National Bike Month: Reasons to ride your bike

May is National Bike Month, so dust off your bicycle and get peddling. Not only is biking a green way to save money on gas, it is also beneficial for your health. Cycling to the office may even boost your work productivity. Here are just a few reasons to ride your bike.
May is National Bike Month, so dust off your bicycle and get peddling. Not only is biking a green way to save money on gas, it is also beneficial for your health. Cycling to the office may even boost your work productivity. Here are just a few reasons to ride your bike.

National Bike Month

If National Bike Month is too general for you, join the cyclers participating in Bike to Work Week (May 16 – 20) or Bike to Work Day (May 16). Before you ride, check your bike to make sure the brakes work, the bike tires are properly inflated, and your seat is comfortably adjusted for your height. Then grab your helmet and take your bike for a spin.

>>Cycling: A beginner’s guide

Biking is good for the environment

Every peddle counts when it comes to reducing pollution, especially if you live close enough to ride your bike to work. According to WorldWatch Institute, a four-mile round trip bike ride prevents 15 pounds of pollution from spewing into the air. Bicycle use saves greenbacks as well. The annual cost of operating a bicycle is $120 compared with $8,000 to maintain a car, according to the League of American Bicyclists.

>>The spin on spinning

Riding a bike is good for your health

“A daily 30-minute bike ride is great exercise and great for your vascular wellness,” says Steven Leers, MD, a member of the Society for Vascular Surgery. “Exercise is essential for maintaining good blood flow and a healthy body weight…a one-hour bike trip traveling at 10 miles per hour burns between 354 and 593 calories.”

Benefits of biking and other cardiovascular exercise:

t
• Reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and some cancers

t

• Healthy weight management and/or weight loss

t

• Higher energy levels

t

• Improved sleep

t

• Stronger immune system

t

• Decrease in stress

Spring is here! It’s time to get outside and enjoy it. Peddle to work, peddle to the store, or just take a bike ride with your family. Regardless, biking is a fun way to get around.

More veganlifestyle tips!