The benefits of winter riding.

It’s wintertime again and cool weather has well and truly set in.

While winter in Australia’s north can bring pristine riding conditions, the chilly mornings and dark evenings can be enough to make bike riders in the southern states retreat to the comfort of indoors.

But it’s during these colder months getting up, active and out on your bike is just as important as in spring and summer. Here are five reasons why you should keep riding through winter and why you’ll feel better than ever if you do.

Our top five reasons to keep riding

1. Ward off winter colds

Ask any regular bike rider and they will tell you that when you ride your bike, you don’t really get sick.

Maybe it’s because, as research suggests, regular exercise helps strengthen your immune system to fight off the dreaded cold and flu and you sleep better.

Or perhaps it’s also because you’re out in the fresh air rather than in the stuffy, cold and flu breading grounds of public transport or the incubator of your car.

2. Warm up naturally

Save on the cost of electricity and fight off an expanding winter waistline by heating up your body naturally with a simple ride to work. By building bike riding into your daily routine, you’ll easily reach the 30 minutes of physical activity you need each day to maintain your health.

Studies have shown that riding to work each day also reduces the chance of developing cancer by 45 per cent and nearly halves the risk of heart disease. You’re also more likely to catch some winter sun and boost your vitamin D levels which helps you absorb calcium and promotes bone growth.

3. Beat the winter blues

Not only will riding a bike through winter keep you physically fit and healthy, it will help make you happier too.

In your brain, exercise stimulates chemicals that improve your mood, giving you a break when the doom and gloom of winter gets you down.

Regular physical activity can also help relieve stress, boost memory and helps you sleep better. Experts suggest riding a bike provides a magical combination of exercise and exposure to the outdoors that helps boost our emotional and mental health. Plus, riding a bike gets you off the couch and out of the house, giving you plenty of opportunities to socialise with mates.

4. Save money and cut down on bills

The cost of heating, transport, health, food and entertainment all skyrocket in the cooler months. Luckily, riding a bike is one of the cheapest, easiest, quickest and healthiest ways to get around. One report even suggests that by riding a bike regularly you could save up to a million dollars in your lifetime or pay off your mortgage 13 years early.

5. Have some fun

It’s worth reminding everyone that one of the most important and simple reasons to ride a bike all year round is that it’s fun.

It’ll make you feel like a kid again as you breathe in the fresh air and explore the winter world around you.

The freedom, buzz and adventure from being on a bike in the outdoors will open a world of possibilities and keep you going back for more.

Finding your motivation

While riding your bike through winter offers a range of benefits, every now and then we all need a little push to leave the comfort and warmth of indoors. Setting a goal like an upcoming ride or event is a great way to help keep you on track throughout the cooler months. Choosing a goal with a friend or colleague will also help keep you both accountable.