Five Benefits of Switching to Cycling on Your Daily Commute
21 March 2021
It’s time to hang up your car keys as we discuss the top five benefits of biking to work
With the lighter days and milder temperatures of spring now slowly creeping in, it’s the perfect time to don your helmet and make the switch to cycling on your daily commute. There are many benefits to biking that extend beyond improving your physical fitness, so let’s take a closer look at how saddling-up for springtime can do wonders for your wallet, your wellbeing and the world.
Save Money
During 2021, UK motorists are expected to spend in excess of £1,000 a year on petrol and diesel alone*. While this figure can vary depending on fuel efficiency and average milage, it is still a considerable financial dent that could be avoided by leaving your car at home. By biking to and from your workplace, you can make immediate savings and free up your cash flow to spend your money on the things that matter.
Improve Fitness
It comes as no surprise that sitting in a stationary car during rush hour does little to promote physical fitness (or patience!). By making the simple switch to cycling on your daily commute, you can experience an array of health benefits including weight loss, joint mobility and improved posture while strengthening your muscles and enhancing cardiovascular health.
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Hanging up your car keys in favour of cycling is a great way to show your consideration for the planet as it significantly reduces your carbon footprint. In fact, Bike Radar** reports that “if cycling’s popularity returned to 1940s levels (when the average Brit cycled six times further per year than today) and these trips replaced car journeys, that would create a net saving of 7.7-million tons of CO2 per year in the UK”.
Reduce Commute Time
Many of us have felt that pang of jealousy when we’re stuck in traffic as the threat of arriving late for work draws closer, only to catch sight of a cyclist breezing past to the head of the queue. Whether you’re looking to escape the rush hour or get to work quicker than you would on foot, cycling is a great option for slashing your commuting time and escaping the drudgery of gridlock.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
There are few problems in life that can’t be tackled with a head-clearing dose of fresh air, and cycling is a simple yet effective way to experience this on a regular basis. A study conducted by Science Daily*** found a direct relationship between outdoor exercise and mental wellbeing, stating that “exercising in natural environments was associated with greater feelings of revitalisation, increased energy and positive engagement, together with decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression”.
If your employer offers Vivup’s Cycle to Work staff benefit, you can experience these positive changes for yourself without spending more than necessary on essential kit with incredible savings of up to 37% (t’s & c’s apply) on the latest bikes, high-vis clothing, safety gear and accessories for your commute. Find out more: https://www.vivup.co.uk/users/sign_in
*https://www.nimblefins.co.uk/average-cost-petrol-car
**https://www.bikeradar.com/features/long-reads/cycling-environmental-impact/
*** https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110204130607.htm