Discover Cycling!

Okay, I'll give you my #1 quick answer to the question, "Why go cycling?" Because it makes you feel good!  Now you pretty much have to agree that was simple, painless, and very direct.

Asking this question of others is likely to evoke a variety of other responses.  However, before I travel down that path, I have a suggestion.  If you're not really familiar with cycling, take a few minutes and read the Wikipedia article by clicking on CYCLING.  It has some terrific information and further references that just about everyone even remotely interested in cycling will benefit from.

My first soiree into the whole cycling thing happened to be totally passive.  Yep, I watched the Tour de France on television!  From my very first viewing I was captured.  I absolutely loved seeing the French countryside as well as cities and towns the bicycle race traveled through.  So, the sheer beauty of all the variety of the French geography is what took me in.  Sure, the competition and strategies necessary to win were intriguing.  But being able to take a trip and enjoy the sites of an absolutely gorgeous place did it for me.

Cycling: Your Ticket to Fitness

The next time I visited my fitness center, I decided to take a spin on the stationary bike.  That's a form of cycling you know.  What of the things I liked about this form of exercise was that my knees didn't take a pounding.  Hey, that's not a big deal to the younger crowd.  But as we age, it's a point worthy of consideration.  Interestingly, the place I work out has an entire room dedicated to cycling called "studio cycling."  Basically you can ride indoors without being impacted by any of the elements....wind, temperature, rain.  Essentially, they've taken the excuses out of cycling for fitness reasons.  The huge screen lets cyclists travel all sorts of places, too.

Perk up your life with cycling

At the top of this post, I answered the question, the title of this post, with "because it makes you feel good."  When I share that, I'm not just talking about physical fitness, something I alluded to when I discussed the whole beauty of the outdoors thing earlier.  The overall sense of well-being is a major reason I like cycling.  It's logical that just about any form of exercise can contribute to this state.  But because I don't do a lot of those other forms, I wouldn't be the one to know that for a certainty.  With cycling, I do know that.  Regular rides probably get the endorphins going regularly .

But don't discount the excellent cardiovascular benefits of cycling.  And this is without the severe pounding that running on pavement (or even surfaces providing less impact) causes.  Sure, there are other risks to cycling if you're doing it outdoors and on the streets.  Generally, you'll experience similar risks from running or even walking.  Plus, cycling has some great safety equipment that has evolved over time as more and more people gravitate to this sport and form of exercise.

Weight management is another plus to cycling.  Regular rides get you off the couch.  Cycling gets your lungs working and your heart pumping.

There are even cycling clubs that provide opportunities for socialization with like-minded people.

Lance Armstrong - Cycling Legend