Is it good to cycle every day?

 If you are able to cycle everyday, it means that you are a fit person.

So, is it good to cycle every day? You can come to your own conclusion after reading what I am able to share with you.

Though cycling is a low impact exercise, it does produce a full body workout that is reported to improve:

-cardiovascular fitness.
-muscle strength.
-mental well-being.

Unlike some other sports, it is an activity that you can perform on your own or in a group with friends or relatives regardless of the age differences.

You can easily integrate cycling into your daily routine. You can cycle to replace your commutes by car to places near your home. For long distances, you can take public transport and cycle part of the way. This will help reduce your transportation costs as you do not have to pay for:

-fuel.
-parking fees.
-higher maintenance fees.

Cycling can provide substantial mental and emotional benefits as there is a higher opportunity for social connection. The other physical benefits you will enjoy through this outdoor activity are:

-improved immunity.
-better sleep.
-reduced stress and anxiety.
-enhanced mood.
-increased attention to the environment you ride through.

In fact, cycling can promote a deeper connection with nature as your rides can bring you to places that you may not be able to reach by car or by public transport.

Do you know that a person suffering from Parkinson Disease with impaired balance and coordination skills will not have any problem balancing himself on a bicycle to cycle? There is actually a test done on the “Effect of Bicycling on Balance and Leg Strength among Older Adults”. So, cycling is also good for you in the long run.

However, note that cycling is a repetitive exercise which can cause strain injuries.  Also, excessive periods of time in a sitting position can shorten the psoas muscle. It is the muscle on either side of our spine which runs from our lower back to the top of our hips. 

If you are not cycling on a bicycle that allows you to sit in a more upright position, your hip will always be in a semi-flexed position. This position holds the psoas muscles in a semi-shortened position. When you often ride long distances or for long hours on the bike, this muscle can become permanently shorter, when it starts to lose sarcomeres, which is the basic contractile unit of muscle fiber. If you start feeling pain in your hips, lower back, groin or butt, you may be suffering from psoas syndrome. You can return the psoas muscle to its normal range by performing mobility and stretching exercises.

This is the easiest method to lengthen or stretch the psoas muscle that I have read from Greenwood Physical Therapy:

1) Lay on your back on a firm surface.
2) Your head and pelvis should be in contact with the ground.
3) Do not try to flatten your spine towards the floor.
4) Rest your arms on the floor or on your stomach.
5) Bend your knees, a hip width apart from each other.
6) Your legs should be placed about 12-16" away from your buttocks.
7) Gently breath in and out.
8) Stay in this position for 5-15 minutes.

You can learn five more stretches and exercises that target the psoas at the following link:

5 Psoas Stretches and Exercises

Why do kids like cycling more than jogging?

Check out the tricks a kid can perform on his BMX and you will understand why they prefer cycling it over jogging. 


There is nothing to brag about jogging but on a BMX the kids can show off skills that they have picked up.

They can’t jog to school or run errands when they have stuff to carry. With a BMX they can ride out to meet their friends and get to their destination sooner without too much sweat.

They can also enjoy modifying their BMX and learn to maintain it.

How can you ride a bicycle without getting tired?

Cycling will not be so tiring if you are able to eliminate the issues you faced. I share here some reasons why you will feel more tired than you should while cycling:

1) You are cycling on a bicycle with the wrong frame size for your height.
2) It could also be that the handlebar reach is either too near or too far for you.
3) Or you may have set your seatpost too low.
4) Your tyres are not fully inflated to run efficiently.
5) You are not using your gears right.
6) The gradient of the roads you chose to cycle on are too steep.
7) You are trying to catch up with fellow riders who have better stamina or who are more efficient cyclists.

If you are cycling on a bicycle with the wrong frame size and you do not intend to replace it, here are minor changes you can make to it that will ease the strains of cycling which will make you tired.
Most stems come in length of 32mm right up to 80mm. If the handlebar reach is too far for you, you can use a stem with shorter length as it will bring the handlebar closer to you.



If you would like to remove the strains on your shoulders and arms which can tire you out, you can consider installing an adjustable handlebar stem as it will also allow you to sit in a more upright position.

However, if you are cycling on an old bike that uses quill stem, there are extra long models in the market which will increase the height of the handlebar for easy reach so that you can sit in a more upright position.


Your seatpost height must be adjusted so that when you sit on the saddle, your knee is slightly bent while the ball of your foot is resting on the pedal at its lowest position.

Try to inflate your tyres to the maximum PSI shown on its sidewall for a smoother ride.



Make sure that you use tyres with the correct threads for the right terrain you are cycling on. For urban ride, slick tyres like the one shown in the above photo will be more efficient.

Knobby tyres that are usually installed on MTB will be more suitable for rougher terrain.



Learn how to change your gears efficiently so that you will not have to struggle uphill. Avoid cycling over bridges or through routes that are hilly which can tire you out faster than you should. Routes with lower gradients will also put less strains on your body.

If you plan to cycle in a group, check to see if fellow riders are cycling on MTB or roadbike or Hybrid or Fatbike or folding bikes. Try to match what they are cycling on as different types of bicycles have different wheel sizes and tyre threads for different terrains.

Frankly speaking, whatever exercise you do, unless you are doing it half halfheartedly, you should feel some form of fatigue and tiredness. You should feel tired as some exertions in strength is involved in moving your bicycle.

The weather can also wear you out if you are cycling under the hot sun or under a heavy shower without the proper attire and protection. The stress of keeping yourself safe on the road while cycling can also tire you out. If you don’t want to feel tired at all, stop your bicycle for a rest more often and avoid routes that will stress you.

Finding ways to integrate cycling with public transport

The first thing to do is to make it safe for cyclists to use public roads. So, cycling-specific infrastructure, such as, bicycle lanes should be part of the development by government agencies.



Since it is not possible to go long distances on a bicycle, cyclists will consider utilising public transport part of the way.



Would you be comfortable parking your bicycle in an open space environment like this?



If bicycles are not allowed to be brought up public transport during peak period, there must be allocated parking spaces that have been enhanced to prevent theft and the elements of nature that could damage bicycles.

Once these issues are looked into, there are many ways to integrate cycling with public transport. The good thing is that you do not have to crack your head for answers.

If you google "public transport and cycling", you will find many reports and studies made on integrating cycling with public transport. Reading them will inspire you to discover ways to adopt some of the ideas for your own country.

These are some I found by searching "public transport and cycling":

Integrating cycling with public transport

Public transport and cycling: living apart or together?

Another way to find more of such reports is to google “intermodality bicycle”. These are links I found through that search.

Cycling and Intermodality

Bikeways and intermodality between bicycles and public transport 

How do you commute on a bicycle in Dubai?

The best way to find the answer to your question is to find cycling clubs or cycling community near you. I googled "cyclist in dubai" and found this club:

Rides and Clubs - Dubai Cyclist

If you can tolerate the summer temperature of 40-50 Celcius, I am sure that club members who are already cycling in Dubai should be able to give you some tips of what you should and should not do while cycling in Dubai.

If you don’t like the idea of joining a club, you can read about “Cycle laws and safety in Dubai and UAE” at Cycling in Dubai. That is where I discovered that cycling is not allowed on major highways and motorways and there are no bike lanes. So, if you are concern that cycling on roads in Dubai is not safe, consider cycling in the desert. That should be a great way to work out for fitness.

If you are thinking of cycling in the desert, a fatbike is what you should consider cycling on because it can handle sandy, muddy, grassy and rough terrain well.

Here is what it is like cycling on sandy places like the desert.
https://youtu.be/grZ-LL6NOgI

Is there a checklist before going on a bike ride?

Here is a checklist that you can refer to before you start cycling.

   

Ready To Ride? from Nancy Poh

If I bike 6 miles a day, will I see a difference over time?

That depends on how you take care of yourself.

1) Your skin is going to be darker if you do not have proper suntan on.
2) You can easily fall sick if you are not properly attired for the ride.
3) You can get stressed out due to pollution, foul weather, issues with bicycle, bad roads/terrain and heavy traffic, especially if, you are not cycling in a bike friendly district or country.



So, before you start, made sure that the routes that you are taking are safe for cycling. Take public transport part of the way if the distance is too much to bear (in the beginning). Check what the weather is like to be properly attired and UV protected.

To cut unnecessary stress, check out these points to make sure that you are really ready to cycle.
Ready To Ride?

Once you have got it right, after cycling for a period of time, these are the changes you will see.

1) Your buttock will not ache as much as you develop muscles there.
2) You will sweat it out as you cycle and that will make you lose some weight.
3) You will build up your cadence and find it easier to cycle as you get more competent with your gears.
4) You may find new friends cycling the same route.
5) You can see more clearly what is going on around the district you are cycling through.
6) You will build up your stamina and endurance for other physical activities.
7) You will consider using your bicycle more often to run errands.
8) You may develop a sense of adventure and want to explore new routes that only a bicycle can take you. Maybe even a trip outstation or overseas on your bicycle.
9) You will consider getting a better bicycle as you understand it better through your rides.
10) You may even feel competitive enough to join a cycling event.
11) Your group of cycling friends will expand.
12) You are likely to carry stuff and add more gizmo on your bicycle like bags, bike tools, a cycle computer or even a GoPro to record more interesting rides.
13) You become more particular about the handlebar, saddle, tyres and tubes you use on your bicycle.

These are actually the differences I noticed in my customers after they have been cycling for a period of time.

Which is the best bicycle for fitness?

The best bike for fitness depends on the terrain you enjoy riding on. 

If the terrain is hilly, a geared bike will be helpful as you can control the speed when you are cycling downhill and it will help you ride up slopes with lesser efforts.

If you would like to cycle to shops near your home for fitness, you will need a bicycle with a basket or rear carrier installed to carry your purchase.

If you plan to cycle with younger children for fitness, consider a 20” folding bike so that it will be easier to ride along with them as they cycle on their 12”, 16” or 20” bicycles. 

A folding bicycle is also suitable for someone who is less confident about handling a larger bike. It will also enable you to take a bus or a train part of the way if you can bring one onbroad. That way you can bring it to a park or somewhere safer or with less traffic to ride.

Do you know that a 26" to 29" or 700C bicycle can be mounted on a trainer?  

When the weather is bad for outdoor activities, you can cycle it stationary like a gym bike in the comfort of your home. The trainer is also great for beginners who would like to build up their stamina before they hit the road with seasoned cyclists.

Don’t find excuses to stop cycling for fitness. Look out for cycling buddies to ride with. It will be more difficult to back out if you have made an appointment with your buddies to ride.

Just make sure that you are cycling on the same kind of bicycle your buddies are on when you join them as you do not want to be chasing them on your 20″ folding bike if they are cycling on a 27.5″ MTB.

How do I bike on city roads during rainy seasons?

If you plan to cycle everyday through the monsoon season, dress your bicycle for it first. 

Lubricate metal parts of your bicycle to prevent rust and corrosion.


Also use wet lubes on your chains as they are water resistant. This will reduce friction for smoother rides as it runs through the components of your drivetrain.

Have you installed a full set of fenders on your bicycle? If you have not you will definitely be splattered with mud and dirt cycling through puddles.

Also install a waterproof bag or one that has a rain cover provided on your bicycle. How big it is going to be depends on whether you need to shower and change your attire and shoes at your final destination. If you would like to keep yourself warm, also pack a flask of your favourite hot drink or liquor.

A small handlebar bag will do if you only need a towel to dry up or if you prefer wet wipes for a cleanup.

If you need to carry more than one bag or panniers as shown here, you will have to install a rear carrier on your bicycle too.

For better protection against splatters choose fenders that can be fitted closer to the wheels. Rear carrier like this can usually take weight load of 25kg if a bigger size bag or panniers are required.

Be seen while you are cycling on the road in the rain. Install front and rear lights on your bicycle and ensure that the rear lights are blinking very brightly. If you need more information about lights, you can read an article I wrote earlier.

Now we can talk about trying to keep yourself warm and dry as you ride by watching this video. It also provides many tips on how to keep yourself safe while cycling under the rain on the road

Where to this weekend?

If you can't decide where to cycle to this weekend, check out this list of top 10 places for cycling in Malaysia reported by The Star Online in 2015:

1. Shah Alam Cycling Lanes 
2. Kepong Metropolitan Park
3. Putrajaya Core Island
4. KL Car Free Morning
5. FRIM
6. Putrajaya Botanical Garden
7. Titiwangsa Lake Garden
8. Taman Saujana Hijau
9. National Botanical Garden Shah Alam
10. Desa Parkcity Central Park



If you are more ambitious, you can read, "Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die: Biking Experts Share the World's Greatest Destinations" to discover more places you can cycle in worldwide.


Have a good weekend.