8 Reasons To Cycle Your Bike
Here are 8 great reasons to dust off your bike. Great timing too, Bike Week 2022 starting on the 14th of May.
- It’s good for you: Cycling is a good way to improve your fitness and heart health. Two short trips to the shops and back each day – about 30 minutes’ of daily cycling – will begin to benefit your cardiovascular system.
- Get to discover your town and county: Sligo is a beautiful county with many hidden gem cycling routes. From cycling around Lough Gill to pedaling its spectacular coastline the county has so much to offer. If you feeling a little more adventurous the Coolaney National Mountain Bike Trail Centre is a great place to visit. Cycling truly is a unique way to see this extraordinary county.
- Inclusive for all: Cycling for those with disabilities is becoming increasingly popular. Tricycles that offer more stable support and hand cycles for wheelchair users or those with severe weakness are available.
- Suitable for all levels of fitness: It doesn’t matter what shape you’re in, you can go at your own pace. The bike saddle holds 70 per cent of your body weight, so pressure on your joints is very low, too. If you’re new to cycling, recovering from an injury, or put off because you live in a hilly area, an electric bike may be an option.
- Saves you money: Apart from the initial cost of the bike (and there are plenty of inexpensive options, plus you may be able to pay gradually and tax-free through the Bike to Work scheme) and its minimal running costs, cycling is free. Plus, you’re getting fit while going from A to B, saving money you may have spent on travel costs.
- Good for your mental health: Getting on a bike can make you feel young again, as you speed along with the wind in your hair. Cycling releases invigorating bursts of endorphins, our feel-good neurotransmitters. After a spin you feel great and ready to take on new challenges.
- Makes you stronger: Almost every muscle is used while cycling. Leg muscles are worked the most – for pedaling – but abdomen and back muscles stabilise the body, while the shoulder-arm muscular system supports you at the handlebars. Cycling builds strength all over the body, and as your core muscles improve, so does your balance.
- Healthy family time: Cycling is a great way to spend time as a family. Its a great way to get outdoors and establish healthy habits for life.
