The onset of the warm season invites us to get on our bicycles and enjoy long cycling trips.
What if you combine work with pleasure and choose a bike as your main transport to the job
location? This article will tell you what benefits such trips will give and where to start. We
have highlighted five main benefits of a bicycle directly related to increasing human
productivity.
1. Improving thought processes
During physical activity, the blood is saturated with oxygen. This process activates
neural activity and creates new cells in the hippocampus, the region responsible for
memory. This means that cyclists have better memory and faster-thinking processes.
2. Improving mood and reducing stress
During outdoor training, the body receives a dose of vitamin D, which contributes to
the active production of serotonin and dopamine. These hormones are responsible for
improving mood.
Light exercise after a day’s work is the best way to let off steam. While the cyclist is
cycling, pedaling, and breathing evenly, he relaxes, and his brain smoothly enters a
meditative state. By the way, finding a place for a bike is much easier than for a car.
You need to have a reliable bike lock. The absence of parking problems further
reduces stress levels.
3. Strengthening immunity
Cycling helps strengthen the cardiovascular system, lower blood cholesterol levels
and free the lungs of toxic substances. This leads to improved overall health and
immunity, and even vision. There is a constant shift of attention from one subject to
another during cycling. Such training sharpens vision and prevents the development
of myopia.
4. Reducing the number of late arrivals
Cyclists don’t run the risk of getting stuck in traffic. They don’t need to adjust to
public transport schedules or plan for unforeseen road situations. A person on a
bicycle is mobile and often only depends on him when he gets to his destination.
The gas-powered bicycle presents some extra features in reducing the number of
delays. With its help, a comfortable ride is provided, movement becomes fast, not
requiring extraordinary physical exertion.
5. Strengthening working relationships
Some employees prefer company and communication instead of loneliness. For
extroverts, cycling will help smooth out all work conflicts and forget about annoying
moments during the day, thus ultimately increasing productivity.
Some statistics
According to an organization that promotes cycling, about 730,000 Londoners commuted to
work every day in 2016.
The number of cyclists in Berlin has increased by 25%. Berlin has about 3 million bicycles
and only 1.1 million registered cars.
There are 881 thousand bicycles in Amsterdam, and the population is only 811 thousand. It
turns out that, on average, there is more than one bicycle per inhabitant. How so? It’s simple:
many people in the Netherlands have two or more bicycles. 63% of residents ride a bike
every day: to work, for business, and for leisure.
Finally, of the roughly 700,000 Washingtonians, 13,000 in 2015 (2%) bike to work every
day, which is a very noticeable number for such a small US city.
How to get started cycling to work
We offer a step-by-step plan for those who have not tried it yet, but are already planning to
change from a car or public transport to a bicycle and get to work on horseback:
● Check your bike / motorized bike. It must be entirely ready for use. Pay particular
attention to the condition of the brakes, steering wheel, and wheels.
● Get directions from home to work before starting your trip, avoiding busy roads if
possible. Then test this route to avoid surprises in roadworks, construction sites, or
other obstacles.
● Think about what kind of clothes you will be wearing and try them out in advance.
● Decide where you park your bike and how to keep it safe.
● Learn to fix minor breakdowns. Every cyclist should be able to at least tension the
chain and tighten the bolts.
● Repeat traffic rules. The cyclist is as much a road user as everyone else, and he is also
responsible for what happens on the road.
In conclusion
The idea of cycling to work may seem odd and tedious to implement. However, you get used
to it very quickly. The journey in the saddle from home to work and back becomes fast, fun,
environmentally friendly, and healthy because a bicycle is an opportunity to exercise every
day. Therefore, travel gives people energy, increases productivity and alertness, relieves
stress, and improves mood.