Over the years we have seen many articles on Finding Joy on a Bicycle. We wanted to share a couple of those articles with you here. For those that already love riding this information will come as no surprise to you. For those new to biking we hope you find encouragement in them.
Why cycling makes us happy: the positive psychology of being on the bike
Cycling is a beautiful sport. We hear it all the time. We experience it when we ride and race. For the ever-increasing number of us that have caught the cycling bug, we know how happy cycling makes us.
But what is it that makes us love cycling so much? Why are we so compulsively drawn to it? Why does cycling make us happy in a way that perhaps tennis, or swimming, or soccer can’t?
The science of positive psychology investigates what makes life most worth living. Cycling seems to possess an array of attributes that boost happiness in ways that few other sports can claim. While many other sports may possess a small handful of these attributes, it seems that cycling may be one of very few that has them all.
Click here for full article and 15 reasons cycling makes us happy!
The Liberating Joy of Riding A Bike
The last bike I owned had high handlebars, a white banana seat adorned with flower-power stickers, and something stuck in the spokes to make clicking noises as I rode along. That was in 1970 when I was eleven. I have ridden a bike a few times since then, mostly on family vacations with one kid strapped to my bike and the other two wobbling in front of me. It was more like being a refugee than a free spirit.
But this time it’s different. This time it feels like being a kid when I had complete freedom to zip along and get from here to there in lightning speed. Riding a bike is fun and wildly liberating. I’d forgotten how much fun it was until I climbed back on.
Why does riding a bike make us feel so good?
The obvious answer is cycling boosts your mood in the same way all physical exercise makes you happy “by influencing the release and uptake of chemicals in your brain that make you feel good” according to the Mental Health Foundation UK. They cite a study, which shows that physical exercise makes you feel “more content, more awake and calmer” and the positive effect on mood was most pronounced if you were feeling especially low to start with.
We hope you have enjoyed these articles and find more time to bike and be happy.
To get more “bank for your happiness buck” try a biking vacation with family owned and operated Great Bike Tours. Our family-run company offers a wide range of active vacations to suit every taste and ability.
To learn more about our trips and to check out our trip schedule visit https://greatbiketours.com/
