Reap the health benefits of cycling

If you love to ride your bike, you’ll be happy to know that cycling offers tons of health benefits. Besides serving as a simple mode of transportation, bicycle riding keeps you physically active and is friendly to your joints.

Learn more about the benefits of bicycling and how you can enjoy the ride more often.

Cycling to get your cardio

Riding a bike is considered an aerobic activity, which means it raises your heart rate and breathing rate. Aerobic exercise has been shown to improve heart health and lower the risk of health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Plus, it can boost your immune system and mental health.

When you ride your bike, you help your entire body by circulating more oxygen throughout your lungs, heart, and cardiovascular system. Along with your cardio, you also strengthen your core (we’re talking abs) and work two of the largest muscles in your body—the quadriceps and the gluteus maximus (aka, your booty). Daily cycling tones all these muscles.

How many calories does cycling burn?

So how much do you need to bike to get the health benefits of cycling? About 30 minutes per day. A half hour may not seem long, but during that time, you’ll burn calories—whether you’re riding outside or cycling indoors on a stationary bike.

The calories you burn while biking depend on how fast you cycle and how much you weigh. For example, according to the American Heart Association, a 150-pound person bicycling at 6 miles per hour burns on average 240 calories per hour. At 12 miles per hour, they burn 410 calories per hour.

Calorie-burning movements not only reduce body fat but also build muscle and can lead to a healthier body composition over time.

Bicycle safety

Cycling is great for your health, but biking outdoors has its hazards, too. As a cyclist, you can protect yourself from injury by always wearing appropriate safety gear and following the rules of safe cycling.

Wear a proper bicycle helmet

For safety gear, start by wearing a bicycle helmet that fits. Your helmet should:

• sit evenly on your head
• fit so that you can’t put more than two fingers between the front lower edge of the helmet and your eyebrows
• have side straps that form a “V” around your ears
• have a chin strap, adjusted so that you can fit only one finger of space between your chin and the strap when it’s buckled

Replace your helmet if:

• the foam pad inside the helmet is worn or crumbling
• you have an accident while wearing your helmet
• your helmet gets damaged
• your helmet no longer fits

Be smart on the road

The safest place to ride your bike is on a bike path that separates bikers from motorized vehicles—either with distance or physical barriers. It also helps to install and wear gear that helps other drivers see you.

During the day, wear fluorescent-colored clothing to make yourself more visible. At night, opt for reflective clothing and bike accessories, including lights. Use a white light in the front of your bike and a red light in the back, so drivers can spot you if you’re cycling after the sun goes down.

And whatever you do, don’t drink and cycle. Alcohol increases your risk of being struck by a motor vehicle, resulting in severe injury or death. In 2023 in Louisiana, nearly 20% of bicycle fatalities were alcohol-related, according to the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission. Make sure you focus all your attention on the road while biking.

Find bike paths near you

If you’re looking for a place to bike outdoors near New Orleans, we’ve got you covered. Check out some of our favorite local cycling pathways:

• French Quarter to the Lakefront Loop (15 miles)
• Lafitte Greenway (2.6 miles)
• Mississippi Levee-Top Trail from Audubon Zoo to Rivertown (11.7 miles)
• Tammany Trace (31 miles)

To figure out how to incorporate cycling into your lifestyle or other ways to get active, talk to your primary care provider. As your main health partner, they understand your specific health needs. Find a provider or schedule an appointment today at LCMC Health.

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