Fitness

Cycling is a perfect exercise for the overweight. Your body is carried on the bike, not on you, so those excess pounds don't put pressure on your joints.

A SLIMMING AID
"The great thing is that you can cycle for an hour and burn a lot of calories in a sustained way.  You can go out for a flat ride and you don't have to put yourself under too much stress until you have built up your fitness. Using the gears, you can keep pedalling continuously and you can get over hills easily.

A TONED BODY
Cycling tones the thighs and buttocks. Pedalling uses the big muscle groups: the quads at the front of the thighs and the hamstrings at the back, creating that pert-bottomed look.

EFFICIENT LUNGS AND A STRONG HEART
Cyclists have huge lung capacity. Chris Boardman, the British Olympic champion, is reputed to have twice the lung capacity of a normal person.

Cycling improves the body's ability to use oxygen. It increases the number of small blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood to the muscles.

The sustained nature of cycling makes it especially good for conditioning the heart. The average heart rate is 60 to 70bpm, but it may come down to 50 in a regular cyclist and as low as 40 in an elite sportsperson.

BREATHING AND POLLUTION

Pollution concerns cyclists, but it poses a lesser threat to them than to other road users.

Hay fever sufferers may choose to wear a mask in the pollen season. Smearing Vaseline applied around the nostrils can trap pollen grains.

Doctors agree that the health benefits of cycling outweigh any damage from pollution.

A COMFORTABLE SEAT

Saddle soreness, damage to soft tissues, and, for men, prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate), are hazards for cyclists. Try a number of seats before investing, some saddles have a gap in the saddle to remove pressure on 'sensitive parts.'

BETTER THAN THE GYM

Cyclists don't pay membership fees or need expensive equipment. Cycling doesn't cause congestion, it's pollution-free, quiet and can be integrated into the the daily routine.

Mere mortals travel to work in cars and buses and on foot. Cyclists glide, wind roaring in their ears, in a state of effortless motion.

KEEP AT IT!

Try replacing one or two trips a week and build up.  If the weather is poor catch a bus or train.  It should not feel like a chore.