{"id":5100,"date":"2015-05-22T07:00:13","date_gmt":"2015-05-22T12:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/?p=5100"},"modified":"2017-09-19T13:53:43","modified_gmt":"2017-09-19T18:53:43","slug":"benefits-of-cycling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2015\/05\/benefits-of-cycling\/","title":{"rendered":"Benefits of Cycling"},"content":{"rendered":"

Benefits of\u00a0Cycling\"Benefits<\/h1>\n

Baby Boomers are still setting trends, this time on the road.\u00a0Older adults\u00a0are taking up bicycling at a rate that outpaces any other group (especially kids, whose ridership dropped<\/a><\/strong> 20% between 2000 and 2010). According to advocacy group People for Bikes, more than a third of the increase<\/a><\/strong> in US bike ridership over the past 20 years is due to riders over age 60.<\/p>\n

Why the big shift? Environmental friendliness, social time and fitness are the big draws, and experts say the fitness benefits of biking are especially clear for Boomers.<\/p>\n

Easy riders<\/h2>\n

Cycling can be a great way to jumpstart a fitness routine if you\u2019ve been sedentary for a while, because it puts less pressure on hips and knees than walking or jogging. If you\u2019re already active, cycling can add variety to your workout regimen. In particular, cycling can help with:<\/p>\n

Weight loss<\/h3>\n

In general, cycling burns more calories than walking for the same amount of time. For example, a half-hour stroll burns 102 calories for a 150-pound person, but biking for 30 minutes burns 136. The harder you work out, the bigger the calorie-burning difference is. Thirty minute of super-fast walking at 4.5 MPH eats up 214 calories for our hypothetical exerciser, but 30 minutes of cycling at 16 to 20 MPH burns through 408, nearly twice as many calories. (You can get your own estimate here<\/a><\/strong>.)<\/p>\n

Better heart health<\/h3>\n

All that pedaling will get your heart pumping, and because you control your pace, you can tailor rides to your own fitness level. And what better way to take a break than coasting?<\/p>\n

Improved balance and coordination<\/h3>\n

Balance is a key element in preventing falls<\/a><\/strong>, and bicycling helps with balance<\/a><\/strong>. Riding a bike is so automatic that we forget how much \u201cbackground\u201d work goes into keeping us upright, pedaling, and maneuvering through turns and grade changes.<\/p>\n

Sharper mind, brighter mood<\/h3>\n

The benefits of biking aren\u2019t purely physical<\/a><\/strong>, according to Bicycling magazine. Regular rides can help sharpen memory, take the edge off anxiety and depression, and sharpen problem-solving skills.<\/p>\n

The benefits of biking don\u2019t end at the upper end of the Boomer age range, either. A recent study in Norway<\/a><\/strong> found that, for men over 73, half an hour of daily cycling had the same positive impact on health as quitting smoking<\/em>. Bikers in the 12-year study had a 40% lower rate of death than inactive men of the same age.<\/p>\n

Biking gear basics<\/h2>\n

Before you hit the road, you\u2019ll need a few key pieces of equipment for comfort and safety:<\/p>\n