Remember that feeling when you first learned to ride a bicycle on your own-without training wheels and without your parent’s help? If it’s hard for you to remember that feeling, maybe it’s time to get back on your bike!

Not only does bicycling give you that feeling of freedom and fun, it’s an excellent way to get healthy exercise. Thirty minutes of moderate cycling per day can reduce your risk of developing coronary heart disease, adult diabetes, obesity and hypertension.

Cycling can be an important part of any weight loss program because it burns the energy supplied by a chocolate bar (about 300 calories) in an hour. A 15-minute bike ride to and from work five times a week burns off the equivalent of 11 pounds of fat in a year.

Many people find that cycling is as good for their mental well-being as it is for their physical health. It helps you to manage stress better, and the sunshine and fresh air can boost your mood and energy level.

Choosing to commute by bicycle instead of by car is a good way to do your part in helping your community and the environment. You can feel good about reducing your negative impact on the environment by helping to reduce noise and air pollution as well as traffic congestion.

If you’re not used to cycling, you might experience some muscle fatigue at first. You’ll be surprised at how quickly your muscles get stronger, the hills seem to shrink, and your energy level rises.

Cycling is easier on the body than many other aerobic sports. Since there is low impact, cycling doesn’t put stress on your knees and other joints. In fact, as long as you use correct gearing, cycling can gently strengthen your knees. Riding in too high a gear (when it’s hard to pedal) leads to muscle pain and knee injuries. “Spinning” - or staying in a lower (easier) gear - will allow you to ride comfortably through the years.

If you’ve never really enjoyed cycling, it’s possible that you just haven’t had the right bike for your body or your needs. If you’re interested in off-road cycling or you tend to ride on rough roads, you will probably want a mountain bike. Mountain bikes can accommodate fatter tires, which are more stable and get fewer flats, and are frequently equipped with front or full suspension for bumpy trails. However, if you prefer a lighter bike or want to try some touring, you might be better off with a road bike or hybrid. The most important thing is to choose a bike that feels comfortable (to ride, not just to sit on!) and is sized correctly for you.

A bicycle that suits your needs and fits your body is essential for happy riding.

In order to have your bike adjusted to your body properly, it depends on what you want to do on your bike. But whether you are riding to the corner store or across the country, you should be comfortable on your bike. If you have neck, back, or knee pain, saddle sores, or hand or foot numbness, your bicycle probably doesn’t fit you properly. Stress and strain imposed on the body by an improper bike fit is the leading cause of cycling injuries. Every riding season, cyclists suffer from all kinds of aches and pains. In a one hour bike ride, the average cyclist completes over 3000 strokes - it’s easy to imagine how overuse injuries can result from the repetitive and excessive loading of joints and soft tissues.

Cycling should be an enjoyable experience, not a painful one. By making just a few changes to your bike you can eliminate the discomfort you may have on your bike.

A properly fitted bike that fits your unique body will not only increase comfort and prevent injuries, it will also improve performance. More experienced riders may be interested in having minor adjustments made to their bikes to become faster, more powerful and more efficient.

With a bit of effort, cycling can be a lifelong source of enjoyment, fitness and health.

It’s easy. In fact, it’s just like riding a bike!

Sue Underhill is a cycling enthusiast and physiotherapist who is offering bike fit assessments at Maximum Physiotherapy, (705) 444-3600.