The wind in your hair, the city whizzing past, that wonderful gliding feeling…nothing could ever quite beat riding a bike. Not to mention how many health benefits riding a bike offers! What contraption deserves its own day as much as the bike does?
The History of Bike Month
The first mechanically-propelled, two-wheeled vehicle, or what could be called the father of the bicycle, was likely first built by a Scottish blacksmith named Kirkpatrick Macmillan in 1839, although nobody knows for certain. Shortly afterwards, various European inventors followed up on the invention, adding elements familiar to the cyclist of today such as the rear-wheel drive and hand-operated brakes. Modern bicycles are the most efficient human-powered means of transportation known to man in terms of the energy a person must expend to travel a given distance—in other words, thy are extremely practical. For this reason and dozens of others, bicycles have been used by people
For this reason and dozens of others, bicycles have been used by people of all walks of life, including mailmen, salesmen, police officers, paramedics and even troops. Bicycles have also greatly influenced humanity as a whole, by helping to reduce traffic congestion and both air and noise pollution. They have also been linked to significant reductions in poverty, with families’ incomes increasing by up to 35% in countries such as Sri Lanka and Uganda when there is at least one bicycle in the household. Bike Month, held in May, was created in 1956 to celebrate bikes and all the wonderful things they’ve done and continue to do for us.
How to Celebrate Bike Month
Be honest: when was the last time you rode your bike? If it was recently, or better yet if you ride it regularly, good for you—you’re helping to keep our planet cleaner and yourself healthier! Keep doing what you’re doing! But if you realize it’s been a while, Bike Month is the perfect time to get back in the saddle, metaphorically speaking, and do some good for both yourself and your surroundings.
Riding a bike regularly has been proven to increase cardiovascular fitness while decreasing stress levels and body fat levels. Riding your bike will also get you out in the fresh air, and heaven knows all of us working in air-conditioned offices 8 hours a day could use more of that! So this Bike Month, make some changes: make a habit of riding to work by bike once or twice a week, or even more often if you can. If your workplace is too far away or there’s no way for you to take a quick shower once you get there, make riding your bike a part of your fitness regime.
People do all sorts of tricky and difficult to master exercises nowadays, all in the hopes of becoming more fit and maybe losing a few pounds, and some of them do work quite well. But can you really compare sweating through your tights in a stuffy gym to gliding down a road on your bicycle with the sound of in your ears? So dust that bike off and get on it already!
So this Bike Month, make some changes: make a habit of riding to work by bike once or twice a week, or even more often if you can. If your workplace is too far away or there’s no way for you to take a quick shower once you get there, make riding your bike a part of your fitness regime.
People do all sorts of tricky and difficult to master exercises nowadays, all in the hopes of becoming more fit and maybe losing a few pounds, and some of them do work quite well. But can you really compare sweating through your tights in a stuffy gym to gliding down a road on your bicycle with the sound of in your ears? So dust that bike off and get on it already!
So this Bike Month, make some changes: make a habit of riding to work by bike once or twice a week, or even more often if you can. If your workplace is too far away or there’s no way for you to take a quick shower once you get there, make riding your bike a part of your fitness regime. People do all sorts of tricky and difficult to master exercises nowadays, all in the hopes of becoming fitter and maybe losing a few pounds, and some of them do work quite well. But can you really compare sweating through your tights in a stuffy gym to gliding down a road on your bicycle? So dust that bike off and get on it already! And last but not least, another thing to keep in mind during this month is to get the kids involved, too—habits formed in childhood, both good and bad, tend to stick around for life. Combined with a balanced diet, learning to love riding their bikes will keep your kids healthy and happy for years to come!.
And last but not least, another thing to keep in mind during this month is to get the kids involved, too—habits formed in childhood, both good and bad, tend to stick around for life. Combined with a balanced diet, learning to love riding their bikes will keep your kids healthy and happy for years to come!
