Go Cycle for Fitness

As a way of keeping fit and healthy, there are few things that can beat getting out and about on 2 wheels - even cycling at just 5 miles per hour is estimated to burn 175 calories an hour.

Cycling helps to burn fat, keep your heart and lungs healthy, exercise lots of different muscles and can help reduce the stress of everyday life.

It's even good for those who are unable to do other forms of exercise, like running, because of the impact on their joints. Because the bicycle supports the body, cycling puts far fewer stresses and strains on things like knees.

Cycling is also good for your brain. Regular exercise has been shown to help us think better, and even to prevent dementia. It boosts oxygen circulation to the brain and can help clear harmful cholesterol from the arteries that support the brain.

Health facts

• Cycling at 5 miles per hour burns around 175 calories per hour. Up the pace to 13 miles per hour and the calorie burn rate climbs to more than 600 per hour.
• Exercising is a "virtuous circle". As you become fitter, fat turns to muscle, which in turn, burns 10% more calories than fat.
• Almost three quarters of car journeys are less than 5 miles - just the right distance for a bike ride. Biking to the post office could save pounds in your wallet, as well as losing pounds from your waist.
• It's not just your health that's at stake. The environment is suffering from the over-use of cars, so the planet will also thank you for using 2 wheels more frequently.
• Regular exercise keeps your heart healthy and reduces health risks, including high blood pressure.
• A major study of more than 10,000 people found that cycling at least 20 miles a week halved the risk of heart problems.
• Why do people drive to the local shop during the day and then pay to use an exercise bike at the gym in the evening?
• Cycling is great exercise for people of all abilities. Recumbent bikes are great for people who have a problem with some joints or for those who find cycling puts a strain on their spine or neck. They allow you to recline, instead of sitting high up and leaning forwards.
• Being inactive has been shown to dramatically increase your chance of suffering from one of the UK's biggest killer diseases in later life - coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and cancer of the colon.
• Studies also seem to show that exercising regularly helps to cut stress, anxiety and depression, so it's no surprise that the British Medical Association is among those who agree that cycling is good for you.
• It is recommended that adults perform 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise at least 5 times a week, or more preferably every day of the week.
• How do you know if you are exercising at a moderate intensity? This means that you are exercising enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat, yet still being able to carry on a conversation.