Tour to health

YOU never forget how to ride a bike - or the fun you had freewheeling down hills.

Although the health benefits are often overlooked, hopping on your bike can help reduce your risk of heart disease, obesity and stress levels, all while burning 300 calories an hour.

Some studies suggest cycling regularly can give you the fitness level of someone a decade younger, and according to Andy Smith, head of sports science at York St John College, York is a great city to get started.

"Cycling is a great form of exercise because it's accessible to a whole range of age groups, and it's low impact so you won't harm your joints," he said.

"A lot of people grow out of the fun of bikes, but you never forget how to ride them. You can start when you're a kiddie and carry on until you're 90. It's a real cradle to the grave form of exercise."

You only need to cycle at a moderate intensity to feel the benefits, and you don't have to push yourself up hills for hours on end.

"It doesn't have to be hell to be healthy," said Andy.

"Ideally people should aim to build up to 30 minutes preferably on every day of the week. This can be built up over the day, for example two 15-minute cycles. For many people this would be two short cycles of between two to three miles a day, which is ideal for commuting to and from work for many.

"Simply not exercising is a risk factor of heart disease in itself - physical inactivity is a really dangerous thing.

"The mental health benefits of exercise are sometimes underestimated as well, and cycling is a lot of fun."

Plenty of people seem to agree. Hundreds of cyclists will turn out for the Yorkshire Tour Ride in Sheffield on Bank Holiday Monday, while the Yorkshire leg of the Tour of Britain takes place through the county on Thursday.

Andy himself cycles daily and recently rode 221 miles over the Alps for the Meningitis Trust.

Andy believes there are a good variety of cycle routes in and around York.

"We also have some very friendly bike shops in the city, who are happy to help.

"You don't need a fancy bike and you can pick up a good deal at many of the shops.

"There are also some very friendly cyclists in the city and a big cycling community. I can honestly say I've never come across that before."

A British Heart Foundation spokesman said: "Regular moderate activity such as cycling can halve your risk of developing coronary heart disease.

"Cycling can improve heart health by helping to shed excess weight, and

increasing fitness, it strengthens the heart muscles, lowers the resting pulse and reduces blood fat levels. It's a perfect activity for maintaining a healthy heart."

Cycling facts

York has:

<bullet/> An extensive network of over 100km of cycle routes

<bullet/> More than 1,000 city centre cycle parking spaces

<bullet/> A number of cycle hire outlets for daily or weekly cycle hire

For information on cycling in York visit: www.york.gov.uk

For details of national routes and links to York visit:

www.sustrans.org.uk

For information on the Yorkshire Tour Ride log on to www.bcrides.co.uk

For details on the Tour of Britain view www.tourofbritain.co.uk

Suggested routes

1. Cycle through the heart of the city and along the

River Ouse

2. Pedal out of the city towards the Millennium Bridge

3. Dalby Forest is a popular spot with mountain bikers, catering for all ages and abilities.

4. The Trans-Pennine Trail, part of the National Cycle Network, is a combination of off-road routes which stretch across the spin of Northern England. Spend a week taking the coast-to-coast section which runs 213 miles through the hills of the Pennines.

5. The North Sea Cycle Route passes through York. The 6,000km route links Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Scotland and England.

Updated: 11:42 Friday, August 26, 2005