WHEELS OF CHANGE

Cycling can transform your life in so many surprising ways. Here’s why there’s never been a better time to get on your bike

Why there’s never been a better time to get on your bike

It’s official: we’re in the midst of a bicycle boom. Last year, as both novice and seasoned cyclists made the most of car-free roads, bike sales rocketed by more than 60 per cent*. And, despite roads beginning to fill up with cars again, that trend shows no signs of slowing up. Experts predict that cycle sales will exceed a whopping £1 billion by 2023 .

I converted to two wheels around four years ago to take advantage of the government’s cycle-to-work scheme. It wasn’t always easy – traffic terrified me and don’t get me started on saddle sores – but before long I was reaping the benefits: suddenly I was fitter, mentally and physically, than ever before.

Cycling, it seems, could be just what the doctor ordered. And now the NHS is getting behind the two-wheel revolution. As part of a £2 billion project to promote cycling, the government has pledged to give GPS access to cycling groups, kit and training for their patients. So, what exactly is the science behind the health benefits of bicycles?

FEW THINGS GET YOU FITTER FASTER

When it comes to time versus benefits, you’ll struggle to find anything that improves your fitness quicker than cycling. An experiment by the University of Stirling into different forms of high-intensity interval training (proven to be the fastest form of exercise for building fitness) showed that just 40 seconds of intense pedalling three times a week could result in a ten to 15 per cent increase in aerobic fitness. But don’t panic if you feel you’ll never be uber-fit. The rise of e-bikes – with an integrated motor that works alongside pedalling – and e-bike kits that can be fitted to your existing bicycle can give you a welcome boost on the steep bits.

IT WHITTLES DOWN YOUR WAISTLINE

Getting on your bike is an excellent way to shed pounds. A study conducted by the University of Copenhagen showed that cycling to work can be a more effective way to lose weight than going to the gym five days a week. (And it’s a good deal cheaper, of course.) During the research, 130 participants classed as ‘overweight’ were analysed during a six-month period. One group cycled to work each day, another did a 35-minute high-intensity gym session, while a third did a 55-minute moderate-intensity workout. By the end, the cyclists had lost on average 4.2kg – 1.6kg more than those doing moderate exercise and only 0.6kg less than those doing high-intensity workouts.

IT CAN REDUCE DISEASE RISK

There’s overwhelming evidence to suggest that doing just 20 minutes of physical activity a day has myriad benefits for your overall health: it reduces your risk of coronary heart disease and stroke by 35 per cent, type 2 diabetes by 50 per cent and osteoarthritis by 83 per cent. It even makes you 50 per cent less likely to get some forms of cancer. Cycling is a great way to up your exercise quota and you don’t have to achieve Olympic levels of exertion to reap the benefits either. One study, which verified the aforementioned

improvements, followed 263,450 people who cycled an average of six miles a day travelling at a leisurely 10mph.

YOU’LL FEEL CALMER

It’s hard to feel anxious when you’re freewheeling down a long stretch of road with the wind in your hair. One study found that cycling commuters have a significantly lower risk of stress than those who don’t cycle. Plus, a Cycling UK survey discovered that 91 per cent of off-road cyclists view it as important for mental health. To maximise the benefits, try to go off road – studies show that activities in ‘green’ environments provide the greatest mental gains. Or join a cycling group: research shows that group sports promote better mental health than exercising alone.

IT CAN SPEED RECOVERY

Riding a bike doesn’t just prevent illness – it helps with recovery, too. Mary Payne, a retired GP from Edinburgh, was diagnosed with cervical cancer last year. Treatment caused pelvic fractures and radiation burns, but cycling helped her get back on track. “It was a huge part of my recovery and the main way I got fit again,” she says. “My legs were like jelly from not walking, but cycling wasn’t a problem.” She began with a mile-long pootle, followed by a salt bath to prevent skin damage – and by the summer was doing 47-mile charity rides. Read her story at cyclinguk.org.

IT’S EASY ON YOUR JOINTS

This is a subject I know all about – years of road running have left me with the knees and hips of a nonagenarian, but one of the reasons I love cycling is that it’s ‘low impact’, meaning it’s gentle on achy joints. Tom Gallagher, a church minister in Northumberland, can vouch for this. He was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis in his early thirties, often having to walk with a stick, but discovered he was still able to ride a bike. He geared up slowly – starting with an e-bike before switching to pure muscle power. “Cycling is non-weight bearing, so I can do it despite the pain in my knees and wrists,” he says.

IT CAN HELP US ALL BREATHE BETTER

One report suggests that if everyone switched just 1.7 per cent of their car journeys to walking or cycling, it would prevent 65,000 early deaths from air pollution (saving the NHS £2.5 billion each year in the process). And, of course, it’s good for the health of the planet, too. A report from the University of Oxford Transport Studies Unit found that those who cycle have 84 per cent lower CO2 emissions from daily travel than non-cyclists. Great for your wellbeing and good for the environment? Let the good times roll…

Getting on your bike is an excellent way to shed pounds