CYCLING IN THE PANDEMIC
REPORT AND ITS IMPACT FROM CORONAVIRUS
Even though most Indian cities are not bicyclefriendly, there has been a sharp increase in recreational cycling during the pandemic as people try to beat cabin fever during lockdowns, exercise, and avoid commuting on overburdened public transport.
While the Coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, people across the globe took to cycling as it constitutes Covid-appropriate behaviour. This increase in cycling’s popularity has been visible across India as more cyclists are seen on the roads than before. Even as per a recent report by CRISIL, the Indian bicycle industry is on a decadal high of 20%.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, of the Government of India, even quoted in its advisory that the pandemic has presented an opportunity to make cities more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists. It went further ahead and launched two challenges – Cycle for Change and Streets for People to make our cities more cyclist and pedestrianfriendly.
Even during the first wave of COVID-19 in 2020, cycling turned out to be one of the best modes to commute and for fitness. The World Health Organization recommends the use of bicycles to commute as it ensures social distancing and helps us keep the coronavirus at bay. The WHO report states:
• Cycling helps in staying mentally strong and improves the immune systems of individuals
• Bicycling infrastructure can help cities become more resilient to future shocks
In order to understand the impact of cycling on coronavirus, I conducted a survey, as the Bicycle Mayor of Ranchi, India. 367 people participated in the survey. In the survey, varied questions relating to the subject were put to the participants and the result has been very insightful.
Sample Age
Interestingly, only 6.3% of people under the age of 18 are currently involved in cycling activities. The majority of people involved in cycling activities are above the age of 25, who are either cycling for recreational/fitness purposes or to commute.
Figure 1: Age
Women in Cycling
There is still a huge gap between the numbers of men vs. the number of women in cycling. Over 91% of participants were men, whereas only 8% were women. I have witnessed the disparity even on roads and in cycling clubs across India.
Figure 2: Gender
Frequency of Cycling
26% of Cyclists ride daily whereas 44% of cyclists ride for 5 days or more in a week. There are only 21% of cyclists who ride for only 1-2 days for recreational purposes over the weekend.
Figure 3: Frequency of cycling
For how long one has been cycling?
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a 25% growth in cycling activities which transformed into regular cycling over the period. The veterans continued to ride regularly throughout the pandemic.
Figure 4: Since how long one has been cycling?
How many got infected?
Out of 367 cyclists who participated in the survey, 24.5% got infected by the COVID-19 virus, whereas over 75% stayed negative even though they continued cycling during the lockdown. The data of the 90 people who contracted COVID has been further analysed to understand more about COVID infection in cyclists.
Figure 5: Were you infected by the COVID-19 Virus?
The severity of infection
Interestingly, out of the 90 Covid-infected people who participated in the survey, only 4 people got a severe infection and had to be kept in ICU. That is just over 1% of the total survey size. Out of 24.5% (90 people) who got infected by the virus, 98% had a mild or moderate infection and stayed out of danger. They all stated that cycling helped them with stronger lungs which helped them a lot in recovery.
Figure 6: What was the severity of infection?
Recovery Time
Importantly, out of 90 people who got infected by the virus, over 60% recovered in under 10 days while 85% recovered in under 15 days.
Figure 7: Recovery time
Hospitalisation
Only 9% of those infected needed to be hospitalised in total, whereas only 4 people were admitted to ICU and had a critical level of infection.
Figure 8: Hospitalization
Post recovery Problems
Out of the total recovered – 87% of people didn’t have any post-recovery problem, while 13% had mild issues with recovery. These 13% (12 people out of 367 cyclists) took more than 15 days to recover and were also unable to start riding for a month.
Figure 9: Post recovery problem
Time to get back on the saddle
Over 55% of people who got infected were able to recover and start cycling right after their recovery as they had a mild or very moderate level of infection. Only 20% of the cyclist took more than 30 days to get back on the saddle.
Figure 10: How long it took to get back on the saddle
Conclusion
Only 1% of cyclists in the sample size were severely infected by Coronavirus, whereas over 98% of cyclists had a mild to moderate level of infection. Cyclists feel that cycling outdoors helps with better and stronger lungs, improves the body’s immune system and keeps an individual physically and mentally fit.
Over 96% of cyclists recommended others to ride a bicycle during Coronavirus to stay fit and keep the infection at bay.
BENEFIT OF CYCLING
Better Health & Fitness: Cycling is an easy and convenient way to fit exercise into your daily life. It not only helps you reduce those extra kilos that you have gained while working from home but also makes you more vigilant, sharp and fitter mentally. It also makes you more observant. The exercise that cycling provides – whether you’re riding for exercise or to make an essential journey – is good for you. It improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, and helps keep your weight under control. Cycling can even boost your immune system. And did you know cycling to work can cut the likelihood of developing cancer or heart disease by almost half?
Better Mental Health: As WHO tells us, one in four of us experience a mental health problem in any given year, and this year, it could well be higher due to pandemic. Anxiety, fear, a feeling of not being in control – these are normal responses to a pandemic. For some people, the pandemic will be a tipping point: they’ll experience clinical anxiety or depression for the first time, or conditions that they already have will become unmanageable. Cycling can definitely help in making you mentally fitter and ready to sail through these times. Cycling is good for our mental wellbeing and is associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety across all age groups and it can improve mental health.
Cycling helps us with better sleep, better state of mind, reduces the risk of depression
and improves self-esteem. It even makes us happier as it releases endorphins.
Save Money: A bicycle costs less than a mobile phone and can last for decades with you. It is made with only 5% of the material and energy used in making a car. It runs on your pedal power, unlike other motorized vehicles, which need gas. It helps save that huge chunk of money that people would normally invest in buying a car, refuelling it with petrol month after month and spend on its maintenance. It helps you further save on medical expenses as while cycling regularly, you instantly get fitter both physically and mentally reducing various illness.
Benefits of Cycling to Work for an
Organisation (Employer): An organisation that focuses on cycling to work for its employees gets benefited multi-fold over the period. Some of the benefits that they attract are to boost the employees’ productivity, reduction of sick leave and employees are more punctual in their attendance. It is the best way to embrace a happier and healthier workforce. These simple benefits not only increase the overall productivity of the organisation but also help in getting a more sustainable outlook for a firm. Cycling to work is eco-friendly and keeps the organisation’s carbon footprint low. By fulfilling corporate social responsibility, businesses benefit from a positive public perception.
Reduce Traffic & Pollution: One car on the road takes a space of anything between 3-4 bicycles. Twenty bicycles can be parked in the space used by one car. These numbers are good enough to imply how traffic congestion in a city can be reduced simply by taking up cycling. The lockdown has been a beautiful example for all of us for how, with no cars on the streets, our cities felt more breathable and livable. It is an important reminder that bicycle produces zero pollution, unlike any other motorised vehicle. It even makes an individual more observant and caring towards nature and the environment.
The survey on cycling and coronavirus is conducted by Kanishka Poddar, Bicycle Mayor of Ranchi, India