Pedaling Perks

Robert Traphan cycled for recreation and transportation growing up through grade school, and in college, to get around his Connecticut campus. But after his bike was stolen prior to moving to Montgomery, it was years before he purchased another one (in 2007)—and when he started riding with the Montgomery Bicycle Club. For the past 15 years, he has ridden regularly.

He does this for the camaraderie, the health benefits reaped and for both the increase in mental and physical strength. Traphan, who has served as president of the MBC since September 2016, said cycling has helped him lose weight.

“Cycling improves cardiovascular health,” he said. “It can lower blood pressure and strengthen your heart. As you cycle more, your muscles will also strengthen, which will make walking and climbing stairs easier. An added bonus of increased muscle mass is that it will increase your metabolism, which can be beneficial with your efforts to maintain a healthy weight and a healthy BMI [body mass index].”

Other health positives provided by cycling include decreased stress levels, prevention of and management of disease, improved joint mobility and strengthened bones. Both road and trail cycling can also improve balance and coordination and increase brain power.

"The noise of the pedals, chain and gears while riding can be very relaxing."

“Although cycling primarily uses the leg muscles, if you practice proper posture while cycling, you can also strengthen your core muscles in your abdomen and back,” Traphan said. “Proper head posturewill also help strengthen your upper back and neck muscles.”

Mentally, cycling offers the chance to socialize when on group rides or to meditate and destress when on a solo ride, he said. Group rides include time with Bruce Herbitter, an avid cyclist and founder of the Prattville Bike Shop. Herbitter noted the mental escape and stress relief that can come from sharing the experience.

“Riding with others promotes a sense of belonging and strengthens emotional and mental health,” he said. “The noise of the pedals, chain and gears while riding can be very relaxing.” He said fitness improvement is rapid in cycling—with regular riding. Your resting heart rate will go down, although not as much as runners, he notes. Legs become muscular, but not bulky as a weightlifter’s would. “Your backside gets smaller, (and) on an upright bike, core shoulders and armsalso get a workout. And on a recumbent, just legs.”

If you’re new to fitness or coming back from an injury or illness, you can cycle at a low intensity, according to an article on healthline.com. As you become more fit, you can increase the intensity or continue to cycle at a chill pace.

GET GOING  Visit the Montgomery Bicycle Club at mgmbikeclub.org for road bike routes in Pintlala, Montgomery County and Prattville. Check out Montgomery MultiSport Group Rides, a public page on Facebook, for more routes and group rides. And mark your calendar for the Glassner Autumn Challenge on October 22 on the campus of Alabama State University. Find details on Montgomery Bike Club site.

Studies have shown that even sedentary people reap the health benefits of cycling, so it can be a great introduction for exercise novices. Cycling can ease feelings of depression or anxiety, as focusing on
the road or your cadence when cycling can help you develop concentration and awareness of the present moment.

Herbitter began riding in 2001, after becoming overweight and out of shape. Cycling has helped him stay fit, connected to the community and has allowed him to enjoy miles and miles of countryside.

“Bikes build bridges across all sorts of divides,” he said. “When (you) ride with someone, you are more likely to be able to talk about differences in a nonadversarial way. I use time on a bike for relaxing my mind, while exercising my body."

FIND YOUR PATH
Alabama has a long list of bike trails to traverse, both paved and more rugged.

SWAYBACK TRAIL:
Generally considered a moderately challenging route, this 8.7-mile loop trail near Wetumpka takes an average of 3 hours and 5 minutes to complete. This is a very popular area for hiking, mountain biking and trail running, so you’ll likely encounter other people while exploring. alltrails.com

OAK MOUNTAIN STATE PARK:
In this state park in Birmingham, there are approximately 30 miles (and growing) of mountain biking trails, with a mix of mostly single track and some double track trail with about 1,600 feet of combined climbing on the main loop.  alapark.com

CHEWACLA STATE PARK:
From 1 mile to 8 miles, the trails in this Auburn park offer rock gardens, short climbs, flat loops and wind past waterfalls and lakes. Chewacla has a great partnership with Central Alabama Mountain Pedalers that offers a great trail system to the public.   alapark.com

LAGOON PARK TRAIL:
Located on 176 acres, the Lagoon Park Trail offers miles of natural-surface, single-track and double-track paths for bicycling and walking, running, bird watching and photography. lagoonparktrail.com

CHIEF LADIGA TRAIL:
Nicely paved from the trailhead near Anniston to the Alabama/Georgia state line, this inviting trail calls travelers of all types, including inline skaters, bikers, recumbent riders, wheelchair users, hikers and even equestrians.  alltrails.com