The most important reason to ride a bicycle.

Well, you know a few reasons. Unless you live in an overcrowded city filled with pollution-inducing vehicles and smoke, it’s good for your lungs and legs and overall body goodness.

The Better Health Channel lists in great detail the benefits to the rider. It also lists ‘mental health’ somewhere near the bottom and I’d argue that this benefit should be number one on the list. THIS is the most important reason.

After over 25 years of not riding a bike (am I really that old?), I’ve taken it up again. Admittedly not as a daily habit or because I didn’t have any other transport, but because I was curious. Could I literally ‘get back on the bike again’? Was it just ‘as easy as riding a bike’? Turns out it was. But even better. With the wind in my hair (more like breeze on my cheeks – as the helmet hinders the hair experience) and gliding (more like too tired to pedal) through our local streets, I felt buoyed and excited.

On a bicycle, you live in the moment. Ever watchful and careful of your surroundings, the road/path, vehicles, pedestrians and unleashed dogs (or wandering kids), the rest of the stuff and gunk and concerns in your mind just go. I’m not sure where they go to, but they go (or at least pause). Riding a bicycle is an incredibly freeing pursuit and sits alongside meditation when it comes to mindfulness and being present.

So, sure, ride a bike because it’s good for your heart, muscles, co-ordination and reducing health problems, but most importantly, pedal your way to power (of the mind, that is). If you can’t buy one, then borrow one. If you don’t know how, then ask someone to teach you.

Go on. You can handle this.