We are regularly told that cycling is good for us and the benefits are both physical and psychological and well documented. It is also a selfish activity. It takes up a lot of personal time, time that could be spent with family, or ticking off another item on my dreaded list of chores my wife has prepared for me.
Why is it then, as my list of things to do around the house and garden hangs ominously on the fridge door, that my wife often tells me: “Just go and ride your bike”?
According to her it’s because when I don’t ride my bike I get grumpy. I mope around the house with no real sense of purpose and the DIY still never gets done. Better that I spend an hour or two out on my bike returning with a renewed sense of vigour, albeit still not too keen on completing the household tasks, but at least I can start on them with slightly more ardour than before.
And it is the lifting of the spirits that is perhaps one of the best aspects of cycling for me. Of course there are loads of other health benefits too, but the ability of a bike ride to clear my mind is spectacular.
Even a cold, wet and windy cycle still has the ability to take the edge off a stressful day for me. Add my two dogs into the equation and I have the perfect stress relief remedy.
These benefits are clear and undisputed, but perhaps less well documented are the benefits of riding your bike with others. Unfortunately due to work commitments I don’t have regular opportunities to attend my weekly Wednesday night club ride, but when I can, I grab the chance.
Regular rides with friends, whether they be a winter night-time MTB ride, a Sunday club ride, or autumn cyclocross training sessions all have one thing in common. They are opportunities to spend time with friends.
I have never been one to meet my mates down at the pub), so the opportunities to socialise with friends are often limited.
For men in particular this can be quite an issue. Women tend to make more opportunities to gather with friends to chat and socialise. On the other hand, taking myself as a representative for the majority of the male population, I have never arranged to meet a friend in a café for a coffee and a blether, or nipped around to their house for a cuppa and a chat. Perhaps times have changed, but for my generation it is just not something that is done.
So the regular social interactions and friendship bonding offered by a regular bike ride with mates is for me a big part of cycling. It gives me the opportunity to relax and socialise that I would otherwise not have. On those Wednesday night club rides the actual cycle is only a small part of the overall picture. It is noticeable how much time is spent before and after the ride chatting to everyone.
It seems that in modern life we often short-change our friendships. We spend a lot of time working and doing chores, spending time with our family and dealing with the multitude of things that life throws at us and we increasingly limit our social interactions with friends to electronic social interactions.
This electronic isolation can only have negative effects on our health and will also impact on our family life at home. Planning anything takes great initiative and taking that initiative can be an obstacle, as there are always so many barriers that can occur when trying to plan social time with friends.
The great tradition of the regular “ride-out” that cyclists have done since the bicycle was invented overcomes that.
Considerations such as the weather, how you are felling and who can and can’t make it are all immaterial; the date and time are set and you know if you turn up there will always be someone to ride with and more importantly chat with.
Join the Blazing Saddles Strava Club at: www.strava.com/clubs/BlazingSaddlesWeekendCourier
Where to Ride? Loch Ard Sculpture Trail – OS Landranger 1:50,000 Map 57
Start/ Finish: Milton car Park Aberfoyle
Suitable for: A family ride on mainly flat forest tracks with one big hill
Distance 3.5miles 6km
Description: The sculpture trail is part of a wider network of routes around the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park and one of five mapped cycle routes in the area. There is an abundance of wildlife in the area and at first glance may seem like any other forestry plantation it is in fact home to 17 differnet species of conifer and also remanants of ancient oak forest. If that isn’t enough the carved wooden animal sculptures will add an extra dimension to a great family route.
More Info at:
https://goo.gl/JI9OrY
