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3 min read<\/p>\n3 min read<\/p>\n
Following the running boom now appears to be a cycling boom. With 3.4M hashtags on TikTok, more women are starting to take up cycling. And one such woman keen to discover the benefits for herself is content creator Riley Rehl, who documented her journey<\/a> from beginner cyclist to completing a 20-mile ride in just 30 days. And there\u2019s a strong scientific case for regular cycling, too\u2014for both brain and body. One 44-year study<\/a> found that women who performed highly on maximal cycling tests had a significantly lower risk of developing dementia, and another recent study<\/a> found that 20 minutes of cycling at a comfortable pace, created \u201cripples\u201d of activity in the area of the brain that processes and stores information.<\/p>\n As for other markers of health and fitness? A paper<\/a> published this year suggested that incorporating cycling into daily life has both fitness<\/a> and body composition<\/a> benefits.<\/p>\n 5 things Riley learnedShe built her confidence surprisingly quickly <\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t owned a bike since I was eight years old,\u201d said Riley at the beginning of the video, adding that she had never cycled on roads, so was nervous about the challenge. Before riding on the road for the first time, Riley cycled off-road for seven miles to get a feel for her bike\u2014and was glad she did as it helped build confidence for her first road ride.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a good experience and I\u2019m proud of myself,\u201d she said following her first road ride. \u201cI got a good workout in, had fun and got some sunshine.\u201d<\/p>\n Research and preparation are important<\/p>\n One reason why Riley felt confident on the road so quickly? She\u2019d done all her research beforehand regarding road rules and etiquette, which she said helped her feel more comfortable owning her spot on the road\u2014ultimately helping her stay safe.<\/p>\n Another research technique? \u201cAt the traffic lights, I look at the way legit cyclists are pedaling and the way they\u2019re cycling in general to try and learn from them,\u201d Riley explained.<\/p>\n You need the right gear<\/p>\n Riley noted that wearing running sneakers made cycling considerably more difficult, with the pedals spinning when she tried to grip them at traffic lights. And while investing in new gear can be expensive, Riley wanted get cycling shoes and cleats (which clip your shoes onto the pedals) as soon as possible.<\/p>\n Once hers arrived, she also pointed out that beginners should research which cleats are best, with different cleats having different amounts of give\u2014which is important as beginners can fall when getting used to the clip-in shoes, as Riley did. That\u2019s why she practiced in an empty parking lot.<\/p>\n \u201cThe shoes help with power so much\u2014power and speed. It\u2019s way better of an experience wearing cycling shoes,\u201d Riley added, before noting that she would size up\u2014maybe even two sizes\u2014in the future, as her toes felt numb. \u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n You need to understand how your bike works<\/p>\n After completing her 20-mile cycle, Riley explained that while she had fallen a few times, that had actually helped her realize that there was an additional brake on her bike that she hadn\u2019t known was there. \u201cI went up a hill at the beginning of the ride and I was dying\u2014I was like, how are people doing this? I must be doing this wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n Turns out, Riley was doing it wrong, and learning about the bike a bit more before starting might have made life easier (and safer) for her.<\/p>\n Trying something new is good for motivation<\/p>\n \u201cSome of the challenges that I do, I just do the challenge and then I move on to something new, but I will continue to be cycling and I\u2019m really excited for what\u2019s to come,\u201d Riley concluded of her 30-day cycling challenge.<\/p>\n Find the Perfect Women’s Health Training Program for You Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women\u2019s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. \u00a0She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner\u2019s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. \u00a0A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She\u2019s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"3 min read Following the running boom now appears to be a cycling boom. 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