Bicycling for Fitness, Fun, Transportation and Self Fulfillment
By Christopher Cumo |
One of the sublime pleasures of childhood is learning to ride a bicycle. The exhilaration of the first moment of freedom – without training wheels or the guidance of a parent's hand – is one of childhood's supreme experiences. Once mastered, riding a bicycle becomes a passport to adventure. Children cruise the neighborhood, congregate at friends' houses, go for ice cream or ride to school. Children ride their bicycles en mass, the way adults drive cars.
As children grow into adults, too many of them abandon their bicycles, leaving them to corrode in the garage. They believe the automobile to be a more convenient and a faster mode of transportation. They regard this trade-off as having made progress; but others know better. Not counting children, 20 million Americans cycle for fun, fitness, self-fulfillment or transportation. In many parts of Asia, bicycles outnumber cars. In Amsterdam, Zurich and Copenhagen, between a quarter and a half of all trips are made by bicycle.
Enthusiasts know that cycling has much to offer. In a country where obesity and inactivity are major concerns, cycling coaxes the body into a rhythmic motion. The exercise derived from even the most leisurely ride burns calories. An hour in the saddle burns about 500 calories. By burning calories, cycling helps the overweight to lose pounds and the fit to maintain a healthy weight. A leisurely pace ensures that a cyclist burns calories. At a brisk clip, the body burns glycogen, a carbohydrate stored in muscle tissue. By raising the metabolism with this faster pace, cycling causes the body to burn calories for hours even after the ride has ended.
If fitness and weight loss are not enough of an inducement to fetch the bike from the garage, then consider the other health benefits of cycling. It increases the size, strength and efficiency of the heart. A stronger heart pumps blood through the body more easily, resulting in lower blood pressure and pulse rate. Cycling raises the amount of HDL, the good cholesterol, in the body. It also strengthens muscles, tendons and ligaments. In strengthening muscles, cycling targets the largest muscles in the body: the quadriceps on the front of the thigh and the gluteous maximus on the backside. Cycling boosts the immune system by increasing the number of disease-fighting cells in the blood while it reduces the risk of osteoporosis. Cyclists have strong bones because cycling pumps blood to the tissues around the bones. Other activities convey health benefits, but cycling may be better for the body because it does not jar ankles and knees – a common malady among joggers – and it provides a blissful freedom of movement.
Cycling can take a person great distances in a relatively short period of time. It allows time to revel in the beauty of nature during excursions to the countryside or to a picturesque spot. In Northeast Ohio cyclists ride on the trails in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and along the Erie Canal Towpath. The cyclist becomes a kind of artist, intuiting the beauty of nature. In touch with nature, the devoted cyclist becomes sensitive to the passing of the seasons and to the profusion of wildlife. The cyclist feels the elemental pleasures of life: the sun warming the face, the wind coursing through the hair, the melodic chirping of birds in the ears.
Attuned to the beauty of life, cycling promotes a sense of bliss or spiritual fulfillment. A rhythmic activity, it elicits a light state of meditation that otherwise is difficult to achieve. While riding, cyclists can reflect on the enormity of the universe and of their places in it, as well as find a countermeasure to the world-weariness that afflicts sedentary men and women. Cyclists are always on the go. Motion imparts meaning to the conquest of space and time. Cycling is not just an activity; it is a journey that lasts a lifetime. In bringing a sense of tranquility to its enthusiasts, cycling also benefits the brain, thereby promoting mental health. Cycling reduces stress by causing the brain to produce endorphins. Because cycling increases the number of capillaries in the brain, it enriches its blood supply. In a more general sense, cycling instills a positive mental outlook.
Cycling is easy to integrate into the daily routine. It is not necessary to put in 20 miles a day. Instead cycle to the drug store to pick up a prescription or to the library to get a book. Not only does this approach increase fitness in a gentle way, it saves gasoline and wear and tear on a car. The environment benefits from cycling because cyclists do not spew pollutants into the air.
Getting started is simple. Pull that old bicycle out of the garage and pump up the tires, borrow one from a neighbor or friend or buy one affordably at a garage sale or a discount store. Specialty stores offer more expensive bicycles, but the extra cost can be worthwhile. The salesperson is likely to give sound advice on fitting a bicycle to your size and needs.
Once you have a bicycle, take it out for a ride. Go out four or five days a week and enjoy the pleasures of cycling. Run errands or just enjoy a tour of your own neighborhood. If you want to ride with others, Ohio has more than 100 bicycle clubs offering regular group rides. Riders congregate in groups depending on the riders' preferred speeds. Visit www.ohiocycling.info/ohioclub.html for a list of Ohio bicycle clubs. Suitable for all ages, cycling is a wonderful sport, leisure pursuit and pastime that can lead to increased health in body, mind and spirit.
An avid cyclist, Christopher Cumo is the author of three books and a number of articles. He is currently at work on several encyclopedia articles. He, his wife and their two daughters make their home in Canton, Ohio.
