by Donna Cosmato

Created on: May 28, 2009

Looking for a way to save money on gas and improve health simultaneously? Cycling for transportation or pleasure can improve health, help manage weight, and save money.

You need no special skills to ride a bike, age is not a factor, and no license is required. Anyone can ride a bike and reap health benefits. Bike riding is a good transition exercise for people who want to be more active but are unsure how to get started.

Cycling is low impact exercise to build bone mass, improve joint health, and increase stamina. Women with osteoporosis who bike to work can improve bone health and get a daily dose of Vitamin D in the process. It is gentle on the body, unlike walking or jogging. (Roberts)

Give heart and lungs an aerobic workout and hop on a bike. Cycling makes you feel more alert and perform better at work. According to the University of Iowa, "bicycling burns 350 to 700 calories per hour and bicyclists can increase aerobic capacity by 20 percent". (University of Iowa)

Cycling daily reduces stress levels and offers the health benefits of lower blood pressure and a healthier cholesterol level. Regular exercise, like cycling, helps you sleep better.

A bike can travel routes that cars can't, and gives a new perspective to familiar terrain. You enjoy nature and there is always something different to see, like blooming flowers and newly hatched birds. Riding a bike for transportation builds endurance and strengthens immune systems.

A power point presentation on the NOAA website has this to say about riding your bike to work: "all exercise is beneficial but cycling is especially beneficially because its transportation & a work-out rolled into one!" (Bike to Work NOAA) Cycling is fun as well as healthy, and engages your interest more than other exercise routines.

Cycling saves money on gas, insurance, and upkeep costs. A bicycle is lower in maintenance costs than a car, and replacement parts are easy to find and inexpensive. Parking a bike is convenient. A yearly tune-up will keep your ride in good shape and yield miles of cheap transportation.

Riding a bike is environmentally friendly. There are no toxic emissions, valuable forests are not sacrificed to build bigger and better bike trails, and bicycle parts are recyclable.

Cycling benefits in several ways seniors and others who have been sedentary. The leg and thigh muscles grow stronger, and the person can walk and move around better. The back becomes stronger. It also helps with balance and the ability to avoid falls that could cause injury. (Bupa)

For those who have a hard time fitting exercise into an already tight schedule, cycling to work offers the benefit of getting your exercise during the daily commute. Install a basket on the bike, do errands on the commute and free up more time.

Sources:

20 May 2009 http://hr.unm.edu/documents/chpp/feb08pdf

Bike to Work NOAA. 20 May 2009 www.biketowork.noaa.gov/Documents/Healthy_Biking.ppt

Bupa. 20009. 21 May 2009 http://www.bupa.co.uk/health_information/html/health y_living/lifestyle/exercise/cycling/cycling_health.h tml

Roberts, J. Winoa Edu. 27 September 2006. 20 May 2009 http://www.winoa.edu/winonan/2006/09-27/Bikinhasheal thymonetarybenefits.htm

University of Iowa. 20 May 2009 http://www.uiowa.edu/hr/wellness/programs/nehfd.html

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