| The inspiring story of Lance Armstrong's determined | | | | In an increasingly environmentally conscious world, |
| struggle against cancer and his triumphant return to | | | | many people choose to commute by bicycle. A |
| professional cycling has touched hundreds of | | | | hybrid bike, which marries features of a road and |
| thousands of people across the world. His seven | | | | mountain bike, is ideal for this purpose. |
| straight wins in the world's greatest cycling race, the | | | | Cycling is an excellent form of cardiovascular |
| Tour de France, has surely helped cycling's profile. | | | | exercise, meaning that you can improve your aerobic |
| But what is it about the sport of cycling that is so | | | | fitness and endurance by undertaking the activity. |
| attractive? | | | | Regular cycling can also help you to lose weight. The |
| In part, the partnership of man and machine has a | | | | sport of cycling is essentially non weight-bearing, |
| distinct attraction. The modern-day bicycle, with | | | | meaning that your joints are spared the repetitive |
| cranks and pedals, was invented in the 1860s with | | | | impact of sports such as running. If you have |
| the first bicycle race thought to have been | | | | sustained a musculoskeletal injury cycling is an |
| conducted at the Parc de Saint-Cloud in Paris in 1868. | | | | excellent way of attaining a workout without causing |
| Man's desire to cross a variety of terrain and desire | | | | further damage. |
| to ride faster has driven the evolution of bicycles. | | | | Riding a bicycle does require a certain degree of |
| The predecessors of the sleek, light-weight carbon | | | | balance and skill, much of which though many of us |
| bikes used in modern professional racing are | | | | acquire as children. |
| steel-framed, welded and by comparison unwieldy | | | | Aside from the health benefits of cycling, many |
| machines. | | | | people find that it is a great social activity. Clubs and |
| For professional cyclists the difference between | | | | groups are regularly found in many areas promoting |
| winning and losing a race may be a matter of a split | | | | the sport for enjoyment and fitness and regularly |
| second and the cutting edge technology of cycoe | | | | stopping off for a coffee and chat afterwards. |
| development demonstrates this. | | | | So if you have a desire to be the master of your |
| Of course, not everyone who takes up cycling wants | | | | own machineand to get fit and with the aid of the |
| to compete at the elite level. Cycling is a sport | | | | increase in promotion of cycling as a great |
| attractive to people in of walks of life and which is | | | | contribution to the environment, cycling could be the |
| certainly not confined to road racing. | | | | sport for you. |
| Mountain bike riding is exceptionally popular, as is | | | | Rob is a successful International Chartered Physical |
| cyclo-cross riding. Bikes with sturdy tyres, flat handle | | | | Therapist. He has been a lecturer, researcher and |
| bars and gearing appropriate to hilly terrain are used | | | | therapist for over two decades. His rich experience |
| for these forms of cycling. By contrast, road cyclists | | | | of International and Premiership Football underpins his |
| use bikes with a more aggressive geometry that | | | | specialist knowledge of sports medicine and |
| permit attainment of greater speed. | | | | rehabilitation. |