Pedal power
According to the old adage, you never forget how to ride a bike. So why do we stop? One lifelong cyclist believes it’s the best possible exercise for those of a certain age…
by CHRIS SIDWELLS
Got to admit it, I’ve become a bit of a cycling evangelist. Cycling was my sport when I was young, it’s been my transport, and now I’m in my sixties it’s my workout and meditation. And I find cycling just as joyful as I did as a kid; there’s something about it that sucks you in. Once you master matching gear shifts to terrain, you sink into a natural rhythm.
There is a grace in pedalling; it’s a natural, flowing movement that is kind to your body, working major muscle groups without putting pressure on your knees and ankles. The low risk of injury means cycling is ideal exercise as we age.
‘Cycling creates very little “eccentric” force, when muscle fibres contract while lengthening, unlike running or sports involving running,’ says physiotherapist Phil Burt, who has worked with Tour de France and Olympic cyclists. ‘In many years of my practice I’ve treated more musculoskeletal injuries in sports involving running than I have in cycling.’ His experience is backed by science: a 2020 review found that muscle and joint injuries made up only 2-17.5% of all reported road cycling injuries and illnesses.