The benefits of the bicycle as a travel tool

The list of benefits of cycling is truly long. Whether used as a means of transportation to work, for group or individual sports, cycling is an undeniably beneficial and pollution-free tool.

But the growing number of people who cycle touring (that is, choosing to travel by bike in Italy or abroad) shows us that the benefits aren't just physical and environmental. Cycle touring is a slow approach to travel, which includes exploring places and cultures and experiencing a new open-mindedness.

In this article, you'll find an overview of the main benefits of cycle touring. But above all, you're about to read a firsthand account that tells us how cycling can improve us as people.

The benefits of cycling: health, environment... but there's more

Playing sports outdoors is beneficial for both physical and psychological well-being. So we can't help but consider the well-known benefits of cycling for the mind and body.
Cycling improves cardiovascular and respiratory performance, tones and shapes muscles. The most obvious benefits of cycling are the abdominals, glutes, and legs, particularly from a muscular perspective.

Provided we take routes that are appropriate to our fitness level, both in terms of intensity and length, cycle touring is a way to discover new places while doing something good for our health .

Then there's the environmental issue. One of the main problems facing tourism is pollution from airplanes, cars, and other polluting vehicles. Cycle tourism is a zero-impact alternative to traditional tourism.

Many people are choosing this mode of travel precisely because it's eco-friendly. However, there are other reasons to discover cycle tourism, and they concern the very essence of travel. Through cycling, we rediscover a slower way of traveling , which allows us to pay attention to all the details we might otherwise miss.

A slow way of traveling to discover places and cultures

At the beginning of the article, we promised you a firsthand account from someone who has already experienced cycle tourism as a slow approach to travel.
So, what are the most extraordinary benefits of the bicycle as a tool for tackling travel?

We'll hear about them directly from Giulia Baroncini of @semicercatesonoingiro , whose cycling adventure from Milan to the USA was the focus of our two previous articles on cycle tourism.

Giulia, what does traveling by bike mean to you?
Giulia Baroncini: 

“For me, traveling by bike means discovering the world from a different perspective and completely immersing myself in what surrounds me. On a bike, you see all the details that you couldn't see at high speed. It's not just discovering what surrounds us, but also new cultures and new people : a total openness to the world. Traveling by bike is also a way to get to know yourself , your potential, but also your limits and learn to accept them.”

What are the best memories you'll always carry with you?
Giulia Baroncini: 

“My fondest memories are all the people I met on the trip. The fact that people opened their doors to me, especially in the US, without knowing who I was, leaving their keys was incredible.

So, the best memories are these: feeling at home and part of a family , not being treated like a stranger. Meeting people enriches you culturally: you discover new ways of thinking, and this opens your mind greatly.

Having traveled alone, without them my trip would have been boring at times, but instead they allowed me to create beautiful memories.”