Here Is Why You Should Fall In Love With Off-Road Cycling
Off-road cycling is perfect for those seeking freedom while wanting to get a full-body workout at the same time. If you’re one of them, then you should definitely fall in love with this outdoor sport.
With the Tour de France running on TV every year, it is difficult not to develop a strong sense of admiration for the cycling sport. Since it combines strength and endurance with a full-body workout, we can say cycling is a complete sport.
There are not many other outdoor activities that have such an effect on the body. Running, for example, is great, but it is mostly focused on the lower body.
But cycling engages the legs, the core, the arms to control the bike, and the mind too. And you need to react fast to avoid obstacles on the road.
As a result, you might find yourself tempted by this beautiful sport. However, it can be difficult to find long distances of road where you can train without being at risk of being injured by an inattentive car driver.
There’s a solution to this problem that a lot of enthusiastic cyclists have already adopted. You can take on off-road cycling and enjoy all the sensations of riding a bike with the addition of being at one with nature.
Why Choose Off-Road Cycling?
Here is why you should fall in love with off-road cycling:
1. You Can Feel The Freedom
The world is enjoying the rebirth of the outdoor culture among sports adepts.
Jeffrey Bowman, co-editor of “The Outsiders: New Outdoor Creativity”, explains that the outdoor culture relies on being an active participant in outdoor sports from climbing, hiking to cycling.
More and more brands are developed their gear around the possibility for people to leave the beaten tracks and experience a deeper sense of freedom in the middle of nature.
As a result, it’s not uncommon to experience at the same time an adrenalin rise, that is connected to the new sense of adventure of a workout in nature.
Similarly, leaving the road behind is the best way to rediscover what it means to be free and to cycle in a natural environment.
While the road might provide a straight and clear direction, it doesn’t beat the thrive of freedom.
2. You Can Start Easily
So what do you need to start off-road cycling? The answer is dead simple: You need a bike that is designed to take you safely out of the beaten track and a helmet.
Mountains bikes are a good bet for this, as they can easily go through rough terrains while ensuring maximum comfort for the rider.
However, the choice of a bike can be tricky. So hopefully this article can help you understand better the key features of a mountain bike.
You need to focus on a mixture of:
- Comfort – we all seeking for it;
- Braking power – you want smooth braking that doesn’t throw you off balance, especially if you’re riding down the side of a mountain;
- Gear system – smooth gear change is essential here;
- Tire quality – your tires need to be thick and elastic.
Then, once you’ve decided on a bike, all you need to do is to tackle simple paths at first. A gentle ride into the forest is perfect for a beginner in off-road cycling. Then gradually you can build up your confidence for a downhill ride.
3. You’ll Get A Full-Body Workout
As we’ve said before, cycling is a great way to work out. You can improve your endurance as well as your strength, which makes it a complete workout program.
More importantly, cycling is very soft on your joints, so that contrary to sports like running, you are less likely to injure yourself as you train – unless you fall, of course.
