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10 Top Reasons to Use a Bike for Transportation

There are all sorts of brilliant reasons why you should consider making a bicycle your number one mode of transport, here are just ten of them:

1. Environment

Throughout the manufacture and lifetime of every type of automotive vehicle, carbon emissions that pollute the air, harming ourselves and the environment are generated.

By switching some or all of your car, bus and motorcycle journeys for a bicycle, you could do your bit to protect and clean up the environment.

2. Save Money: Part 1

As a mode of transport, even a top-spec bicycle like the latest Cube womens bikes will cost much, much less than a car and finance deals to buy one are readily available for anyone in work.

Through the national Cycle to Work scheme, you can get tax relief on your earnings and save ‘up to 42%’ on the cost of a new bike and cycling accessories.

3. Save Money: Part 2

Buying a vehicle is one thing but paying for its running costs and upkeep is another. Car ownership means paying for road tax, insurance, fuel, MOTs, servicing and parking, while public transport means forking out for day or season tickets.

These costs vary between regions and households, but can amount to thousands of pounds every year for families. A bike costs nothing more than the purchase price and the odd bit of maintenance.

4. Save the Roads

This might not be enough on its own to prompt you to ditch the car or bus but Britain’s roads are decaying under the weight of vehicular transport.

Potholes, sinkholes and crumbling surfaces are such an issue that experts predict the nation’s roads will cost 12 billion to repair and the task could take 14 years!

5. Save Time

For long journeys, any sort of automotive vehicle will outpace a bike, but for short journeys like the daily commute it’s possible that you could reach your destination faster by bike than by car.

A recent experiment in Belfast showed that a bike journey through the city is on average six minutes quicker than one taken by car. Six minutes may not sound like a lot, but do it every day and you’ll save a whole hour during the working week.

6. Improve Mental Health

Stress, whatever its cause, is shown to be detrimental to your mental health but cycling has two key benefits that can counteract it.

Firstly, the physical activity of cycling stimulates your brain’s natural production of endorphins which are responsible for making you feel good and secondly, when it’s just you and your bike, you can slow down your thinking, process thoughts calmly and arrive at your destination feeling mentally refreshed.

7. Lose Weight

Calorie consumption is not an exact science but on average, an 11 stone adult cycling for 30 minutes can ditch 200 calories. By swapping your regular, short car or bus trips for a bike, you could easily achieve some serious weight loss.

8. Improve Fitness

Your cardiovascular system and muscles need to be worked with the kind of exercise that gets your heart rate up, your blood pumping and your major muscle groups meeting resistance. Cycling ticks all of those boxes without putting any stress on your joints, so it’s suitable for anyone of any age.

For best results, ensure that you invest in a quality bicycle like a Specialized, Giant or Cube road bike with a gear system that can both challenge and support you across any terrain.

9. Improve Physical Health

Sedentary lifestyles, whether that’s due to a desk job or an affinity with the couch once the working day is over is now considered as bad for your health as smoking. It can lead to diabetes, heart disease, stroke and is even associated with some types of cancer.

The only way to remedy the pitfalls of inactivity is to get active and cycling is one of the easiest ways to get moving.

10. It’s fun!

Cycling is good fun, especially on the downhills and it gives you the freedom to go off-road and explore urban or rural areas in ways that are impossible by car.

The humble bike gives you instant opportunities to improve the environment, your lifestyle, your health and your bank balance so what are you waiting for?!

You can get advice and information, as well as support to finance your bicycle including any model of Cube road bike with a 0% interest deal or the Cycle to Work Scheme, online or instore at Formby Cycles.

Clay Miller
the authorClay Miller
I am the creator/writer of Ways2GoGreen.com and Ways2GoGreenBlog.com. I'm an advocate for oceans, beaches, state parks. I enjoy all things outdoors (e.g. running, golf, gardening, hiking, etc.) I am a graduate of the University of Kentucky (Go Wildcats!!). I'm also a huge fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I was born and raised in the beautiful state of Kentucky.

1 Comment

  • The main reason for using bicycle is that it is environment friendly. It does not effect environment. Second point is that it keep us health also i.e. used for keep our selves fit and control weight also.
    So we must use bicycle for small distances.

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