So, you want to start cycling again? We say, ‘Chapeau!’ to that, and doff our jaunty cotton caps. But something’s holding you back. You’re thinking, I need a reason to get back on my bike.
Well you’ve come to the right place, at just the right time.
Here at Chic Towers, we want to celebrate our 10th anniversary by doing all that we can to encourage more women to jump back in the saddle.
So, if you’re looking for a reason to take to two wheels, here’s 5.
1. It Beats The Gym For Getting Fit
How many of us spend our precious few hours of spare time pounding a treadmill in the gym, looking out of a plate glass window at the world going by?
Wouldn’t you rather be out there in the fresh air, away from the stale smell and incessant motivational ‘muzak’, but still doing something that keeps you fit, focused, and feeling fantastic.
Welcome to the wonderful world of cycling!
Start pedalling and you’re already working your quads, hamstrings, calves and hips.
By cycling you’ll be fitting in some cardio work which will improve the health of your heart, and unlike running it’s low impact, so there’s less chance of injuring yourself. And according to Cycling Weekly, on a half hour cycle you burn between 200-500 calories.
Your lung capacity will increase, so when you decide to leave the bike at home and have to run for the bus, you’ll find it a lot easier. In fact the only hard part will be trying to stop yourself smiling smugly at the other passengers as you spring aboard like a youthful gazelle.
So, while you don’t have to ditch the gym completely, at least now you’ll have a fun new alternative.
2. It’ll Save You Pounds While You’re Losing Pounds
Commuting doesn’t come cheap.
Whether you drive to work, or use public transport, the price of fuel and tickets seems to keep going up and up, with no end in sight.
So, every time you commute into work by bike, you’re effectively saving money. And as a bonus you’ll be making yourself fitter. What’s not to like?
The initial outlay on bicycle and accessories may not be as high as you think, and if you’re lucky enough to be employed by a company that takes part in the Cycle To Work scheme, it’s even easier to spread the cost.
If you’re still not convinced, try setting yourself a financial goal to make those savings feel more concrete. Or if you’re a more visual person, maybe you could put the money you save every day you cycle into a glass jar and watch it mount up.
Either way, make sure those savings go on something that’ll make a difference in your life, however small. That glass of wine after work will taste even better if you’ve bought it with money that you’d otherwise have spent on your commute.
And after all that lovely exercise, let’s face it, you deserve it.
3. It’ll Help You Expand Your Horizons
Whether you commute, or work from home, it’s easy to get into a rut.
You might look out of the window of your bus or train and wonder, where does that street lead too. Or you might see an inviting looking pub or restaurant, or spot a bookshop or record store, and wish you could jump off at the next stop and explore.
But you never do. It’s too much effort, and you’re on somebody else’s timetable.
And if you work from home, it’s sometimes even harder to get inspired to go out and explore your surroundings.
That’s where your bike comes in.
When you’re in the saddle, you make the rules.
Want to whizz down that side street? Maybe it’s a short cut that’ll save you time. You’ll never know if you don’t try.
Want to have a cheeky drink on the way home, or check out that shop. Even if you do break the journey, chances are you’ll still get home quicker than if you take public transport. Just think of all the times you’ve been stuck in a traffic jam, or had your train cancelled, and all of a sudden it doesn’t seem such a difficult decision.
Soon you’ll have got to know your surroundings a bit better, you’ll be a social guru to your friends, and you’ll know all the best places to buy interesting and unusual gifts.
So, don’t just accept that soul-sapping commute. Jump on a bike, take back some control, and boldly go where you’ve never been before.
4. Help Save The World, And Make New Friends While Doing It
Most of us are trying to do our bit to reduce our environmental footprint on the planet.
But whether you repurpose, recycle or upcycle, one of the easiest ways to Go Green is to, well, just cycle.
Despite welcome advances in technology, our vehicles still seem to be pumping out environmentally damaging emissions at an astronomical rate. So whenever you swap the car or bus in favour of some two-wheeled transport, you’re already reducing those levels.
And guess what, you’re not the only one doing their bit to make your environment a nicer place to live in.
Many of your fellow cyclists know that influencing the transport infrastructure not only benefits the world as a whole, but also makes their own journeys safer and more enjoyable.
So, if you’re in London after work, and feeling a little hardcore, why not head down to the Southbank, under Waterloo Bridge on the last Friday of every month, and tag along with a Critical Mass ride. You never know where you’ll end up, or who you might meet.
Not in the capital, or fancy something a little more restrained, but no less influential? Then there’s always Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity behind the National Cycling Network. Their website is full of social ideas, so there’s bound to be something going on in your local area.
So if one of your reasons for taking the bike is to improve your surroundings and the environment as a whole, don’t forget, you won’t have to do it on your own.
5. Cycling Is Fun!
We thought we’d leave the most important point until last.
But don’t take our word for it, give it a try.
We guarantee, five minutes into your first cycle, you’ll be bonding with your inner child like never before.
You’ll soon remember that hills are made for whizzing down while shouting ‘Wheeee!’, puddles are made for splashing through, and the world is just one big playground to explore.
And don’t forget to ‘bing’ your bell every once in a while, you know you want to.
So if you cycle, you’ll get fit, make friends, travel further afield, benefit financially, and feel less guilty about your environmental footprint. And in case that alliterative flurry wasn’t enough, you’ll have fun.
Della Reese, the Northern Soul diva put it more succinctly when she sang, ‘If it feels good, do it!’
You can’t argue with that kind of logic, so maybe now is the time to saddle up, ring that bell, and get started on your new cycling adventure.
‘Bing, Bing!’
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