Top 10 Benefits to riding bikes
For so long now we have been riding bikes that our first pedal strokes are a distant memory. Bikes have been our loyal friends since our earliest days, they are part of our universe. A smile comes to our face when we remember our first mountain bikes, a flashy yellow Giant and a Pink Specialized. When we first started, around the age of 6, we thought these bikes where the best; allowing us to feel free on 2 wheels. No one could take that from us.
Since then, our passion for bikes hasn’t stopped growing and we have come to realize the beauty of this sport. It is a lifestyle, something that we can connect with. Day after day our love for the sport grows as we discover the different kinds of adventures bikes, our loyal friends, can take us on. Whether it is a spin with friends to feel the breeze on our faces, a ride to work on a trusty machine, or a hard workout that makes us feel alive, if you are riding a bike an adventure awaits.
When we sit down to think about it, a panoply of elements would be absent from our lives if we were not putting a leg over a bike every day. Thinking about what it would be like to not have bikes in our lives we have come to realize just how much they contribute to our happiness. We have therefore compiled a list of the top 10 reasons to get on your bike today. If you find yourself looking out the window on a fresh Spring morning, come back to this list and we guarantee you will find the motivation you need to get on your bike!
TOP 10 BENEFITS TO RIDING BIKES
10. AN ECOLOGICAL AND FUN MODE OF TRANSPORTATION
There is nothing like commuting by bike; It starts your day on a good note, it wakes up the body and warms up the soul, it is healthy for the planet and yourself. Combining man and machine in the form of bike and rider is the healthiest and most efficient way to get to destination. How far could your car get on a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee!?
9. A TIME TO REFLECT
Riding your bike is a way to escape the problems of daily life and provides some perspective as well as some time for yourself. With these busy lives we live, this meditative sport is a valuable gift. When the world is wearing you down, get on a bike and feel yourself getting lighter with each pedal stroke.
8. ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE
The passion for cycling brings people together and creates a tightly knit community. As cyclist, we have a respect for our fellow riders who understand the beauty of riding bikes and using them as tool for adventure. Cycling is a sport that is known for its social coffee rides and the adventures had on bikes provide more than enough material for passionate conversation. The friction of tires against the ground when cornering is a feeling that all riders know well and love, but the friction that makes the community stick together so tightly is one of the most valuable aspects of riding a bike. One for all and all for one.
7. YOUR OWN PERSONAL STYLE
Who doesn’t like to look good?! Cycling requires specific equipment and gives us an opportunity to experiment with our own personalized style on the bike. From choosing glasses to a kit that matches our frame or choosing between a braid or a pony tail, looking good on the bike makes us feel good on the bike and feeling good on a bike is a feeling to cherish!
6. A FIT BODY
This sport does wonders for your body. The low impact nature of riding allows you to bike into your 80s and even your 90s and targets your cardiovascular capacity which will keep you healthy in all aspects of life. Cycling also enhances lean muscle mass which will give you a lean and toned look while still maintaining strength. Cycling can provide an incredible workout if you choose to open the machine, but will still be a healthy dose of exercise if you choose to just pedal and look at the scenery.
5. THE SATISFACTION OF RIDING THROUGH TRAFFIC
If you have never ridden your bike through traffic, you are missing out! It is an incredible feeling of satisfaction when, at rush hour, you speed through gridlock traffic. The elegant rider and bicycle now hold the power on those bulky and complicated 4 wheeled machines!
4. THE BREATHTAKING LANDSCAPES
You could make your way up a mountain in a car or you could look at beautiful landscape photos on Instagram, but neither of these will take your breath away like climbing a mountain on your bike using nothing but the strength of your legs, lungs and heart. Reaching the top with your own power engages your senses and makes the view that much more incredible, you can feel it through all your senses. You also have a feeling of ownership, having earned the view it is yours to enjoy!
3. CONFIDENCE
Whether you are just starting or have been riding for years, the feeling of accomplishment that comes from finishing a long bike ride will give anyone confidence and pride. This confidence will stick with you off the bike and will help keep a positive and goal oriented mindset throughout your day. Riding a bike also gives perspective on what is important in life. With passion and health, life is yours to conquer!
2. SECRET SPOTS
Bikes are the best adventure tool! You can find the most amazing spots if you just follow your senses on a bike ride. Often these are spots not accessible by cars and are exclusive to those who have a sense for adventure. It is up to you whether you want to share it with your friends or keep it to yourself!
1. FREEDOM
Speeding down a hill, feeling the wind on your face, the warm sun on your skin, listening to the birds singing, riding across beautiful landscapes, the trees waving at you as you ride on. There is a sense freedom you get from riding a bike, you can see it on a kid’s face when he learns to bike and in an experienced cyclist eyes when he discovers a new spot. This freedom is what keeps us coming back for more day after day and will keep us on our bikes for a long time still!
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Sarah et Florence Dostie-Ménard, proud ambassadors of the PEPPERMINT Collective
