Why is cycling the most efficient mode of transport?
If you want to travel quicker, diminish those parking worries, save money and the environment then hop on your bike and let the efficiency commence. Want to know how, just take a look at the facts….
Rush hour: You are 5-8mph faster than motorised vehicles
Commute by bike in the UK’s major cities and you’ll get there in half the time of other road users. In fact, if you drive in Cardiff’s rush hour, you’ll spend over 30 minutes going absolutely nowhere and average just 7mph, compared to averaging around 12-15mph while cycling.
You travel around three times as fast as walking
For the same amount of energy and that’s with taking into account the ‘fuel’ (food) you put in your ‘engine’ (stomach), you travel three times faster by bike than by walking.
Humans on bikes move more efficiently than any other creature on earth
In terms of energy efficiency, on bikes humans have even surpassed natural evolution: to move 1kg of body mass 1km, a cyclist on a normal bike uses only 0.136 calories while a seagull uses 1.433 calories to travel the same distance. More information here.
Saves the planet and forests
One car can take up the space big enough for 20 bicycles. Only 5% of the energy and materials used to build a car is all it takes to build an entire bike. Also less rubber is involved which prevents the clearing of forests for rubber plantation.
Featured photo © Toby Jacobs via flickr carltonreid CC BY 2.0
Cycling can burn 600 calories an hour
The efficiency in which the body burns calories and fat is not only raised during a ride, but for several hours afterwards. Even after cycling for 30 minutes, you’ll burn a higher amount of calories for a few hours after you stop.
You live longer
If you cycle regularly your fitness level is 10 years younger. And, as a study recently revealed you are 40% less likely to die early. Biking a few times a week reduces blood pressure and stress while increasing your energy and elevating your overall mood.
50% of all car trips in the EU 15 are shorter than 6 km
A distance that can well be cycled. If just 30% of car journeys below 6 km were replaced by bicycle trips, there would be a 4% reduction in CO2 emissions from road traffic.
Our conclusion
Cycling does amazing things. It is beneficial to our health and well-being and it will get you to work quicker than your colleagues who are driving. With so many positive and inspiring facts, it’s no doubt that cycling is efficiently better, not just for us but for our environment.
Featured Photo © Toby Jacobs via flickr carltonreid CC BY 2.0
