Cycling to work: the workout that does not eat into your diary
To coincide with European Mobility Week, we look at what the research says about riding to the office, what you gain and how to start safely without arriving drenched at your first meeting.
"I have no time to train" is probably the most repeated excuse in the world, just ahead of "I will start on Monday". But there is a workout that needs no slot in your diary because it is already there: your commute. European Mobility Week runs from 16 to 22 September, and it is a great excuse to think about swapping the car or the underground for a bike.
What the cyclists of Lublin say
A study published in Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine surveyed 285 adults in Lublin, Poland, who cycle to work. Those who ride all year round, rain or snow, rated their health, fitness and immunity more highly, reported fewer colds and showed above-average life satisfaction.
Now, an important caveat: these are self-reported data, meaning what each person thinks of themselves. And it may be that those who already feel well are precisely the ones willing to ride in the depths of winter. So it is worth looking at more robust studies too.
What an 18-year study says
Enter the Scottish Longitudinal Study, published in BMJ Public Health in 2024. It followed 82,297 people in Scotland between 2001 and 2018, linking how they travelled to work with hospital, prescription and death records. Compared with those who went by car or public transport, cycle commuters had a 47% lower risk of dying from any cause, 24% fewer hospital admissions for cardiovascular problems and 20% fewer prescriptions related to mental health.
The same study shows the other side of the coin, and it is only fair to mention it: cyclists had double the risk of being admitted to hospital after a road traffic collision. That matches what the Polish respondents said, citing cars (60%) and a lack of infrastructure (41.8%) as their main barriers. The conclusion is not "do not cycle", but "cycle sensibly".
How much training it really is
Do the maths: if you live 5 km from work, that is 10 km a day and around 50 a week. At an easy pace, about 40 minutes of daily activity without taking a minute from anything else. And outdoors, which adds up: we have already seen that riding outside beats the turbo trainer on quite a few counts.
Those kilometres count, too. At that rate, the Zeus Challenge and its 150 km can be completed in about three weeks of riding to and from the office, which is a rather satisfying way to turn a dull journey into a medal.
How to start without scares
- Try the route at the weekend, unhurried, looking for cycle lanes and quiet streets even if it means a small detour.
- Check brakes, tyres and chain before you start. A bike that does not brake properly is not transport, it is a lottery.
- Front and rear lights: in Spain they are compulsory at night or in poor visibility, and in autumn it gets dark earlier than you think.
- A helmet, even where it is not compulsory for adults in town: it is cheap and your head has no spare.
- Ride predictably: signal with your arm, do not weave between cars and keep clear of parked car doors.
- Start with one or two days a week and add more as you get the taste for it.
The big worry: arriving sweaty
It is the number one question and it has a solution. Ride more slowly than your body asks: it is not a time trial. Carry your bag on a rack or in a pannier so your back does not sweat, keep a change of clothes at the office and, if your route has serious hills or is long, an e-bike lets you arrive fresh while still moving. If your workplace has a shower, congratulations: you have won the commuting lottery.
And if you live too far away, combine: bike to the station and the rest by public transport. It does not have to be all or nothing; every stretch you pedal counts.
Turn those kilometres
into a medal.
Sign up for a Victoris challenge and every training session brings you closer to the medal delivered to your door.
More from the Victoris Diary
EntrenamientoThe five components of fitness (and the one nobody trains)
A 21-expert ACSM roundtable has updated what being fit actually means: five components, not two. Here is what each one covers, how you notice in daily life that one is missing, and why the most ignored is the one you miss most as the years go by.
EntrenamientoSaddle sores: the taboo every woman cyclist knows
A study of 20 British competitive cyclists found that all 20 had suffered saddle sores, and that the first thing they lose is not training sessions: it is enjoyment. What causes them, when they stop being a nuisance, and what actually helps.
EntrenamientoYour autumn sportive: how to pick one and finish it
Eleven cycling sportives are left in Spain between September and October, from 54 to 167 kilometres. Here is how to choose yours based on what you have actually ridden this summer, plus a six-week plan so you do not climb off halfway.