For most of us, cycling is a distant, even obscure sport. We know very little, if anything, about it. While a bicycle is a familiar object, one we learn to ride as children and continue to enjoy time on as adults, it is not often one we associate with athletic activity. Super athlete Lance Armstrong has brought some attention to the sport in recent years with his superior performance at the Tour de France and other cycling events. Nevertheless, it remains low on the radar of most sports fans around the world.
The lack of attention paid to cycling does not reflect a lack of importance or deserving. In fact, the sport is extremely interesting to follow and truly beneficial to practice.
The bike itself was invented as a means of transport. Beyond the function of getting riders from one place to another, it also serves as a primary piece of equipment in sport and athletics.
The earliest races took place in the 19th century, with large races becoming popular in the 1890s curing the “Golden Age of Cycling” in Europe. In fact, cycling was a quite popular sport until the mid-20th century. Today, cycling is largely known for the Tour de France, which started in 1903. It is featured in the Olympics, giving viewers another chance to experience it. Beyond these two events, however, it is a minority sport.
There are various racing formats for cycling. Road races, for example, involve both teams and individuals and are contested in a number of ways. They may last just one day or include several stages. Track racing is lesser known but also takes place throughout the year in Velodromes. In recent years, mountain bike racing has become increasingly popular and is now an Olympic sport.
Nowadays, cycling is moving beyond the world of professional racers and becoming popular among a wide array of amateur athletes and sports enthusiasts. It is an excellent way to spice up a cardio work-out.
Research has linked cycling, like most physical activity, to an overall increase in physical and mental health. The time, effort and money put into starting out in the world of cycling will be returned to the individual manifold.
Cycling is primarily a cardiovascular activity, much like running, swimming and rowing. It differs from similar cardio work-outs is in that it is low-impact and therefore much easier on joints and bones than, for example, jogging. Cyclers burn calories and fat during work-outs (though how many calories are burned depends largely upon effort) and is a great cardio alternative for those with arthritis, past sports injuries or problems with obesity.
Those looking to try out cycling for the first time will be happy to know that they have both indoor and outdoor options available to them. Spin classes are available in almost all gyms, and sporting goods stores sell bikes year-round.
If you don’t know much about cycling yet, it may be time to start doing some research. Check your TV Guide to find out when an event will be featured on ESPN or another sports channel, and head to your local bike shop to see what equipment it has to offer. You may be surprised to find out how much you enjoy this lesser-known sport.
Damian Papworth loves cycling, both as a leisure past-time and in weekend competition. He understands how important hydration in cycling is so he launched the Cycling Water Bottle website. You can visit it at http://cyclingwaterbottleshop.com
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