This is why you should swap your car for a bike
by Natasha Christou Digital Marketing ConsultantIf you are concerned about your fitness,
the environment, or how healthy your bank balance is, you should consider a new
form of transport: the bike. Even if just one of these factors is important to
you, cutting ties with the car will make the world of difference! Cycling to
work can make a positive impact on your physical and mental wellbeing. In
addition to this, cycling is a cheap form of exercise which will save you time
while making you feel great. If you’re still looking for more motivation to
swap your four wheels for two, the environmental impact of cycling is almost
non-existent when compared to CO2-heavy cars. Here, Leisure Lakes Bikes,
retailers of full
suspension mountain bikes, take a closer look at some of the reasons why
you should say goodbye to the car in 2020.
The benefits to your health
The physical benefits of cycling in
comparison to driving to work probably won’t surprise you. If you don’t have
time to go to the gym, then cycling is a fantastic (and free) alternative that
you can easily fit into your daily routine. According to a meta-analysis published
by the British Journal of Sports Medicine cycling can dramatically
reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases. The study accounted for both
people who cycled for sport and people who used a bike for their daily commute.
Not only did this analysis conclude that cyclists have a 22 per cent lower risk
than non-cyclists for cardiovascular disease, but they also had a lower BMI on
average.
In addition to this, cycling is beneficial
to your mental wellbeing. As well as the fact that cycling gets you outdoors,
and allows you to release endorphins, this form of exercise has also been proven to drastically
reduce stress.
A cost-effective transport method
If you’re keen on getting fit and active,
why not do it in a cost-effective way? Driving to work each day can be truly
damaging to your bank account. Not only is there the initial price of the car,
but the maintenance, road tax, and fuel costs all add up, resulting in a
needlessly expensive method of commuting. Switching out your car for a bike can
reduce these costs tenfold.
One keen cyclist told us that he has saved
£6 per day on fuel costs since switching to cycling for his 30-mile round
commute. So, on average he saves £30 a week and £1,150 a year! Even a few
pounds saved a day can make a huge difference, and when you pair this with the
health benefits and the environmental pros, the positive points really stack
up.
Of course, there is the initial cost of a
bike to consider. Luckily, many employers engage with the “cycle to work”
scheme which could save you a lot of money if your looking to purchase a new
bike. As a result of making monthly salary sacrifices, this scheme will allow
you to purchase a bike tax-free, saving up to 42 per cent of the over all
value.
An environmentally friendly option
Finally, we have the environment to
consider. Unfortunately, driving is still most Europeans’ transport method of
choice — at great cost to the environment. Not only do cars produce huge
amounts of CO2, but the initial production of a car is far more environmentally
damaging than that of a bike. According to calculations from ECF,
the production of a car alone accounts for 42g of CO2 emissions per kilometre
driven. When combining this output with the output CO2 from each kilometre actually
driven, the total comes to around 271g CO2 per kilometre.
On the other hand, we have the eco-friendly
bike. Contrary to popular belief, a bike isn’t completely carbon neutral, as we
have to take the energy used in production into account. However, this small
output is minimal compared to that of a car. Taking production into account, a
bike is accountable for 5g of CO2 per kilometre — miniscule in comparison!
Overall, it is clear that the benefits of
cycling dwarf those of driving. It may
be difficult to force yourself out of bed a little earlier for the sake of
exercise, but your health, your wallet, and the environment will all benefit
from it! Why not give it a try in 2020?
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Created on Dec 9th 2019 04:59. Viewed 421 times.