New Bike!

So last week, I took my bike to the bike shop for a tune up. The tires weren’t holding air and the seat just wasn’t comfortable for me. Before I left for the bike shop, I was about 90% sure I was going to trade my bike in for a new one. And I did.

I got my old bike at a garage sale during Covid. It was fun to ride around the neighborhood – and to the local Dairy Queen – but it never really fit me. I could never get the seat adjusted to a good height and the handle bars were REALLY low. It might have been a good racing bike, but I just tool around the neighborhood and parks so a cruiser was what I was looking for. And I got one!

So now in addition to walking, I’m doing some cycling and it’s TOO MUCH FUN! I love having a bike that is sized for me and has been adjusted just for me. But in addition to having a lot of fun, there are a lot of health benefits to cycling as well.

Cycling is an aerobic activity so it helps with cardiovascular health as well as improving posture and coordination, building muscle and helping mental health. Steady cycling for me is burning almost an extra 150 calories in a half hour so I’m betting it will help with weight loss as well. (As long as I avoid too many stops at the Dairy Queen!).

It’s been more years than I like to admit since I rode a bike regularly. And while I haven’t forgotten how to ride at all, my balance isn’t what it used to be. The more I ride, the better it’s getting but I was a little shaky my first night out.

Apparently I’m not the only one rediscovering the fun of bike riding – when I Googled phrases around bike riding after years off, I found hundreds of articles! The themes of all of many of them are very similar:

• Start small. Ride a few blocks or a couple miles. Get to know your bike and keep to areas/streets with little traffic to build confidence.
• Safety first! Make sure your bike is in good shape and invest in a helmet. I laugh to myself saying that – I have a helmet, but I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not always good about wearing it. But a helmet can significantly drop the risk of a head injury in an accident. And remember, most bike accidents don’t involve another driver/person. Most bike accidents are bike versus some sort of obstacle in your path which may be as simple as a stick or water.
• Ask for help if you need it. The people at my local bike shop were amazing – and they also organize outings for rides. Check at your local bike shop and see what resources you might be able to access. I’m guessing they’ll be happy to help you out even if you bought your bike at Walmart or another big box store.

I can tell you that I’m loving being back on a bike – my face actually hurt from smiling so much when I got home after riding it the first night. So it’s making me happy AND helping me be healthier!