Trek, race, or commute, a cycle is always the healthiest, pocket-friendly ride ever. When you ride a cycle, you save money, you save time, and you save the planet. These two wheeled, muscle-powered, and sometimes battery powered machines look sporty and dependable. They are perfect for kids, youngsters and senior citizens.
We Indians ride cycles for sure, but not many of us think that cycling could be a recreational activity. We visit local market on a cycle. We cycle to local school. We even cycle to work. But we don’t really ride a cycle to stay fit, or to save the environment. In India, we cycle either to visit places within our locality, or to save money. The truth is that we don’t prefer to ride a cycle unless we are forced to.
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And if you are cycling, wherever you go, people will judge you.
In the west, many people view cycling as a twenty-something thing, or a super-fit athlete thing, or a man thing. In India, cycling is viewed as a cheap ride for people living in the remote villages, and teenagers living in urban areas. There may be some facts behind these views, but if we look for facts without being judgemental, we will see that riding cycle is more beneficial than what we can think of.
Pedal for health and happiness.
Commuting on a cycle may not be a pleasurable experience, but taking girlfriend for a ride through nature park is. Why you like to ride a bicycle totally depends on why you are riding and whom you are riding with. Go for a cycle ride with your family and friends, and you will see that nothing is more relaxing than pushing the pedal gently while letting the breeze play with your hair and having a sensible chit chat with your loved ones.
Therefore, whenever possible, go for a long bike ride on a beautiful day. The wind on your face in summer, the sweet smell of flowers in the spring, or the glide, down the sunlit slope in winter, makes you happy. They create a space of tranquility within yourself. I don’t know how you feel but I feel that riding a bicycle is as meditative as listening to Indian classical music.
Here are some of the proven benefits of bicycling:
Transportation – No gasoline. No smoke. No parking space. You don’t need to pay any fare too. All you need to do is hop on the cycle and start pushing the pedals. Bike riding is a pocket-friendly, eco-friendly form of transportation. Whenever possible, ride a cycle leaving your car at home. Commute, shop, or visit friends, whatever you do, ride cycle as much as you can.
Workout – Grow your muscles, strengthen your heart beat and shred fat at your own level or pace. A casual cycle ride gives you all the benefits of mild exercise, and high intensity racing is equivalent to more intense workouts. Riding a cycle or bike makes you strong physically and mentally. The health benefits of regular cycling include:
- increased cardiovascular fitness
- increased muscle strength and flexibility
- improved posture and coordination
- strengthened bones
- decreased body fat levels
- prevention or management of disease
- reduced anxiety and depression.
- improved joint mobility
- decreased stress levels
Nature – In spite of deforestation and pollution, still nature is green enough to enchant your senses. The beauty of nature is perhaps available a few kilometers away from your house. Grab your cycle, and pedal your way into nature whenever you can. Enjoy being outdoors. Make this a regular habit and you will not regret.
Discover – I know some men and women who lives near the famous Kalighat Temple in Kolkata but has never visited the place in life. These people are totally unaware of what is happening in their area. If your like to discover new places, simply set out on a cycle and spend a few hours exploring various lanes, by lanes, parks, and other unexplored places in your locality. It is always easier to explore your town in a cycle than in a car.
Get Away – It may sound crazy, but it is indeed possible to travel thousands of kilometers in a cycle. People have travelled round the world in a cycle. Cross-country cycle ride is not a fiction anymore. Modern cycles are tough enough to carry you to safely over hostile terrains and rough weather. Take a day trip, or travel hundreds of kilometers a day, whatever you do, take your cycle with you.
Meet up – In India, we chat on cycle, we date on cycle, and we eat on cycle. There are ex It is very common for people to carry their friends, family members, or girlfriend on the top bar of the frame, or on the carrier. Riders can take time to stop and talk to people they meet on the road. They even give a lift to people they like. A cycle is an ideal ride for people who like to go around the town casually with friends they like. Taking a cycle ride together improves your romantic life too.
De-stress – De-stress yourself everyday by enjoying the freedom bike riding. 30 minutes of moderate physical activity like bicycling five days a week reduces your chance of colon cancer, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, dementia, depression, anxiety, diabetes, and other health issues by at least 40 percent. A long-distance casual cycling through nature is as good as meditation and pranayama.
Recreation – Bicycle riding can be a very inexpensive recreational activity or sport. All you need to do is buy a bike the bicycle and this is a one time investment. Cycling accessories do not cost much either. You don’t need to recharge a battery or refill a fuel tank to get going. Wearing necessary safety equipment like bicycle helmets, cycling gloves and elbow guards is good enough to start exploring the world on two wheels.
Pollution Control
No one can deny that climate change is a problem we must act now to stop it. Transportation makes up the second biggest source of air polluting gases. Seventy-two percent of all trips three miles or less are made by motor vehicles today. It is always possible to travel a few kilometers, like going to the local market in a cycle. If you do this regularly, your contribution to the cause of fighting global warming and air pollution will be undeniable.
The Rise Of e-Bikes
An ebike is a battery powered bicycle, a machine from the future. You can pedal, or you can use the power stored in a rechargeable battery. When you need some power boost, like when going uphill or feeling too tired to pedal, you can switch on the battery powered motor, the cycle will continue running smoothly. This feature makes eBikes India ideal for covering long distances, carrying load and going through hostile weather conditions. These bikes are especially ideal for senior citizens who cannot pedal for long or do not have enough strength to push the pedal.
What an idea!
People call them power bike or booster bike too. The battery powered motor is like your extra muscle. The technology is there to help you cover 25 to 45 km per recharge and can give you a speed of 20-40 km/h on an average. You travel faster than other cycles and you reach your destination comfortably. E-bikes offer low cost, energy efficient, and emission-free ride. They help you stay fit and get more out of life.
Here are 8 benefits that will make you feel like buying an E-bike today for yourself:
1. Battery powered pedal assist
When you fit a battery powered motor on a cycle, it becomes an ebike. This system makes your ride a more comfortable experience because you don’t need to push the pedal harder and harder to go faster. You push, or you don’t, the cycle will keep running until the battery drains out completely. People who ride ebikes never become too tired, or too sweaty pedalling, even in challenging terrains. It is possible to travel long distances on an ebike or electric cycle India.
2. Fast and free transportation
Ebikes are technically motor powered vehicles, but as they look like ordinary cycles, you can easily make your way through narrow lanes and bylanes of Indian cities. You can take advantage of cycle lane(if any) and paths that are not meant for bikes but bicycles. Although it is an electric powered bike, you don’t need to pay the bike parking fee, thanks to its cycle like look and pedals. Therefore, buying an E-bike is always a wise decision for anyone. In India, you don’t even need a driving license to ride an ebike on the city streets.
3. Fit body and mind
Scientists have this opinion that ebikes are as good as ordinary pedal powered cycles when it comes to keeping you body and mind fit and stress-free. Although the battery powered motor doesn’t let you use much muscle power, there are ways to do the settings and customize an ebike for heavy physical exercise. A customisable e-bike is ideal for people who are more into fitness.
4. Save money, cut fuel consumption.
E-bikes are cheaper than fuel burning motor vehicles, and travelling 40 miles on an E-bike is cheaper than travelling in a car or a motorcycle. You save money in the long run because petrol and other forms of fuel in becoming costlier day by day and the last resort for regular low income commuters is going to be e-bikes – this is the future of India and the world. When you have an ebike, just access to a power socket is enough to charge the battery for another 40 to 50 km ride.
5. They’re the future of transportation
Hybrid cars and bikes are already scorching the road and 100% electric vehicles are indeed the future of transportation because human society is going to burn the last gallon of fossil fuel very soon. Indeed, these sleek , ergonomically designed e-bikes, fitted with state-of-the-art sensors and battery technology, are the future of future transportation in India and around the world. Many governments are encouraging E-bikes in cities and towns to cut down the level of pollution. Therefore, it will be a wise decision for you to invest in an ebike today.
6. Avoid traffic jams
Dodge traffic effortlessly. Unlike cars, ebikes are sleek and compact and this makes an ebike ideal for traffic congested Indian roads. With an e-bike, you don’t need to stay stuck in traffic jams because you can always take the lanes and bylanes to reach your destination on time. You maneuver traffic smoothly and can make spot decisions on the best possible route to be taken. You can park the E-bike wherever you can park a bicycle. In most cases you don’t need to follow the traffic laws applicable for motor vehicles because ebikes are not considered as a motor vehicle in India and in many countries around the world.
Besides fun and cutting costs, electric bikes are environmentally friendly. We all love the environment. Reducing your dependence on fossil fuel makes you more socially responsive. The amount of pollutants generated by personal cars is massive.
Tackling Climate Change
Transportation makes up the second biggest source of greenhouse gases. Time is running out for human society. Climate change and global warming are serious issues that scientists and politicians are worried about and we all need to play our part. It is our duty to do whatever we can to keep the air, water and land clean or else we all die a suffocating death. Besides offering smooth and economic ride, an ebike helps you to cut down your fuel consumption and thus reduce emissions of poisonous greenhouse gases into the atmosphere significantly.
Unlike cars, an ebike can take you to places without polluting the environment much. People make seventy-two percent of all trips three miles or less by petrol/diesel burning cars today, the vast majority of which could be biked in less than twenty minutes or so.
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