Getting on your bike and taking to the road can be one of life’s great pleasures. As long as you have a bike and the necessary gear then you have access to a wide world and some spectacular scenery. Seeing it from the saddle of a bike is perhaps even more wonderful than watching it go by from a car. As long as the conditions allow it, you can feel the sun on your back and the wind on your face.
Putting in the miles on the bike is one of the most effective ways of getting fit and staying fit. Not only do you get an aerobic boost, you will also give your muscles a workout. In particular it is an effective workout for your leg muscles, which will be doing the lion’s share of the work. Hitting the roads at top speed and staying on the bike, however, takes a lot of work from other muscles. Ensuring you get the best from your time on the bike means following some rules, though:
- Stay Safe In The Saddle
If you are careful on your bike and have taken safety precautions, then you are for the most part safe to cycle on the road. A cycle helmet and protective padding will go a long way to doing this. But if you have the misfortune to come into contact – literally – with a less conscientious road user, you may be hurt. If this happens you have to look at accident injury compensation solicitors for bicycle accident injuries. If the accident was your fault, you take the lesson and get on with life. But if someone else has put your safety at risk, you deserve to be taken care of.
- Cycling Gear Isn’t Just For Appearance’s Sake.
Looking at someone wearing lycra to go for a non-competitive cycle can make you think they’re taking it too seriously. Yes, they aren’t in the Olympics, so why are they wearing all of that? Well, there is a good reason the pros wear that stuff. It’s breathable, which stops them from overheating during what is a strenuous workout. It also draws sweat away from the skin and allows it to evaporate, which is important for comfort. The more comfortable you are when cycling, the more of a workout you can get.
- Vary Your Cycling Routes.
Getting into the saddle just for the fun of it is one thing. Doing it for fitness is another, and for some of us it means we have a planned route which we know will test our legs. That route will give us the maximum workout and have optimum results. But routine can easily become boring, and it does some good to change it up once in awhile. Different challenges will hone different parts of the body. Equally important, a change of scene keeps us on our toes and alive to the other benefits of cycling.
By focusing on the key points of safety, performance and schedule, we can get the best from our time in the saddle. And the more work you put in while there, the better the rewards. So take the time to work out what you want from cycling, and really put the work .
I love this! I just got into biking again recently for the first time as an adult and I have fallen in love with it 🙂 It’s so much fun and such a great workout! And I totally second the gear thing…I did my first 14 mile ride in regular workout leggings….bad choice lol.
haha sounds like a great ride apart from the bottoms!