Staying healthy, especially while out on the road, can be quite a chore. It’s difficult to find time to exercise when you’re always in a different city, and constantly on the move. But it doesn’t have to be difficult! Many Truckers have found that bike riding is the perfect form of exercise for their lifestyle. It’s portable, fun, and great for your health.
There are many health benefits to bicycling on a regular basis. Cycling is associated with improved cardiovascular fitness, as well as a decreased risk for coronary heart disease according to adultbicycling.com. It is excellent for toning your muscles and it is one of the few sports that are easy on your joints. It has also been known to strengthen your immune system, and could protect against certain kinds of cancers. Many truckers have found that cycling before or after driving can be relaxing. In one hour of bike riding, you can burn between 400- 600 calories. Cycling can also be good for your coordination and reflexes, and can help prevent restlessness while you’re on the road or trying to sleep.
So what kind of bicycle should you get for your truck? Well, it’s really up to you. The two main distinctions between bicycles that are great for a workout are Mountain bikes and road bikes. Do you want to fly like the wind at top speed? A road bike might be what you want. Want to head off-road into the woods, or ride on rough trails? A mountain bike might be a better fit for you. You should do a little bit of research into what kind of bike will work best for your body type and the kind of riding you’d like to do. Any local bike store should be able to help you pick out the bike that is ideal for your needs. But remember, you get what you pay for. A cheap bike will be a much lower quality than a more expensive bike from a specialty bike shop. Things like the shock mechanisms, and gear shifts may not work as well on an inexpensive bike. If you are unsure about whether biking is for you, try a cheap one first. This way you can get a good idea of whether you like it before you invest a lot of money.
When deciding where to carry your bike, remember to keep it somewhere that is easy for you to get to so you will use it! If you make it very difficult to get out you will be much less likely to make the effort. Also consider whether it is in a place where it will not get easily damaged or stolen. No matter what kind of bike you decide on you can always carry it in your trailer, or find a way to secure it behind your cab.
Recently, companies have started making foldable bicycles that may be ideal for your truck since they take up minimal space when folded. Both Trek Bikes and Citizen Bikes have several models of the folding bicycle. However, it is also possible to partly disassemble a bike in only a few minutes, and it will still fit inside your cab easily.
Now that you have all your equipment figured out, it’s time to start riding. Almost anywhere you stop you can ride along the roads off the highway and through local neighborhoods. Sometimes it’s nice to get away from traffic and ride through the woods or by a lake. In most cities across the U.S. there are parks with trails specifically designed for bikers. A few truckers even got together and created a website with a list of safe places to park your truck and go ride. The website is called Ride&Roll. There are many trails throughout the Midwest and east coast. If you’re in an area where this map does not list any, you can also easily look up trails in the area on the internet.
Biking is a great sport for truckers since it is so versatile. Not only is it portable and fun, it’s great for both beginners and experts. Staying healthy is important and bicycling is good for both physical and mental health. Give it try and tell us what you think!
Forms of Exercise
What form(s) of exercise do you use to stay healthy while you are on the road?