Cycle Riding

Cycling is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sports. People who ride bicycles are called "cyclists", "bicyclists" or "cyclists. In addition to two-wheeled bikes, "cycling" also includes unicycles, tricycles, ATVs, compartment bikes, and similar human-powered vehicles (HPVs).

Bicycles were introduced in the 19th century and now number around one billion worldwide. They are the most important means of transport in many parts of the world.

A bicycle is widely regarded as a very efficient and effective means of transport, ideally suited for short and medium distances.

Bicycles have many advantages over cars, including sustained physical activity associated with cycling, easier parking, better maneuverability and access to roads, cycle paths and country trails. Cycling can also reduce fossil fuel consumption, air pollution or noise levels and significantly reduce congestion. This results in lower financial costs for both the user and society at large (minor road damage, less road space required). By placing bicycle racks at the front of buses, transport operators can significantly increase the space they can maintain.

In addition, cycling offers several health benefits. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that cycling can reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes that are prevalent in a sedentary lifestyle. Stationary bicycling is also used in rehabilitation for lower limb injuries, especially after hip surgery. People who regularly cycle also report improved mental health, including reduced perceived stress and improved life performance.

Advantages of cycling: Cycling good for weight loss, fitness, legs and mind

The benefits of cycling are almost as endless as the country roads that you could soon explore. If you are considering starting out cycling and comparing it with other possible activities, then we are here to tell you that cycling is undoubtedly the best option.

Of course, we are biased - but there are many good reasons to make cycling your last hobby. These are just a few of them...

1. Riding a bike improves your mental state...

There are so many ways that exercise can lift your spirits: on the one hand, it's a major release of adrenaline and endorphins, and on the other hand, it's an increase in self-confidence that comes from achieving something new (such as performing a sporting feat or approaching a goal).

Cycling combines physical activity with staying in nature and getting to know new species. You can ride alone - this gives you time to work through worries or problems, or you can ride with a group to expand your circle.

Former hour record holder Graham Aubrey has spent most of his life suffering from depression and has told us about it: "Getting out and riding helps [people suffering from depression]... I don't know where I'd be if I didn't ride a bike.

2. Riding a bike helps to lose weight

A simple equation when it comes to weight loss: "Calories must take calories." It means you have to burn more calories than you consume to lose weight. Cycling burns calories: between 400 and 1000 calories per hour, depending on the intensity and weight of the cyclist.

Of course, there are other factors: the calorie composition of the calories you consume affects how often you refuel as well as the quality of your sleep, and of course the time you spend burning calories depends on how much you enjoy your chosen activity.

If you like to ride a bike, you will burn calories. And if you eat well, you should lose weight.

3. Cycling builds muscles

The element of resistance when riding a bike means that it not only burns fat, but also builds muscles - especially buttocks, hamstrings, quads and caviars. Muscles are thinner than fat, and people with more muscles burn more calories, even when they are sitting.

Just to be clear, you won't end up on ATVs like a sprinter on a track unless you invest a lot of time in squats. But you'll have a good hard ass.

4. Enjoy your second breakfast.

If you decide to switch to work by bike, you have a good reason to enrich your day with some snacks without feeling guilty.

Since a half-hour ride to work must burn between 200 and 500 calories, you have a license to enjoy a smug second breakfast at your desk.

If you're serious about burning fat, you can also hurry up (without breakfast) on your morning walk - but it's mostly a habit reserved for the most dedicated spinners.

5. Improving lung health

You won't be lonely if that point of view is against common sense. However, a recent study has shown that people who ride a bike are actually exposed to less hazardous fumes than people who ride a car.

In a study conducted by the Healthy Air Campaign, King's College London and the Camden Council, air pollution detectors were mounted on a driver, bus driver, pedestrian and cyclist on a busy route through central London.

The results showed that the driver was five times more polluted than the cyclist, three and a half times more polluted than the pedestrian and two and a half times more polluted than the bus user. In short, the cyclist won.

6. Reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer

Cycling increases heart rate and allows blood to pass through the body, burning calories and thus limiting the risk of overweight. As a result, it is one of a number of exercise modes recommended by the NHS as healthy ways to reduce the risk of serious diseases such as heart disease and cancer.

The new results were presented in the form of a study conducted by Glasgow University earlier this year. The researchers studied more than 260 000 people over a five-year period - and found that a rider's risk of developing heart disease or cancer can be halved if he rides a bicycle to work. The full study can be read here.

Dr. Jason Gill of the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences commented on the study: "Cycling, in whole or in part, involves a much lower risk of adverse health outcomes," said Dr. Jason Gill of the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences.

7. Less stressful bike riding

Many of the results we discuss when talking about the benefits of cycling are related to movement. You think it'll be easier just to walk?

Walking is stressful, which is why the injury rate is higher. Cycling, as opposed to running, is not stressful.

When comparing groups of coaches - long distance runners and cyclists - scientists found that runners have 133-144% more muscles damaged, 256% more, inflammation and DOMS 87% more.

While cycling is less likely to result in injury from overuse, it can still occur. A professional cycling fit is a good idea - skiing is a false economy if you end up spending more money on physical therapy.

Lack of weight also means that cycling does not increase bone density as much as in other sports - so it would be good to include some strength training in your program.

8. Riding a bike saves time

We get in the car, sit in traffic, line up to get to the garage, park, pay for parking, come.

Get on the bus stop, wait for the bus, complain about being late, get on the bus (pay for it), see how it drives you home, come about half a mile from your destination.

Get on your bike, filter the traffic, block the bike, come.

Short journeys contribute significantly to global environmental pollution and often result in a significant proportion of passengers staring at the bumper in front of the car. Get on your bike and you will save gasoline or money on public transport and time.

9. Riding a bicycle improves your navigation skills

In the world of in-car navigation devices and Google Maps, there are sometimes just not so many stimuli to sharpen your natural sense of orientation (no matter how perfect or otherwise).

If you haven't invested in a GPS cycling computer with map functions like the Garmin 1000, output and lane exploration can be an important exercise for your internal map functions, which (with a little practice) can give you a better idea of which direction to go west.

Want to plan a route for you? Take a sports tour with our sister company UKCE - there are activities all over the country with guides, well-equipped snack bars and support throughout the country. Take a look at the events here. 

10. Improve your sex life

Most of us know that sex is good, but not everyone knows that it is really good for general health. In fact, regular sex can extend your life.

Dr. Michael Royzen, who runs the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, says: "A typical person who gets 350 orgasms a year, compared to the national average of about a quarter, lives about four years longer. Similar results have been found in women.

So bike riding can improve your sex life? Well, it creates quite important muscle groups. Dr. Matthew Forsythe, an urologist and avid cyclist from Portland, Oregon, commented, "All these muscles [that worked on a bike] are used during intercourse. The better these muscles develop, the longer and more athletic the intercourse will be.

Add to this the fact that cyclists - because they spend a lot of time showing all the knots and bumps in the tight skin of Lycra (and sometimes double and seven) - tend to feel quite comfortable in their own skin, and you have a recipe for success.

11. Sleep better.

It's probably not rocket fatigue on a motorcycle that improves your sleep - but it's now proven. Scientists at the University of Georgia studied men and women between the ages of 20 and 85 for 35 years and found that a 2 percent decline in physical fitness in men and a 4 percent decline in women led to sleep problems.

Dr. Rodney Dishman was one of the leading authors and commented: "The sharpest contraction in cardiorespiratory fitness occurs between the ages of 40 and 60. It also leads to increased problems with duration and quality of sleep".

While researching the reasons for this connection, scientists suspected that it could be a decrease in anxiety caused by physical exercise, which increases the ability to sleep. Physical exercise also protects against weight gain with age, which is another reason for sleeping disorders.

12. Increase the performance of your brain

The movement has been repeatedly linked to brain health - and to a reduction in cognitive changes that can make us vulnerable to dementia later in life.

A 2013 study found that blood flow to the brain increased by 28 percent during exercise and up to 70 percent in certain areas. Not only did blood flow remain 40 per cent higher in some areas, even after exercise.

Improved blood flow is good because red stuff provides all the treatments that support our health - and the study concluded that we should cycle 45-60 minutes at 75-85 percent of our maximum "heart rate reserve". (max pulse minus pulse at rest) four times a week. Nothing, of course, stops you from cycling anymore.

13. Improved processing and spatial awareness

Cycling isn't just about raising your heart rate and making you breathe - unless you're doing it with Zwift. There are also technical elements - climbing, downhill and curves teach you to use your body weight to get your bike where you want it.

By learning to work with these technical elements, you can significantly increase your confidence - especially when you start to improve. You may also find that your ability to deal with a dubious basket of shaking wheels is greatly improved.

14. Strengthen your immune system

Sleep well, eat well, and your immune system should be improved.

Dr. David Neeman and his colleagues at Appalachian State University have trained 1,000 adults under the age of 85. They found that physical activity is critical to upper respiratory health and thus reduces colds.

Neeman said, "By practicing aerobics most days of the week, people can reduce their sick days by about 40 percent while receiving many other medical benefits associated with exercise.

Professor Tim Noakes, Professor of Physical and Sports Sciences at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, also tells us that light exercise can improve our immune system by increasing the production of vital proteins and awakening lazy white blood cells.

Why choose a bike? Cycling to work can shorten your commute to work and free you from the germ constraints of buses and trains.

There's a "but." There is evidence that your immune system is weakened right after intensive exercise, such as interval training - but enough rest, such as good food and sleep, can help turn it around.

15. Expand your circle of communication

Cycling is an incredibly social sport. Grassroots cycling revolves around the culture of cycling clubs, which in turn revolves around Saturday or Sunday mileage of clubs: a few hours of cycling with an intensity that allows easy communication, interrupted only by coffee stops (or accidentally flat tires).

Joining a cycling club or group is a great way to expand your social circle, and if you're new to cycling, you're likely to find all the necessary care and training tips.

Cycling Technology

1. Protect your head. Head injuries are responsible for 60 percent of all bicycle deaths in the United States every year. Many of these deaths could have been avoided if everyone had worn a helmet while riding a bicycle. Always wear a helmet while riding a bicycle and make sure your children wear a helmet. Many states have laws about bicycle helmets, but you should always wear a helmet even if you do not have one.

2. Do not pedal in high gears for a long time. Try to keep the cadence between 70 and 90 rpm. If you put it in high gear, it will put extra stress on your knees.

3. Use your gears. When climbing uphill, shift to a gear that keeps your speed within the correct rpm range so you can climb uphill without putting too much strain on your knees.

4. Make sure your bicycle is properly installed. Once you have adjusted your bike to fit your body, riding your bike will be much easier and more efficient, which will cause you much less pain and discomfort during and after the ride.

5. Take the right saddle. Choosing the right saddle will be very important when you ride. Do not think that the thickest upholstery will give you maximum comfort while riding. A long seat with a neckline is usually the best type of saddle. Read the online reviews and find out what others like and then try some.

6. Change the position while driving Move your hands on the bars and move the back of the saddle. This will prevent your hands, arms and back from becoming numb in a certain position for a long time.

7. Do not ride with headphones. It can be extremely dangerous if you cannot hear the emergency vehicle or other interference behind you or on the side. If you need to listen to music, take a small clip radio with a speaker that can be attached to your T-shirt.

8. Know the rules. Drive in traffic and follow all traffic signs. Watch all cars in front of you carefully so that you can try to predict what they will do.

9. Keep your head up. Look far enough ahead to be able to react to any obstacles on the road or on your hard shoulder in front of you.  Things like storm drains are very bad for thin motorcycle tires.

Bicycle position

1. Find a saddle-sweet spot.

Incorrect saddle heights can put strain on the body, especially during long journeys such as sports. Seating too high can lead to hip and hip problems and front knee pain, while knee pain can be corrected if you sit too low. If you do this correctly, you will become more effective from a biomechanical point of view.

A good starting point to get the saddle at the right height is to put on both heels on the pedal and press the pedal back - you have the right height when your hips are not rotating. Another option is to stand next to your bike and make sure that the saddle is in line with your hips.

However, these are generalizations. Each bike is different, and the length of the handle [and pedal mount] may vary from bike to bike. If you have problems, you should consult an advanced bike mechanic.

2. Pedal on full circles

I see a lot of drivers who use up and down, intermittent pedal movement. They really want to imagine how they can pedal in a 360° circle, not just in a 180° circle.

In training, I force my drivers to sit in front of the mirror and do one-foot pedal exercises where they engage their core, preventing their hips from falling and pedaling around the circle continuously.

3. It's time to touch

When climbing, most people put their hands on the middle of rods or on brake pads. Not many people use drops - quite right - but it can have some effect if you really have to pull the rods on a gradual climb.

I would always recommend that people get into drops when they're going down. It's for safety, because you don't have a lot of control when you ride on brake pads, but it's also aerodynamically much better when you go into a corner.

Changing the position of your hands while riding also prevents pressure build-up and promotes circulation of blood in your fingers.

4. Mountaineering: standing or not standing

Whether you get out of the saddle or not depends on the length and difficulty of climbing. However, changing your body position - for example, with your hands - gives rest to body parts and helps to stretch hamstrings and quads.

If you are racing and trying to speed up from a group on a mountain, there are two ways you can do it. The first is to switch to a slightly higher gear coming from behind and get out of the saddle to make a big jump. The alternative is to sit in the saddle and just try to speed up behind the corner from the group.

5. Make yourself aerodynamic

On many descents, the pro will have a head almost above the front wheel. The reality is that in this plane position you can't press the pedals so quickly. If you don't climb a hill, it's best to be downhill - the lower and flatter your body and back get, the more aerodynamic you will be. Bending your elbows to keep your head as low as possible is also crucial.

6. Put the boots in a better position.

Proper adjustment helps avoid leg pain that could be caused by moving the shoe plates too far forward or backwards.

Align the boots so that they are in the middle of the back point of the foot ball. The easiest way to do this is to find the point where the ball of your foot is located and mark it with your shoes. Then sit on your bike, press the pedal at a horizontal angle and make sure that the mark matches the pedal's axis.

Try also to place the spikes at the same angle as the standing surface. If the feet are facing outwards, this should be reflected in the settings. However, like the height of the saddle, this is only a general indication and you should consult a professional bicycle mechanic if necessary.

7. Optimize your range

Too short a range leads to very unstable control, while too long a range leads to very inaccurate and slow control.

As a general rule, the front wheel hub should be covered by the rod and steering wheel when you are on a fall and with your butt on the saddle. If you see a bushing behind the rod, the rod is too long; if you see a bushing in front of the rod, the bushing is too short. To fix this, you need to replace the leg of your bicycle.

8. Position the saddle correctly.

Make sure the back of the knee joint matches the axle of the pedal. If it is in front of the pedal, when you press it, most of the force will be applied to the patella and you will not actually use the full length of the quadriceps. However, if you lean back even further, you will not only use the quadriceps, but also the hamstrings and buttocks - this relieves excessive pain in the quadriceps.

Cycle Riding Trouble

Riding a bike to work can be a little harder than jumping into a car and riding a wheel or riding a bus. But it can be easier and faster than you think. If you're interested in riding your bike to work, but you keep making excuses, then you should take a look at these five solutions:

PROBLEM #1: WORK TOO FAR.

Whether you've been cycling for a while or are dealing with a 30-mile one-way trip, distance can sometimes be a problem depending on your level of fitness. But if you really want to ride a bike to work, you must not let distance become a factor that you cannot overcome. Rather, it gives you a goal towards which you can eventually work as your fitness improves.

The solution is .

Ride your bike and cover the rest. Find a parking space or car park where you can park during the day and which is a reasonable distance from your office. If you need to take your children to school and it is closer to your place of work than to home, think about leaving your car there and riding your bike the rest of the way.

Consider an electric bicycle with an auxiliary engine. You will still need to pedal, but with an electric auxiliary motor you will be able to travel more distances than you could on your own and you will be able to work a little faster.

Use a combination of public transport and a bicycle. This requires more planning, but depending on where you live, it may be a sensible solution to travel some distance by train or bus.

PROBLEM #2: THERE IS NO SAFE PLACE TO PARK MY BEAUTIFUL ROAD BIKE.

While you will definitely save money in the long run, if you ride your bike to work instead of riding a bike, riding a bike is still an expensive hobby. Finding a safe place to store your bike and equipment while you are working is a problem that can lead to a breach of contract, if allowed.

Solution: If you have a less expensive bicycle, you can ride it to work. Buy a good lock for your bike to distract thieves and park your bike in a clearly visible location. If you have an old bike and parking on the street is not negotiable, tell your boss about your problem and ask him if you can store your bike in a closet or other place that does not interfere during the day. If you live in a big city, you can also look for bicycle parking nearby or ask your local bicycle dealer if you can store your bicycle there for a small fee.

PROBLEM #3: I DON'T FEEL SAFE RIDING IN TRAFFIC.

Busy roads and routes without bicycle lanes can make you feel unsafe when riding to and from work. You can try different routes and wear visible equipment, but this is not always the solution.

A solution is not always a solution: if you have flexible working hours, try to get to work a little earlier than your colleagues. If you go to work at 6 a.m. instead of 8 a.m., you can drive to work in low traffic congestion and feel safe without fighting for space with other machines. Also, don't be afraid to claim your place on the street to protect yourself. Sometimes it can be dangerous to ride too far to the side if there is no bike path that other cars can take. Always ride at safe speed, use hand signals, and work on riding your bicycle to be as safe and visible as possible.

PROBLEM #4: NO SHOWER AT WORK.

Hair on your helmet and sweat can be a real problem for visitors. If you don't have a shower, it may be completely impossible to look presentable after a morning ride.

The solution is that a trip to and from work should not turn into a break session. Take your time and drive at a moderate speed so that you don't sweat on arrival. Clean the toilet with a napkin or baby wipes. If you have a long way to work, see if there is a gym nearby where you can take a shower and store your gear in your locker.

PROBLEM #FIVE: I HAVE TOO MANY THINGS TO CARRY AROUND.

Laptops, workwear, food and care products can be a real nightmare to carry with you. Fortunately, you have several options so you don't have to break your back on the way to work.

Solution: If this problem seems unsolvable, try riding to work and cycling home a few days a week so you don't have to take anything with you. If you are interested in a solution for riding your bike to work, try to bring a few sets of work clothes to the office and leave food in the office kitchen on days when you ride your bike to work, so you will have to carry less. You should use a bicycle rack, not a backpack, for the things you need to take with you. This increases weight, but improves comfort and makes you sweat less - especially in the summer months. Another way to deliver your clothes is to go to the nearest dry cleaner, which is a short walk away. Hand over dirty work clothes during lunchtime and pick them up in the morning when you need clean, ironed clothes before you go to the office.