Cycling away depression

When 5,000 people were asked what helped with depression, exercise came out as the most effective. But what if you are one of those people who find the idea of exercise a turn off? What if there was a way of getting out and about, and getting exercise, without it feeling like exercise?​

When I think of exercise, I think of going to a gym, swimming, or jogging. I have  done these things in the past. I find that while I like the feeling of better fitness, I don't really enjoy the activity. And importantly I find I have to make time out of my day to do them, so I don't keep them up.

This is what happens for lots of people. For many people, exercise is more a question of finding something you enjoy doing, which also involves being active. Cycling for me is one of those activities. 

So why cycle?

It's a practical alternative to driving or walking. 

If I drive, I usually end up queuing in traffic, struggling to find a parking space, and then I am still some distance from where I need to get to. By the time I have done all that in a car, I will have already locked my bike up pretty much right outside where I am going. 

Over short distances, 3 miles or less, cycling around town is as quick, if not quicker than driving. Even over longer distances there is often very little in it. I have a weekly 6 mile commute to another office, and because of traffic there is about a 5 minute time difference. Also parking is scarce and costs a fortune.

Apart from never having to pay for parking, the other important point is that cycling is more relaxing than driving. On a bike, I can look about and take in the scenery more. I am also very rarely if ever held up by traffic. This feature of cycling - a feeling of always being on the move - is much pleasanter than the frustration of stop start when I'm driving.

In my previous job, being able to get on my bike, and cycle out the stress was really useful in helping me cope with difficult working conditions. If I had driven home, the rush hour traffic would have tended to add to my stress. 

For short journeys, cycling is as quick, often more convenient, cheaper, more relaxing, and you will be getting some of that all important exercise.

Mindfulness on a bike

You can also be mindful while you are cycling. I find the following practices helpful in enabling me to cycle 'mindfully'.

• Visual Awareness Focus your eyes on the 'vanishing point' - this is the furthest bit of road or pavement you can see. Now without moving your eyes extend your awareness out to your surroundings as far as you can.

• Body Awareness While maintaining your attention on the road/pavement ahead, allow your awareness to extend into your body. A good place to start is noticing the pulsing in the muscles of your legs, or the contact of your feet with the pedals. You may also find that you can extend your awareness into the bike, getting a sense of its movement, and its contact with the road. 

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The practicalities 

If you are thinking about cycling and are not sure whether it is for you, then you may want to consider getting some training. You may also consider this if you are nervous about cycling and want to improve your confidence. The My Journey website have a list of fully qualified National Standards Instructors in the Southampton area.

Getting the right bike

​Just as a car is designed for different purposes, so are bicycles. A bike intended for riding over rocky trails will be very different to a bike meant to be ridden fast on smooth roads.

The best bike for most people is something known as a hybrid, which is a mix between a racing road bike and a trail bike. Hybrids are good for riding along rough paths, and over poor road surfaces, while still being reasonably quick on the road. They generally have a more comfortable upright position with flat bars. They can also be fitted with practical things like mudguards and pannier racks. 

If you are unsure of what to get, the best way to buy a bike is to go to a local bike shop, and ask them to help you. Tell them what you want to use the bike for, and your budget. You can get a good quality bike for between £200 and £400. This will also give you an opportunity to have a test ride to check the bike works for you. The cycle shop should set the bike up for you, and fit any other items such as mudguards or racks you might want. 

Where to ride

​The single biggest concern for most people is riding in traffic.

There are two kinds of safety which are important. One is objective safety - this is the safety which looks at accident risk. Looking at it this way, cycling, even on the road is a very safe activity, safer by some measures than walking. 

The other kind is subjective safety. This is how safe you feel, and most people feel very unsafe when a bigger and faster vehicle approaches from behind and sweeps by too closely. Feeling safe is as important as being safe - cycling is meant to be relaxing and fun, and if it isn't there is little point doing it. 

• Road Cycling is as safe as using a cycle lane, although it often feels less safe. Riding on the road requires the same kind of discipline as you would driving a car. You are most at risk, where the driver hasn't seen you and crosses your path - always pay more attention when you are approaching junctions, especially if there are cars waiting to turn, or move off. The other kind of accident which is very common is being doored by someone getting out of a parked car - so you should always leave enough room when passing lines of cars.  It's a good idea to get some cycle training if you are thinking about riding on the road. 

• Cycle lanes come in a variety of different forms. Many are simply sections of pavement which are shared with pedestrians. Cycle routes may also exist across public parks. Cycle lanes are usually more pleasant than being on the road. Things to bear in mind are that people when they walk are a lot less disciplined than when they drive - they will do things like amble across a cycle path without looking first. Children and dogs often make unpredictable and sudden movements. You should slow down when passing, and it's a good idea when approaching people from behind to let them know you are coming. Your greatest risk comes when the cycle lane ends and you have to cross a road - you should take the same care crossing as you would if you were walking. 

• Pavement cycling While it is illegal to cycle on a pavement which doesn't have a blue shared use sign, people do regularly cycle on the pavement. While the police are allowed to use their discretion, and are less likely to issue a fine if you are riding sensibly and carefully, this is no guarantee against getting a ticket. If you do choose to cycle on the pavement to avoid a fast and busy road, it's good practice to be prepared to dismount when passing pedestrians. Footnote #1

You can find out about cycle routes from your local council, who will often produce cycle maps of the area, such as this one by Southampton City Council. I quite like using Google Maps, which will create a route using available cycle paths, such as this one from Eastleigh to Southampton. 

What to wear

You do not need to kit yourself out in lycra to ride a bicycle. The reason cycle clothing is so figure hugging has more to do with improved aerodynamics for racing cyclists, than anything else.  Their other advantage is that unlike cotton, synthetic fabrics do not absorb moisture, so they are more comfortable when you sweat. Padded lycra shorts can be worth wearing if you are thinking of doing longer distances as it will reduce saddle soreness.

All you really need are clothes which allow you freedom of movement for your legs, and your hands to comfortably reach the handlebars, which is most clothing. You might want to avoid wearing jeans, which can be heavy, while the slim cut versions can restrict your leg movements.

​With footwear you want shoes which allow you to place the ball of your foot on the centre of the pedal, and won't slip off easily, which is pretty much any rubber soled shoe or trainer. 

If you intend to ride in the rain, you will want good quality waterproofs. It's a good idea to make sure they are as lightweight as possible,  because they will tend to make you hot. 

If you are riding in cold weather you will need insulating gloves for your hands, and if it is very cold some kind of protection for your face. For your body, keeping warm is all about windproofing rather than insulation. It has to get really cold before I even need to put a jumper on underneath my waterproof. 

Should you wear a helmet?

The answer to this question is not as clear cut as it first appears. A properly fastened cycle helmet will offer good, though not complete protection in the event you fall off your bike and hit your head on the road.

Early studies on cycle helmets showed clear protective effects, which led to various nations, such as the USA and Australia, bringing in compulsory helmet laws. This paradoxically had no effect on injury rates, which in some cases rose, even though cycling rates universally fell after the introduction of legislation.

No one is completely sure why this is. If you are interested in this area cyclehelmets.org offers summaries of the main research. 

When it comes to avoiding injury, how safely you ride is many times more important than whether or not you wear a helmet. 

Looking after your bike

Bicycles are generally pretty tolerant and durable, unless you ride them off road through mud and muck, which will tend to break them pretty quickly. 

However you ride, your three main routine maintenance tasks are ,

• Tyres lose pressure over time and need pumping up. I find I have to do this weekly. A track pump makes this job quicker and easier. Whilst you are doing this you can also give the tyre a once over for damage. 

• Brake pads wear with use, and most types will need to be periodically adjusted.  It goes without saying that making sure your brakes are working properly is essential to safe cycling. This video explains how to adjust the most common type of brake.  

• Lubrication Unless your chain is completely enclosed by a chain guard it will need lubricating regularly. How frequently depends on how often you ride in the rain. Periodically lubricating the 'pivot' points on the brake/gear levers, brakes, and gears can also help to keep your bike running smoothly. If you do lubricate the brakes, make sure you don't get grease or oil on the pads or wheel rims. 

Depending on how you ride and look after your bike, the chain, brake pads, and tires will typically last somewhere between 3 and 4,000 miles before they need replacing. If you are not mechanically minded your local bike shop can service your bike for you.

Fixing a puncture is one task that's worth learning how to do yourself,  and this video by Jules from Evans Cycles offers a good explanation of how to go about this.   

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I have talked about cycling and depression because cycling is something I know quite a lot about. If cycling isn't for you, maybe you have some ideas on how to incorporate an everyday activity which also means being physically active into your routine.

If you are thinking about cycling and want to find out some more about how to get into cycling, you may find these beginner articles of interest,

Getting started cycling by NHS choices
Cycling for Beginners? Start Here! by Bike Radar
Articles for Beginning Cycling by cycling legend Sheldon Brown
​The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Bicycling by Bicycling
​Getting into Bicycling by rei.com

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Footnote #1 Is it illegal to cycle on the pavement?

It is illegal to cycle on the 'footway', and you can be issued with a fixed penalty notice. A 'footway' is defined as the pavement running alongside the carriageway, so footpaths set away from the road are not covered.

When the law was changed to introduce fixed penalty notices in 1999, Paul Boateng the minister responsible said that, "The introduction of the fixed penalty is not aimed at responsible cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of the traffic, and who show consideration to other pavement users." So the police can use their discretion when issuing fixed penalty notices, and this is dependent on the stance of the Chief Constable in your area.

Paul Boeteng's guidance was again reiterated in 2014 by Peter Goodwill, the minister for cycling, following the issuing of 1,200 tickets for pavement cycling under Operation Safeway conducted by the Metropolitan Police.

There is a very good summary of the law regarding bicycle use on bikehub.co.uk/cycling and the law

main picture by Unsplash