Are You Missing Out on the Many Benefits of Riding Slow?

Do you feel the need for speed? Do you, like Ricky Bobby, want to go fast? Well, you may want to slow it down, speed demon, because you’re missing out on some of the best things about cycling.

The Five Best Things About Riding Slow

If you’re only concerned with going fast, you’re likely to miss out on:

• A Good Chat – One of the best things about cycling is that it brings people together. We’re all for a hard ride to get the blood pumping, or if you’re training for an event. However, it’s important to slow down and just enjoy the company from time to time. It’s hard to carry on a conversation while you’re pedaling at 100 mph.
• Mix It Up – If you thought that the only way to get a good cardio workout on a bicycle was to ride fast all the time, you’re wrong. Experts say the best practice is to balance your cardio. Ride for slow steady periods with bursts of speed. This keeps your heart on its toes.
• Bicycle Safety – Riding slow is also a great way to prevent a bicycle accident. Speed is a common cause of bicycling accidents. If you slow it down, especially on windy or otherwise dangerous roads, you decrease the chance of being in a crash.
• Exploration – It’s totally possible to ride fast in places you’ve never been. It’s nearly impossible to really take it all in and enjoy it all while hauling tookus. As one of our time’s greatest characters once said, “if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” #SaveFerris
• Recovery Days – As any pro will tell you, recovery days are just as important as training days. If you don’t take a slow day between hard training days, you could damage your muscles. Go for a slow ride to let your muscles recover.

It’s fun to go fast, and we’re not at all against it. We only want to bring balance to the force. We hope you see the benefits of a good, leisurely ride, and will take it easy next time out.

San Diego bicycle accident attorney Joshua Bonnici is an avid rider himself, so he understands what cyclists face every day. He has made it his mission to help his fellow riders get what they need after a bicycle accident.