Pedal power - 5 top health reasons to cycle
Louise Gebbett
16 November 2011
Despite the UK's poor air quality putting the population's health at risk, there's some good news for cyclists.
- Cyclists breathe in less pollution from traffic than car drivers do.
- Forget miracle creams, health spas and pricey gym membership - cycling can make you as fit as a person 10 years younger.
- A regular cyclist's life expectancy is 2 years above the average. According to my calculations that's 3,650 cups of tea, 760 premiership matches and 104 Sunday lunches.
- Cycling reduces heart disease. If a third of all short car journeys were made by bike, the national heart disease rate could fall by 5-10%.
- Cycling is the ultimate unintentional workout. If you're cycling for pleasure, to get from A to B, to save money or to be environmentally friendly, you'll be getting fit without even realising it.
Imagine the lives (and money) that could be saved through cycling.
I often hear people complaining about going to the gym. I can understand that - being inside a sweaty room full of people on bizarre looking machines has never appealed to me.
But cycling in the fresh air, I've rarely heard complaints about that. Yes, there are moments - a puncture, a pedestrian stepping into the road, a sudden rain shower - but would any cyclists I know swap their bike for the tube? Absolutely not.
I love cycling - the health benefits are a bonus.
If you're inspired to get in the saddle but need something to keep you motivated, why not join Friends of the Earth's Big Green Bike Ride? It's a 500-mile, 6-day cycle from London to Edinburgh. You can take part in the whole thing, or join for a single day of the route - so if you're a pro or a newbie, there's something for you.
Louise Gebbett, Big Green Bike Ride Team
More info at
Photo by Racer Rosa Bicycles, which is kindly supplying the Top Fundraiser prize for our Big Green Bike Ride.
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