Why do people ride a bike? It was a question the bike industry desperately needed to answer back in 1992 when Bicycle Warehouse started. A study was commissioned to get the answers. Several thousand people were surveyed who rode bikes and as you can imagine there were several hundred different answers. The responses were separated into categories and then distilled down to a brief description.
Freedom
The overwhelming winner was freedom. Thinking back to when you were a kid growing up and a bike meant absolute freedom. It expanded your horizons from walking distance of a few blocks to several miles with your bike. You could check out new things and places which fueled your curiosity for even more exploration.
In today's terms it's more like freedom from the demands of everyday life. Your bike has the ability to take you to another place. A place of mental relaxation where your primary thoughts are of just riding and checking out your surroundings. What a different world you see and experience from the seat of your bike. Things slow down a bunch and you get to enjoy it more. A lot more sights and sounds to enjoy. Stuff you never see zooming by in your car. Little things along the road in your neighborhood or big things like seeing an entirely new neighborhood, your view changes and so does your appreciation.
Now you know why our motto is "It's your world, Ride it".
Fitness
Duh, it should go without saying but here it goes anyway. Cycling is one of the best ways to improve your fitness and health. Unless of course you fall off your bike in which case you should learn to tuck and roll (they should teach this in school :). Do you really need proof on this topic? If so, just google it; you'll find lots of articles. Safe to say it helps you burn more calories then sitting in your car. In fact, 89% of people who ride bikes report a healthy love life, which is a statistic I totally made up for this blog post.
Riding gets the blood pumping which increases your cardio health. Your heart gets a work out and gets stronger. You purge toxins from your system much faster which helps you keep a healthier immune system. Hey, just getting less colds is a good enough reason to ride your bike regularly.
Oh, by the way did we mention it makes you look "marvelous"
Fun
Here's a challenge, try riding your bike and not smile. Go ahead try it. I challenge you to not smile. Oh sure, you can prove me wrong by not smiling outwardly but you will totally be smiling on the inside.
Fun means different things to different people. For some it's a casual ride to the local coffee stop while others have fun from pushing themselves through a "sufferfest" ride that makes them feel accomplished. Whatever your version it's hard to deny that riding a bike is pure fun.
Go ahead and be a kid again and have some fun on your bike today. You'll be glad you did.
Mike S. aka: "Simmons" and my favorite "Debbe's Husband"
