• Celebrity
    • OTE – Screen Kings
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Best In Black Beauty 2023
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for ESSENCE Newsletters the keep the Black women at the forefront of conversation.

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
Select the newsletters you'd like to receive:
Please select at least one option.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • OTE – Screen Kings
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Best In Black Beauty 2023
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · Health & Wellness

4 Benefits of Biking And Why Everyone On Your Timeline Is Doing It Now

Without access to gyms or outdoor social activities some are reverting back to the feel-good childhood days of classic bike riding.
4 Benefits of Biking And Why Everyone On Your Timeline Is Doing It Now
By Kimberly Wilson · Updated November 4, 2020

It’s no secret that bike riding has become extremely popular over the past few months, and for good reason. Without access to gyms, or outdoor social activities, many people have reverted to childhood days of classic bike riding (solo or with friends) to serve both purposes. 

Not to mention, amidst growing protests over the death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other Black people who died at the hands of the police, Black Lives Matter bicycle rides have grown in size and popularity, spawning organized daily and weekly meet-ups such as Good Co. Bike Club, Black Rides For Black Lives and Street Riders NYC.  These mass rides have galvanized thousands of cyclists across the country— from pros to bike share newbies all sharing in the joy of cycling.

And don’t fret if you find it hard to get your hands on one, you’ve still got plenty of options. Retailers such as Schwinn, Huffy, Royce Union, iZip are all still excellent options if you want a bike of your own, instead of hopping on a CitiBike. If you’re thinking about hopping on a bike (if you can find one), you should be aware of all of the benefits that come along with riding. Here are a few excellent reasons that should get you riding today.

It has many health benefits. 

It’s easy on the joints, it’s an aerobic workout, it builds muscle and bone, and it helps with everyday activities. It also varies in intensity, making it suitable for all levels. “Since coronavirus is a disease that attacks the respiratory system, it’s important to strengthen that system and biking is one of activities that can accomplish that goal by strengthening your lower respiratory system (lungs),” says Ryan Birkicht, Sr. Communications Manager, Schwinn Bikes. “Biking also increases airflow around the participant which can help in diffusing the water droplets created by normal conversation. Those water droplets have been shown to be a primary carrier and means of passing coronavirus from person to person so it’s important to diffuse the droplets to minimize exposure to those around you (wearing a mask can also decrease the water droplets you spit into the air).”

It’s an idyllic social distanced activity.

While we all long for the days of fun with friends and family, social distancing is now still the name of the game (and for the foreseeable future). So in order to keep up with CDC guidelines for 6-feet distance at all times, biking is something that allows you to be social, outdoors but also far away from other people. “We all crave fresh air and sunshine and riding bikes is a safe and healthy way to get family and friends outdoors to live the ride and take a mental break while maintaining a safe distance from other riders,” says bike expert and enthusiast Kris Parlett, Director of Brand and Integrated Marketing at Huffy Bicycles.

It’s an eco-friendly alternative to traveling (and helps you avoid public transportation).

Using a bicycle is an eco-friendly way to move around the city especially in a really polluted and crowded one. You can reduce pollutants in the air by not being another contributor, and also effectively reducing your own carbon footprint. And you can even use it to travel far distances with the help of an e-bike. “Today you can incorporate a daily ride into your routine on an electric bike, for both physical and mental health benefits,” says Parlett. “With e-bikes, riders pedal the bike with the boost of a motor for better momentum on hills, to keep up with friends riding faster, or to ride farther.”

It helps boost your mood. 

In these times, preserving our mental sanity is essential. As with most forms of exercise — whether fun or grueling — cycling is one of the good forms of exercise and it keeps you happy due to the dopamine increase in your brain. As you cycle, the dopamine production increases and it makes you happier for a certain period. Want to change your mood? Hop on your bike!

TOPICS:  biking Fitness health socially distancing
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now