February 11th 2023
It’s a well-known fact that cycling is good for you. In many ways, in fact. Not only is using a bicycle a free-to-use alternative to a car, it’s also incredibly good for your physical health too.
There are a few ways in which traveling to work on a bike is better, such as the money saved not needing to buy bus or train tickets or the fuel costs for a car, you’re also getting in some much needed exercise needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Today, we’re going to give you a rundown of the greatest benefits that cycling to work can bring you. Here’s a hint: not all of them are monetary!
Cheaper Alternative
We said not all of them, so let’s get the money-based benefits out of the way first! Cycling to work each day over the course of a year can save you hundreds, if not thousands of pounds, Euros, dollars or whatever your country’s currency! With car fuel at what feels like an all-time high, switching to a bike now can really help curb your costs – by eliminating them entirely.
If you’ve been trying to save money to get that kitchen extension, that holiday of a lifetime or even some simple home renovation, then the money saved from cycling to work can help to build that pot right from day one.
Gone will be the days of getting to the train station or bus stop to find you’ve missed it. You get to set out on your own time when cycling to work each morning.
Quicker Compared to Driving
Now, we understand that cars can indeed travel faster than bicycles, but if you factor in morning traffic when travelling by car, it makes complete sense that cycling to work can be the faster option.
Bicycles also need no time to warm up on those frosty winter mornings and are incredibly easy to park when compared to parking a car.
Remember those times you’ve been stuck in traffic on your daily commute, and see cyclists breezing past you, on their merry way? Why not be like them instead?
Healthier
Cycling is amazing for burning fat and losing weight. It’s incredibly well documented at this point, we almost feel like we’re flogging a dead horse, but hear us out.
Cycling is great for getting rid of that tough fat around the middle that refuses to budge through dieting alone, and the more you cycle the easier it gets as that fat dissolves away. This is all dependent on the intensity of your ride though, and if there’s one or two hills on your morning cycle to work, even better! The harder you need to pedal, the more calories you’ll be burning.
If you’re an employer, why not suggest a trial run of your employees cycling to work instead of their usual mode of transport? You’ll be amazed at what it can do to boost employee motivation and productivity.
Cycling to work is also amazing for your mental health too, but we’ll touch on that a little later.
Environmentally Friendly
As the world becomes increasingly aware of what we’re collectively doing to the planet, you need to assess what your own impact is, and what you can do to help reduce your carbon footprint. Switching from a car to cycling to work is a simple and hugely effective way to minimize your carbon output, especially over the course of a year.
If your workplace is too far away for you to cycle, then consider getting a train instead of using a car. There’s definitely a hierarchy when it comes to carbon-efficient travel options, and using a bicycle is right at the top of the list.
Explore the Town
One of the best things about cycling to work each morning, is that you’ll get to see more of the town or city that you live in. The freedom that a bicycle brings is second to none when travelling, because they’re so easy to manoeuvre, and there’s likely more route options that if you were to travel only by road.
Cycling through the town is also a great way to listen to your favourite music or even the best business podcasts, taking your mind even further away from the fact that you’re exercising.
The sense of exploration you’d get by biking brings more excitement to your morning commute, and couple that with fresh air and the sun on your face, and you’ve got yourself a huge boost of serotonin before you reach the office.
Improved Mental Wellbeing
With the boost in serotonin, comes improved mental health. It’s well-known that exercise boosts your mood, and by cycling to work you set yourself a goal each day without even realising it. With the boost in mental health from cycling, you’re more likely to be productive when you eventually get to work too, because your mind will be in a better place.
So many of us dread the thought of having to work out, but by jumping on the bike each morning to get to work, you’ve already achieved your daily exercise goal without having to fork out for a gym membership.
Mental health is incredibly important, not just so you can be good at your job, but also in your private life too. So, get yourself cycling to work to improve both the body AND the mind simultaneously.
Increase in Quality of Sleep
You may not believe it, but cycling to work each day can in fact help you to get a good night’s sleep. It’s all to do with the body’s cardio-respiratory fitness level, which improves dramatically if you take on regular exercise. A lower fitness level can cause issues falling asleep in the first place, and then when you do eventually nod off, your sleep quality is poor.
Falling asleep, and staying asleep, could all be improved by cycling to work each day. A small but mighty change in your life.
Finally, it’s More Fun!
We want to end on a lighter note, and it’s that cycling is actually really fun. Think of it like an old, childhood memory of when things were simpler, riding through your neighbourhood on your bike with your friends. Now that you’re an adult, that feeling doesn’t have to stop!
Everything we’ve discussed today about how it’s good for you mentally and physically, and it’s easier on the wallet is all true. Sometimes though, we as adults just need to have a little fun. So, get in the saddle and let go for a little bit.
We hope we’ve convinced you that cycling to work is a great way to start your day. Whether you’re only doing it to save some money, or you just want time to unwind and relax on your morning commute, we can say for certain that the good outweighs the bad when it comes to jumping on the bike each morning.
If you’re a business looking to expand your office space, why not head over and check out our serviced offices or our managed office spaces today, to see what we have in your area.
