To ride or to bike, that is the question. You’re not alone; many people have this dilemma. But don’t worry, we have the answer. Keep reading this article if you want to learn more about the manifold benefits of riding a bike instead of driving a car. Let’s dive right in!
Benefits of Riding a Bike Instead of Driving a Car
There are many advantages to cycling instead of driving, and that’s why cycling is becoming more and more popular. It is convenient, efficient, and beneficial. The benefits of riding a bike include: becoming one with nature, developing cycling skills, improving your physical and mental health, saving the planet, saving money, parking easily, and having fun.
Become one with nature
Spending time in nature is crucial for our well-being. Being surrounded by city life and technology all the time, it is only normal to feel a loss of connection with nature. It is important not to let that happen and take a break from the daily routine to reconnect with nature and our surroundings. A great way to do that is biking. Biking will allow you to explore nature as well as enjoy it. It is evidenced by scientists that being surrounded by nature for at least 120 minutes a week is enough to improve your health and wellness. So, go for a ride outside as often as you can to recharge your batteries.
Developing cycling skills
Practice makes perfect. Ditch your car and cycle wherever you need to go, and you will become a better cyclist. You will develop your cycling skills without taking extra time off your day. Simply incorporate your daily exercise into your busy schedule by riding to work, school, or university.
Good for physical health
Cycling is not just a hobby; it is one of the healthiest low-impact physical exercises. It keeps your body fit and healthy and prevents serious diseases. The physical health benefits of cycling include:
It’s good for your heart
Biking is a gentle sport that lowers blood pressure and promotes good circulation. It also reduces the risk of heart attack by more than 50%.
It keeps you fit
To stay healthy and fit, you need to be active. Biking will give your muscles a gentle workout (especially your leg muscles) and keep the weight under control by burning calories.
It prevents joint problems
Cycling is the best way to exercise without hurting your joints. The bike lifts your weight, so it doesn’t put as much pressure on your joints as other physical activities. Furthermore, riding in small distances reduces the risk of osteoarthritis.
It keeps your respiratory system healthy
A recent study found that drivers experienced five times higher pollution levels than a biker. It is believed that cyclists suck fewer pollutants because, unlike drivers, they ride at the edge of the road; thus, they are not directly exposed to the smoke.
It boosts your immune system
A 2010 study showed that cyclists who cycled for half an hour a day for five weeks used 50% fewer sick days than those who were not physically active at all. This is because physical exercise boosts your immunity, so a biker’s immunity fights off infections easier.
A proven method to relieve stress
Scientific research shows that cycling releases stress and improves your mood. It helps you to free your mind and relax after a long stressful day. A 2018 study found that individuals who exercised or were physically active had 43.2% fewer poor mental health days in the last 30 days. This proves that exercise does indeed relieve stress. Cycling pumps blood around your body faster and releases happy hormones such as endorphin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, which are famous for improving mood and promoting positive mental health.
A fun activity
Have you heard about the ‘cycling high’? It is a pretty popular term among cyclists. And no, it is not a myth. Biking releases happy hormones, which make you feel restful and happy, just like you used to feel when biking as a kid. When you’re cycling, you need to be aware of your surroundings, and you don’t have much time to let your mind wander around; as a result, you enjoy the moment and don’t stress out or worry as much as you would if you were driving. That’s why many people cycle every day for fun.
On the other hand, driving is stressful and dangerous. Not to mention the hours you spent every week stuck in traffic. Not as fun as biking, right?
Environment-friendly
It is not rocket science; biking is great for our planet. Cars are one of the leading causes of greenhouse gas emissions. But cycling doesn’t need anything but your body to move; thus, it emits zero carbon dioxide and doesn’t cause any environmental damage. So, if you are passionate about not destroying the planet, consider riding your bike instead of your car.
Cost-effective
Let’s not forget another great benefit of biking: saving money. Cars are expensive, and gas prices are only rising. On the other hand, biking is one of the cheapest forms of transportation. You just need to buy a bike, which is relatively inexpensive (especially if you compare it to a car), and you probably won’t need to spend any more money on it for many years. Plus, bike maintenance is really cheap.
Convenient in traffic
Driving at rush hour and being stuck in traffic for hours is always frustrating, but it is too common, especially in big cities. An Australian driver wastes about 100-150 hours in traffic per year. But the good news is that you can skip the traffic jam and save almost an entire week by switching to cycling. Biking paths have much less congestion, so you can reach your destination faster. Jump in the saddle and save your time while enjoying the various benefits of biking.
Easier to park
If you have a car, you know how hard it can be to find a free parking spot. But parking a bike is much easier. You can park it almost anywhere because it doesn’t require too much space. In some places, you can even bring your bike inside with you or just lock it to a tree. But when you can’t do that, you can easily find bike racks or bike bollards where you can park your bike for less than two hours. If you need long-term parking, there are bike lockers and bike lockups where you can safely store your bike.
So there you go; these were some of the benefits that come with riding a bike vs. driving a car. We did our job, and now the ball is on your court.
