As Americans, we know better than anyone the power of an automobile. Unfortunately, with more cars on the road than ever before, issues like traffic and congestion along with pollution are becoming issues that our society needs to solve as soon as possible before it’s too late. Luckily, there are nearly twice as many bikes in the world as cars, and over 100 million more are manufactured every year.
Bicycling can have major positive benefits, both for you personally and for society as a whole. A study by Brunel University’s Glenn Stewart found that biking can lower the risk of early death by up to 30%, and reduce the risk of cardiorespiratory illness by around 40%. Biking to and from work or school can get you some really incredible exercise, with a study having found it comparable to working out at the gym 5 days a week. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and it’s up to us individually to take care of ourselves. Biking can be a fantastic way to do so.
Apart from the plentiful health benefits of biking, it’s also far cheaper than driving a car. Think about all the times you’ve had to get your car repaired, and how much those costs have added up to over time. Bicycle shops are still common across the United States, and the cost of replacing brake levers or a thomson stem pales in comparison to the costs of upkeep, maintenance and repair on a car. Even a high-end thomson stem will only run you a fraction of what costs can be on your car. If your bicycle breaks down, you can take it to the nearest bike shop, which should be able to do the repairs for you, or at the very least will have a healthy stock of replacement parts, such as a thomson stem or maybe a bike chain or seat. You can be sure it’ll cost you less in a long run than a car will!
Biking can also save you money on gas, with research having shown that bikes save more than 238 million gallons of gas every year! With our planet’s environment deteriorating faster than ever, it’s our responsibility to cut carbon emissions whenever possible. Whenever you can replace a short car ride with a bike ride, you’re doing your part to ensure the survival of future generations. It can be scary to think about, but that’s the reality we live in.
Do you own a bike? How often do you use it? Has it improved your daily life at all? Let us know down in the comments below!
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