wphamilton

I wonder if the health insurance company would balk. A new bike would be tempting if I was only out the insurance copay, not to mention tires, chains etc.

Daniel4

Luckily my former employer reimburses up to $200 each year per person for self and spouse on gym memberships and health & wellness programs. The benefit extends to retirees too.

gobicycling

I get a kick out of statements stating that the risk of mortality is being cut by 76% or whatever. As far as I know, all of us have a 100% risk of death. If anyone doesn't, please advise how you are doing it.

wphamilton

When I checked his link it said "Those who did at least 100 minutes a day cut their risk of early mortality by 76 per cent, according to the study." Maybe they edited it later, but when we see "risk of mortality" it usually means the risk of dying during a specific activity, or during a specific time frame. Not the risk of dying, ever.

pdlamb

There's a big difference between saying "I'm not gonna die" and "I didn't die last year." I think it's implied (if not stated baldly) in the literature that a reduction of mortality applies to the participants during the period of study. What happens when the reporters get hold of a preprint, well, strong editors who could control the stories are going the way of the dinosaurs.

canklecat

I always take a dose of salts when reading general media interpretations of medical research papers. They almost always get it wrong, usually by misinterpreting the findings, often by deliberately distorting the study for clickbait purposes.

Years ago some major local daily newspapers had medical reporters who had some background in science as well as journalism so their reports were usually credible. Few website reporters have that kind of experience anymore.

Most page one Google hits on any health topic are dominated by clickbait and woo. Here are a few examples that routinely pop up on my Facebook feed, reposted by friends.

• "Studies show a glass of wine prolongs life more effectively than exercise!"
• "Science proves 15 minutes of mindfulness more effective than exercise in prolonging a healthy life!"

Those, along with the preposterous claims for cannabis curing cancer, (rather than simply making the discomfort more bearable), mostly amount to lazy stoner wishful thinking. "You mean I can just vape THC or drink wine and *think* about exercising, and it's just as good as walking, running or riding a bike? I'm in! Heck, maybe I'll even watch a yoga video on YouTube!"

bogydave

I like reading how things I do are good for me,
but realize,
marketing the "Fountain of youth"
is & has sold lots of snake oils over the centuries.

We ride because we want to. It fits our lifestyles.
What ever the reason is to make you want to ,
is good enough for you (and me).

Like gobicycling said above
"all of us have a 100% risk of death."

Many of us work toward both,
Quality & quantity

canklecat

Even though I'm skeptical of woo, I'm always open to correction when evidence is available.

GABA (gamma-Aminobutyric acid) is an example. For years anecdotes claimed some pain and stress relief effects from various natural ingredients and products from natural ingredients, ranging from hops in beer (in addition to the alcohol content), to cannabis to valerian root to kava, and other plants. Turns out they all share certain pharmacology and, along with prescription drugs like valproates (Depakote, etc.) and gabapentin have proven effective with many patients in relieving a variety of symptoms ranging from chronic pain to stress to improved cognitive ability (possibly due to enhancing sleep quality) to preventing seizures, migraines and other seemingly unrelated disorders.

So while my pothead friends are probably grasping at straws by claiming their herb of preference is a magical cure for everything from cancer to drought, there is some evidence supporting some beneficial properties for some conditions.

Coincidentally I've noticed that the strongly hoppy beers brewed by a friend's microbrewery make me unusually sleepy and relaxed, totally apart from the alcohol content, and quickly relieve my aching neck, back and knees after long bike rides. Unfortunately I'm also allergic to hops and one or two pints of those same beers make my eyes and sinuses swell, so I need to be up on my antihistamines and decongestants. Before last year I'd never made the connection between beer hops (humulus) and the old term "hophead" for cannabis users. While the psychoactive ingredients aren't the same, they do share some characteristics that scientists are still researching.

So I'm skeptical of woo but open to evidence. And I try not to disparage personal experience. If someone claims some benefit from a product, practice or experience, and it does no harm and isn't connected to some sort of scam, and isn't prodding them with secret messages to smite unbelievers, then may the giant rainbow glittery unicorns of the ether smile upon them.

rydabent

It really must be true in my case. Strictly a summer rider since I am in the snow belt, I ave about 2500 miles a year. I usually ride about 30 miles every other day.

Oh and yes I turn 80 this year, and still can do pretty much anything I want to. Again if you set you rust.

linberl

My health insurance includes a gym and I did that for a while but it was sooooo boring. I clearly need to be outdoors to enjoy exercising. First I started to ride for exercise, then I added in short errands, now I'm car-free (except when I have a passenger) and biking is an integral part of my life. No bike, no groceries, lol. Riding has almost completely eliminated my back pain from bulging discs (comes back if I skip more than a day or two). It has improved my mental health immensely; people have commented how much more upbeat I am. I get up in the morning and no matter what else is planned for the day, I look forward to walking my dog and riding my bike. It's not really helping me lose those 10 lbs I don't want, but it keeps me from gaining more, so that's okay. I have several neighbors around my same age (mid-60's) and I see them shuffle down the street, barely able to walk to gentle yoga. I'm gonna go kiss my bike now =).

OldsCOOL

I thought powerlifting would be the exercise to stay with as I had my whole life out of highschool until I rediscovered the open road 10 years ago. Now that I’m 60 I’m glad to have chosen cycling as the activity to carry me through later years. Fitness? Ask my doctor. I have made him a believer (I am a type 1 diabetic most my life).