they'll be safest. That's also a good place to store a jacket or a vest because it will help prevent contents from popping out. Put snacks in the side pockets for easy accessibility: Cook likes his on the right because he's more comfortable removing his right hand from the handlebar. Finally, distribute contents evenly so the jersey doesn't pull to one side from the weight. Also, if you know your Pythagoras, three is the most noble of numbers, and cycling deserves nothing less.
Why can't I wear underwear with my bike shorts? It's not just because panty (or tighty-whitie) lines are not a good look. There are medical reasons undies are a no-no. It's like rubbing sand on your most tender skin, says Kristi H. Angevine, MD, a physician in Chattanooga, Tennessee. That doesn't sound particularly pleasant, and even less appealing is the fact that the chafing can lead to open sores. Gross. If that isn't bad enough, they can end up infected. Her remedy? "Strip down, then chamois up." Saddle sores can still happen even if you go commando under your shorts. Avoid them by using chamois cream to prevent friction, and change out of your shorts promptly after a ride.
Is there any way to get mud out of a white kit? Yes, as long as you get to it right away. A couple of suggestions: Remove your kit while it's still freshly soiled. Blast with a power washer or the strongest stream of water available (singlespeed 'cross world champ Mo Bruno Roy sometimes resorts to those superblaster hoses found in a carwash). Scrub mud with bar soap, let soak if necessary, and wash as usual. If you can't get to the cleaning right away, put the kit in a plastic bag to keep it wet (stains set when they dry). Niki Detrick, head U.S. soigneur at UHC Pro Cycling, who has managed dirty laundry for 28 years, says she puts kits in the washer right away, sets the temp to warm (hot water fades colors, but warm water removes body oils and grease), adds OxiClean pods, and goes with a cold rinse. Bonus tip: "If the kits are really gritty, the guys shower in them first."
How do you guys pick what you review in the magazine? Are you ever able to say you didn't like a product? For the most part, the products we review on these pages and on BICYCLING.com are the ones we think are worth showcasing—the bikes and gear that we geek out over in our spare time and that we'd recommend to friends and family. We test a lot of product, much of which is really great, and some of which is not. We have only so much real estate, bandwidth, and staff time, so we focus on the stuff we think you should know about. In other words, we'd rather share what we believe you should buy as opposed to what we think you shouldn't. Regardless, we give honest reviews, including drawbacks—because no product is perfect, and certainly no product is perfect for everyone.
What's the story behind Bianchi's signature color? The origins of the 129-year-old Italian company's marquee color are a bit of a mystery. "We have no real answer," says David Reed, Bianchi USA's vice president of marketing. "Years have gone by and the stories get more glorified and less truthful." Complicating the matter: Though it has always been called celeste (which translates roughly to "sky blue"), the actual shade has varied over the years from a bluish tint to its current minty green. The facts may be elusive, but the tales are wonderful. The most well-known include the notion that company founder Edoardo Bianchi made a bike at the request of the Italian queen and painted it to match her eyes. Another suggests that the color comes from toned-down surplus military paint after World War I, though references to celeste in Bianchi ads predate the war. Still another says it's the color of the sky over Milan. It doesn't matter that we may never know the real story. Celeste has come to symbolize a romanticized combination of Italian craftsmanship and cycling lore—and that's the story we hope will forever endure.
Who really killed Ottavio Bottecchia? Forget the officially recorded cause of sunstroke, the rumors of assassination by fascists, and the farmer who reportedly confessed on his deathbed to killing the first Italian winner of the Tour de France (1924 and '25) in revenge for some stolen grapes. We can say with authority that while he was out riding on June 3, 1927, the great champion was done in by Nona, Decima, and Morta Parcae.
I don’t mean those first heady moments of awkwardness and freedom. But the process of becoming truly comfortable on the bike—all the things that you had to figure out the hard way, even as an adult. Things that seem like second nature now, so obvious and easy that it’s hard to remember your early growing pains.
In revising my book, Everyday Bicycling, I've been trying to bring up those early memories—it’s surprisingly difficult. But I see other people in the same situation every day, wobbling down the bike path, pedals spinning too fast, mismanaging intersections with either abashed uncertainty or brazen obliviousness.
For me, the memory that really stands out is not being able to simply ride in a straight line. I rode everywhere on the sidewalk in those early days (another lesson since learned!) and have clear memories of seeing a crack in the pavement, thinking “It would be bad to hit that just-so” then hitting it just so and going head over heels. Even with four or five feet to play with, I couldn’t always stay on the sidewalk, and one time I ran into a wall.
Remembering those incidents is embarrassing, but it does give me empathy for wobbly beginning cyclists, and also for the many people who technically know how to ride a bike but haven’t felt quite ready to take the plunge into regular riding for reasons they aren’t always excited to discuss. Yes, riding a bike is easy, but riding it well takes some practice; support and encouragement don’t hurt either.
I asked people on Twitter and the Wheelwomen Switchboard to tell me about their early bike bloopers, mishaps, and mayhem. Tons of folks responded gamely with candid bloopers ranging from refusing to shift to deeply regrettable wardrobe choices to completely losing control of the bike. Their answers are compiled here.
In more recent years, the learning has continued, but in a different way. The more I know, the better I get at asking the right questions, and the resulting revelations may be less hard-won but their impact on my life is just as significant (if not more so). The things that blow my mind now are less about the mechanics of pedaling and more about the culture, infrastructure, research, and debates around it. Our country is in the middle of the steepest part of our bicycle learning curve right now, and it’s a deeply frustrating, confusing, enlightening, fascinating, and sometimes violent experience on a grand scale. In some ways it’s energizing to watch and be a part of it, but I’m looking forward to the day when we can reflect back on how little we were aware of what we had yet to learn.
Attending the 2015 Absa Cape Epic has opened our eyes to the popularity of tubeless tyre plugs. These sticky ‘worms’ are forced through a tubeless puncture to quickly fix common flats without removing the wheel.
The Sahmurai Sword is the first cycle-specific option and is the brainchild of three-time Cape Epic winner and Team Bulls rider Stefan ‘Sahmurai’ Sahm. Tyre plugs were first used in car tyres – marathon racers have been known to carry small automotive kits with them, taped to their bikes. This is not considered the safest way to carry such sharp objects.
The Sahmurai Sword tubeless tyre plug kit provides a solution. It is made up of two components that are built into a pair of expanding bar plugs. These sit inside the bars to provide a much safer way to carry the kit. One plug hosts the reamer, which is used to open up the puncture, the other holds a plug fork to push the gummy worm through the hole.
The plug sits quite flush with the end of the bar, but there is enough of a roughened surface that you can unthread it from the bar by hand.
From the outside, the Sword looks like a normal bar plug
The plugs will work with any handlebar with an inside diameter of 17mm and up, but won’t fit bars with reinforced rings for bar ends.
We weren't able to weigh these ourselves, but Sahm says the pair weighs roughly 40g – the mostly injection-moulded plastic construction keeps the weight to a minimum.
Global distribution of the Sahmurai Sword is in the pipeline. The puncture repair kit currently sells in South Africa for R350, so we expect it to cost around US$35.
Commute by bike in the UK’s major cities and you’ll get there in half the time of cars, research by Citroen shows. In fact, if you drive for an hour in Cardiff’s rush hour, you’ll spend over 30 minutes going absolutely nowhere and average just 7mph, compared to averaging around 12-15mph while cycling.
2. Sleep more deeply
An early morning ride might knacker you out in the short term, but it’ll help you catch some quality shut-eye when you get back to your pillow. Stanford University School of Medicine researchers asked sedentary insomnia sufferers to cycle for 20-30 minutes every other day. The result? The time required for the insomniacs to fall asleep was reduced by half, and sleep time increased by almost an hour.
“Exercising outside exposes you to daylight,” explains Professor Jim Horne from Loughborough University’s Sleep Research Centre. “This helps get your circadian rhythm back in sync, and also rids your body of cortisol, the stress hormone that can prevent deep, regenerative sleep.”
3. Look younger
Scientists at Stanford University have found that cycling regularly can protect your skin against the harmful effects of UV radiation and reduce the signs of ageing. Harley Street dermatologist Dr Christopher Rowland Payne explains: “Increased circulation through exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to skin cells more effectively, while flushing harmful toxins out. Exercise also creates an ideal environment within the body to optimise collagen production, helping reduce the appearance of wrinkles and speed up the healing process.” Don’t forget to slap on the factor 30 before you head out, though.
4. Boost your bowels
According to experts from Bristol University, the benefits of cycling extend deep into your core. “Physical activity helps decrease the time it takes food to move through the large intestine, limiting the amount of water absorbed back into your body and leaving you with softer stools, which are easier to pass,” explains Harley Street gastroenterologist Dr Ana Raimundo.
In addition, aerobic exercise accelerates your breathing and heart rate, which helps to stimulate the contraction of intestinal muscles. “As well as preventing you from feeling bloated, this helps protect you against bowel cancer,” Dr Raimundo says.
5. Increase your brain power
Need your grey matter to sparkle? Then get pedalling. Researchers from Illinois University found that a five percent improvement in cardio-respiratory fitness from cycling led to an improvement of up to 15 percent in mental tests. That’s because cycling helps build new brain cells in the hippocampus – the region responsible for memory, which deteriorates from the age of 30.
“It boosts blood flow and oxygen to the brain, which fires and regenerates receptors, explaining how exercise helps ward off Alzheimer’s,” says the study’s author, Professor Arthur Kramer.
6. Beat illness
Forget apples, riding’s the way to keep the doctor at bay. “Moderate exercise makes immune cells more active, so they’re ready to fight off infection,” says Cath Collins, chief dietician at St George’s Hospital in London.
In fact, according to research from the University of North Carolina, people who cycle for 30 minutes, five days a week take about half as many sick days as couch potatoes.
Riding’s the way to keep the doctor at bay
7. Live longer
King’s College London compared over 2,400 identical twins and found those who did the equivalent of just three 45-minute rides a week were nine years ‘biologically younger’ even after discounting other influences, such as body mass index (BMI) and smoking.
“Those who exercise regularly are at significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease, type two diabetes, all types of cancer, high blood pressure and obesity,” says Dr Lynn Cherkas, who conducted the research. “The body becomes much more efficient at defending itself and regenerating new cells.”
8. Save the planet
Twenty bicycles can be parked in the same space as one car. It takes around five percent of the materials and energy used to make a car to build a bike, and a bike produces zero pollution.
Bikes are efficient, too – you travel around three times as fast as walking for the same amount of energy and, taking into account the ‘fuel’ you put in your ‘engine’, you do the equivalent of 2,924 miles to the gallon. You have your weight ratio to thank: you’re about six times heavier than your bike, but a car is 20 times heavier than you.
9. Improve your sex life
Being more physically active improves your vascular health, which has the knock-on effect of boosting your sex drive, according to health experts in the US. One study from Cornell University also concluded that male athletes have the sexual prowess of men two to five years younger, with physically fit females delaying the menopause by a similar amount of time.
Meanwhile, research carried out at Harvard University found that men aged over 50 who cycle for at least three hours a week have a 30 percent lower risk of impotence than those who do little exercise.
10. It’s good breeding
A ‘bun in the oven’ could benefit from your riding as much as you. According to research from Michigan University in the US, mums-to-be who regularly exercise during pregnancy have an easier, less complicated labour, recover faster and enjoy better overall mood throughout the nine months. Your pride and joy also has a 50 percent lower chance of becoming obese and enjoys better in-utero neurodevelopment.
“There’s no doubt that moderate exercise such as cycling during pregnancy helps condition the mother and protect the foetus,” says Patrick O’Brien, a spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
A ‘bun in the oven’ could benefit from your riding as much as you
11. Heal your heart
Studies from Purdue University in the US have shown that regular cycling can cut your risk of heart disease by 50 percent. And according to the British Heart Foundation, around 10,000 fatal heart attacks could be avoided each year if people kept themselves fitter. Cycling just 20 miles a week reduces your risk of heart disease to less than half that of those who take no exercise, it says.
12. Your boss will love you
No, we don’t mean your Lycra-clad buttocks will entice your superiors into a passionate office romance, but they’ll appreciate what cycling does for your usefulness to the company. A study of 200 people carried out by the University of Bristol found that employees who exercised before work or at lunchtime improved their time and workload management, and it boosted their motivation and their ability to deal with stress.
The study also reported that workers who exercised felt their interpersonal performance was better, they took fewer breaks and found it easier to finish work on time. Sadly, the study didn’t find a direct link between cycling and getting a promotion.
13. Cycle away from the big C
There’s plenty of evidence that any exercise is useful in warding off cancer, but some studies have shown that cycling is specifically good for keeping your cells in working order. One long-term study carried out by Finnish researchers found that men who exercised at a moderate level for at least 30 minutes a day were half as likely to develop cancer as those who didn’t. And one of the moderate forms of exercise they cited? Cycling to work. Other studies have found that women who cycle frequently reduce their risk of breast cancer by 34 percent.
14. Lose weight in the saddle
Loads of people who want to shift some heft think that heading out for a jog is the best way to start slimming down. But while running does burn a ton of fat, it’s not kind to you if you’re a little larger than you’d like to be. Think about it – two to three times your body weight goes crashing through your body when your foot strikes the ground. If you weigh 16 stone, that’s a lot of force! Instead, start out on a bike – most of your weight is taken by the saddle, so your skeleton doesn’t take a battering. Running can wait…
15. You’ll make more money
If you’re cycling to lose weight then you could be in line for a cash windfall… Well, sort of. Researcher Jay Zagorsky, from Ohio State University, analysed data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth – which saw 7,300 people regularly interviewed between 1985 and 2000 – to see how their obesity and wealth changed over that period. Zagorsky concluded that a one unit increase in body mass index (BMI) score corresponded to an £800 or eight percent reduction in wealth. So, shed a few BMI points on the bike and start earning.
16. Avoid pollution
You’d think a city cyclist would suck up much more pollution than the drivers and passengers in the vehicles chucking out the noxious gases. Not so, according to a study carried out by Imperial College London. Researchers found that passengers in buses, taxis and cars inhaled substantially more pollution than cyclists and pedestrians.
On average, taxi passengers were exposed to more than 100,000 ultrafine particles – which can settle in the lungs and damage cells – per cubic centimetre. Bus passengers sucked up just under 100,000 and people in cars inhaled about 40,000. Cyclists, meanwhile, were exposed to just 8,000 ultrafine particles per cubic centimetre. It’s thought that cyclists breathe in fewer fumes because we ride at the edge of the road and, unlike drivers, aren’t directly in the line of exhaust smoke.
Cyclists breathe in fewer fumes than drivers
17. Enjoy healthy family time
Cycling is an activity the whole family can do together. The smallest tyke can clamber into a bike seat or tow-along buggy, and because it’s kind on your joints, there’s nothing to stop grandparents joining in too.
Moreover, your riding habit could be sowing the seeds for the next Bradley Wiggins. Studies have found that, unsurprisingly, kids are influenced by their parents’ exercise choices. Put simply, if your kids see you riding regularly, they think it’s normal and will want to follow your example. Don’t be surprised, though, if they become embarrassed by your tendency to mismatch fluorescent Lycra when they become teenagers.
18. It means guilt-free snacks
Upping your salt intake is seldom your doctor’s advice, but in the few days leading up to a big ride or sportive, that’s exactly what you should do. This gives you the perfect excuse to munch on crisps and other salty foods you might normally avoid. The sodium in them helps protect your body against hyponatraemia, a condition caused by drinking too much water without enough sodium that can lead to disorientation, illness and worse.
19. Get better at any sport
Whether you want to keep in prime shape or just improve your weekly tennis game, a stint in the saddle is the way to begin. A recent medical study from Norway carried the title Aerobic Endurance Training Improves Soccer Performance, which makes it pretty clear that the knock-on benefits to other sports and activities are immense.
20. Make creative breakthroughs
Writers, musicians, artists, top executives and all kinds of other professionals use exercise to solve mental blocks and make decisions – including Jeremy Paxman, Sir Alan Sugar and Spandau Ballet. A study found that just 25 minutes of aerobic exercise boosts at least one measure of creative thinking. Credit goes to the flow of oxygen to your grey matter when it matters most, sparking your neurons and giving you breathing space away from the muddle and pressures of ‘real life’.
21. You’re helping others
Many cyclists turn their health, fitness and determination into fundraising efforts for the less fortunate. The London to Brighton bike ride has raised over £40 million for the British Heart Foundation since the two became involved in 1980, with countless other rides contributing to the coffers of worthy causes.
22. You can get fit without trying too hard
Regular, everyday cycling has huge benefits that can justify you binning your wallet-crippling gym membership. According to the National Forum for Coronary Heart Disease Foundation in the US, regular cyclists enjoy a fitness level equal to that of a person who’s 10 years younger.
23. Boost your bellows
No prizes for guessing that the lungs work considerably harder than usual when you ride. An adult cycling generally uses 10 times the oxygen they’d need to sit in front of the TV for the same period. Even better, regular cycling will help strengthen your cardiovascular system over time, enabling your heart and lungs to work more efficiently and getting more oxygen where it’s needed, quicker. This means you can do more exercise for less effort. How good does that sound?
24. Burn more fat
Sports physiologists have found that the body’s metabolic rate – the efficiency with which it burns calories and fat – is not only raised during a ride, but for several hours afterwards. “Even after cycling for 30 minutes, you could be burning a higher amount of total calories for a few hours after you stop,” says sports physiologist Mark Simpson of Loughborough University.
And as you get fitter, the benefits are more profound. One recent study showed that cyclists who incorporated fast intervals into their ride burned three-and-a-half times more body fat than those who cycled constantly but at a slower pace.
Cycling can help you lose pounds – but don't take it too far!
25. You’re developing a positive addiction
Replace a harmful dependency – such as cigarettes, alcohol or eating too much chocolate – with a positive one, says William Glasser, author of Positive Addiction. The result? You’re a happier, healthier person getting the kind of fix that boosts the good things in life.
26. Get (a legal) high
Once a thing of myth, the infamous ‘runner’s high’ has been proven beyond doubt by German scientists. Yet despite the name, this high is applicable to all endurance athletes. University of Bonn neurologists visualised endorphins in the brains of 10 volunteers before and after a two-hour cardio session using a technique called positive emission tomography (PET). Comparing the pre- and post-run scans, they found evidence of more opiate binding of the happy hormone in the frontal and limbic regions of the brain – areas known to be involved in emotional processing and dealing with stress.
“There’s a direct link between feelings of wellbeing and exercise, and for the first time this study proves the physiological mechanism behind that,” explains study co-ordinator Professor Henning Boecker.
27. Make friends and stay healthy
The social side of riding could be doing you as much good as the actual exercise. University of California researchers found socialising releases the hormone oxytocin, which buffers the ‘fight or flight’ response.
Another nine-year study from Harvard Medical School found those with the most friends cut the risk of an early death by more than 60 percent, reducing blood pressure and strengthening their immune system. The results were so significant that the researchers concluded not having close friends or confidants is as detrimental to your health as smoking or carrying extra weight. Add in the fitness element of cycling too and you’re onto a winner.
28. Be happy
Even if you’re miserable when you saddle up, cranking through the miles will lift your spirits. “Any mild-to-moderate exercise releases natural feel-good endorphins that help counter stress and make you happy,” explains Andrew McCulloch, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation. That’s probably why four times more GPs prescribe exercise therapy as their most common treatment for depression compared to three years ago. “Just three 30-minute sessions a week can be enough to give people the lift they need,” says McCulloch.
29. Feeling tired? Go for a ride
Sounds counter-intuitive but if you feel too tired for a ride, the best thing you can do is go for ride. Physical activity for even a few minutes is a surprisingly effective wake-up call. A review of 12 studies on the link between exercise and fatigue carried out between 1945 and 2005 found that exercise directly lowers fatigue levels.
30. Spend quality time with your partner
It doesn’t matter if your paces aren’t perfectly matched – just slow down and enjoy each other’s company. Many couples make one or two riding ‘dates’ every week. And it makes sense: exercise helps release feel-good hormones, so after a ride you’ll have a warm feeling towards each other even if he leaves the toilet seat up and her hair is blocking the plughole again.
