Health and Fitness
The Ride After No Sleep: What New Cycling Research Says About One Bad Night
The Pre-Race Jitters It is a familiar scene for almost every dedicated rider: staring at the ceiling the night before a major ride or race, watching the hours slip away, and mentally calculating how little rest you are going to get. The anxiety about poor sleep can sometimes be worse than the fatigue itself. But how much does one bad night actually ruin your ride? A recent 2026 study in the European Journal of Applied ... Read more
When the Air Turns Orange: The New Rulebook for Riding Through Heat and Wildfire Smoke
There is a moment every summer rider knows now: the day begins bright, the route is loaded, and then the horizon takes on an unfamiliar color. The question is no longer simply, “How far are we going?” It is, “Should we go at all?” By: Gary Robinson, Avid Cyclist The first clue is not always an alert on a phone. Sometimes it is the light. The mountains that were crisp yesterday have softened behind a ... Read more
When Is It Too Hot to Ride? A Cyclist’s Heat-Stress Warning-Sign Guide
Cycling in the summer sun can be exhilarating, but it also comes with inherent risks, especially when temperatures soar. For many enthusiasts, the question of when is it too hot to cycle isn’t just a matter of comfort, but one of safety. Pushing your limits in extreme heat can lead to serious health complications, from dehydration to heatstroke. This guide will help you understand the warning signs your body sends and equip you with strategies ... Read more
Study Shows that Riding a Bike can Reverse Heart Damage
Exercise can reverse damage to sedentary, aging hearts and help prevent risk of future heart failure, according to a new study by UT Southwestern and Texas Health Resources The study, published in the journal Circulation, analysed the hearts of 53 adults aged 45-64 who were healthy but had no history of exercising regularly. The study’s participants were divided into two groups, with one following an aerobic exercise routine that progressed in intensity over the two years ... Read more
Younger adults are car-dependent, but more likely to switch to active travel, new study finds
By: Megan Huws, Roadcc Younger adults in rapidly growing cities are more car-dependent than older generations, but could be quicker to move to active travel if conditions improve, new research suggests. The study, Generational differences in active travel: Estimation, decomposition, and policy implications, explores how age, environmental and socioeconomic factors shape commuting habits in an urban context. Based on data from more than 1,000 residents in Chengdu, China, it was found that younger people are currently ... Read more
10 Facts About Cycling to Work That Will Encourage You to Ride Even More
Lately, cycling to work has moved from a niche pastime to a noticeable trend among city residents looking for healthier, more sustainable ways of living. There’s a different feeling when you arrive by bike versus driving — I noticed a little extra spring in my step on days I biked into the office. It turns out there’s plenty of research and insight that backs this up. I wanted to dig a bit deeper and uncover ... Read more
The Simplest Strength Plan That Actually Works for Cyclists
For years, the cycling world has treated strength training like a complicated math problem. Cyclists have obsessed over periodization schemes, time under tension, free weights versus machines, and whether training to absolute failure is necessary. The result? Most riders either skip the gym entirely or spend weeks researching the “perfect” plan before ever picking up a weight. New science is here to cut through all of that noise. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) ... Read more
Do E-bikes Count as Exercise, Or Are They Just a Fun Ride?
By: American Heart Association Anyone who’s sweated their way up a hill on a traditional bicycle can understand the appeal of an electric bike, or e-bike. Who wouldn’t want a boost to get to the top? This probably explains why hundreds of thousands of e-bikes are now sold in the U.S. every year. “They basically feel like you have a tailwind the entire time,” said Dr. James Peterman, a researcher and data analyst in Boulder, ... Read more
The Ultimate Performance Enhancer: Why Sleep is a Cyclist’s Best Friend
By: Gary Robinson, AvidCyclist.com You have dialed in your training plan, perfected your macronutrient ratios, and invested in the lightest, stiffest bike components. You might even be diligent about your strength and conditioning routine. But if your sleep quality is poor, you are leaving significant performance gains on the table. Sleep is arguably the most critical tool in a cyclist’s performance arsenal, yet it remains the most neglected. Recent data suggests that up to half ... Read more
Ride Away the Years: How Cycling Can Combat Aging’s Challenges
We know cycling boosts our physical health as we age but can it also help us come to terms with getting older? By Nick Christian If you haven’t heard of American tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, count yourself lucky. At the same time, we apologise, because this is where your run of fortune ends. The lengths Johnson is reported to have gone to in an attempt to extend his time on earth include a daily cocktail ... Read more
