Providing a healthy and enjoyable method of travel, biking continues to be a popular modern-day hobby in the global fitness industry for all age groups.
The hobby of biking has a big presence in many peoples’ lives, and as summer grows near, the world is experiencing a resurgence in avid and amateur bikers.
Many people, however, were introduced to cycling at a very young age, due in part to their parents.
“I got into biking when my parents bought me my first bike,” sophomore Nick Diamond said.
Diamond said that his parents taught him how to ride without training wheels and that, ever since, he’s been “obsessed with trying to push the boundaries.”
While parents are a standard commonality in why people start biking, avid bikers tend to stick with the hobby for many different reasons; numerous health benefits being a popular one among many others.
According to technology education teacher Bryan Ruth, cardiovascular endurance and strong leg muscles are the main fitness perks. “I like [biking] for convenience, just quickly getting a good workout,” Ruth said.
Physical health isn’t the only aspect of the body being affected as many cyclists believe the hobby to have a positive effect on the brain.
“[Biking] gets you out of that lazy mindset of sitting at home,” Diamond said.
According to Ruth, any physical activity can increase your mood, not just biking.
For others, the sense of community and social opportunities among friends give them a reason to continue cycling.
“I would say biking with people is better,” junior Matthew Meehan said.
According to Meehan, messing around with friends while riding to a set destination presents a great amount of fun.
The biking community itself is one of many aspects avid bikers use to encourage more people to pick up the hobby.
“It’s really nice to just connect in the community and meet new people,” Ruth said.
According to Ruth, the community allows you to go out with many different groups and meet a great number of new people.
Others introduce newcomers to the activity through its overall enjoyability and traveling capabilities.
According to Diamond, biking provides quicker travel with friends than walking can.
“It’s a great way to get around places or just have fun,” Diamond said.
As with any hobby, biking comes with a price range; some people may find themselves confused by the many different options and prices in stores, as well as their worth.
Meehan said that the amount of money you spend is dependent on the frequency of the bike’s use.
“If you’re going to be [biking] for a rare occasion, then you don’t have to [invest more money],” Meehan said.
According to Meehan, durability comes with a price. “You get what you pay for,” Meehan said.
Along with fluctuating prices, bikes also have a number of variants to choose from in stores.
According to Ruth, road bikes are generally better with speed, while mountain bikes better handle riding on trails and BMX bikes are built more for tricks and skateparks.
“Each type of different style of biking is fun,” Ruth said.