The research includes 87 studies from 19 countries and confirms that the bicycle is one of the most effective tools for improving the quality of life in cities.
We live in a moment where the challenges related to mental and physical health are becoming increasingly difficult while the average level of physical activity remains low (gym bros and run clubs aside, which still remain a noisy minority, both on social media and offline). It therefore becomes essential to identify affordable and effective ways to improve people’s psychophysical conditions, initiatives that can be replicated every day, possibly for a lifetime. A study that brought together 87 different researches conducted in 19 countries identified cycling – in its broadest sense of “riding a bike” – as one of the keys to psychological, social, emotional, and cognitive well-being.
The conclusions published in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living confirm what anyone who has ever taken a long or short bike ride on a beautiful day has probably already suspected: riding a bike is good for the brain as well as the body. Scientifically proven benefits include improvements in reaction times, attention, and cognitive functions associated with concentration, reduction of stress, improvement of mood, and expansion of social networks (that is: it helps to make friends and friendship is beneficial). Riding a bike outdoors – so no, if you use a stationary bike at home it’s not the same thing – and several times a week is an activity that all research shows has beneficial effects, provided it is done without excessive effort (slow and steady wins the race, once again science merely confirms what popular wisdom has long stated). The challenge is therefore to “broaden access and address disparities, both fundamental steps to realize the full potential of cycling in improving lives, beyond transportation and leisure,” explains Cian Brown, a professor at the University of Arkansas who collaborated on the project.
The point that the research emphasizes is the scalability of cycling. Riding a bike does not require expensive facilities, does not require gym memberships, works as active transportation as well as a sport, and the benefits accumulate over time with consistency rather than intensity. The limitation that the research acknowledges is that there is still insufficient data on young people, the elderly, and disadvantaged communities, precisely the populations that would most benefit from scalable and affordable public health interventions. The bicycle as a public health tool works in contexts where cycling is possible. This requires infrastructure, road safety, and access. The research shows that it is worth building them and that those in charge should start constructing.
This is demonstrated by research from World Weather Attribution, which analyzed climate data from 854 cities in 30 European countries.
