Cycling for Healthy Fun

Cycling is a fun way to improve your health and a great way to save money. According to the British Medical Association cycling 20 miles a week can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 50%. Other studies show that by cycling 30 minutes a day you will burn 11 pounds of fat a year. There are many other health benefits to cycling as well. Cycling builds muscular strength, reduces stress and is a great way to meet others.
Some of you may want to ride your bicycle but may feel better if you had someone to ride with. In cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles there are several social rides you can go on. Social bicycle rides are a great way to meet new people and find new friends. In Los Angeles the nation’s largest community bicycle ride takes place. The over four thousand cyclists of Los Angeles Critical Mass choose to ride together, meet others and make new friends while discovering new parts of the greater Los Angeles area. The rides celebrate bicycling and encourage cycling as a leisure activity, as a sport or as a means of transportation. The riders meet every last Friday of the month at 6:30 pm in Los Angeles on the northeast corner of Wilshire Blvd and Western Ave. For more information check out the website www.lacriticalmass.org. In San Francisco there is also a Critical Mass group ride. The San Francisco Critical meets at 5:30pm, at Justin Herman Plaza (foot of Market Street). You can find more information about it at: www.sfcriticalmass.org.
Cycling is healthy, fun and exciting but it also important to be aware that safety should always be considered first whenever riding your bicycle. Before riding, always make sure to wear a helmet to reduce the risks of injuries in case of an accident. Also, make sure that your bicycle has at least one working brake, bright front and rear lights so that you are visible to motorists, pedestrians and other cyclists. If you are riding at night make sure that you have a bright front light on your bicycle so that you can see the road in front of you.