FEELING GOOD
Life Cycling
R
emember your first
shiny new bike and .
the sense of freedom it
gave you — once you learned
to stay on? Bikes have chang-
ed a lot since then, but
millions of Americans are
rediscovering that childhood
sense of exhilaration as they
once again take to the roads
on two wheels.
The Bicycle Federation of
America, in Washington,
D.C., estimates that in 1987,
17 million adults cycled on a
regular basis, which means at
least once a week. The same
year, 12.6 million bikes were
sold in this country, the
highest figure since 1974,
according to the Bicycle
Manufacturers Association,
also in Washington, D.C.
These figures are expected to
increase in coming years.
In Detroit, too, bicycle rider-
ship has experienced an
upswing over the last several
years. "Over the last three
years, cycling has picked up
quite a bit," says Tracy Bryan,
Hop on your bicycle and
off you go! Cycling for health
and enjoyment has become
a way of life.
CAROL SORGEN
Special to the Jewish News
manager of the Novi Bike
Shop.
Bryan attributes this surge
in popularity not only to the
overall fitness trend in the
country but also to the
ravages of time.
"I attribute this surge in
popularity because, unlike
running or jogging, cycling is
a lot easier on knees, joints
and you get to see a lot more,"
notes Bryan.
Ray Schemanske, sales
representative at Farmington
Bike Shop agrees. "Running
is bad on your knees. Cycling
offers an aerobic type of
workout?'
What cycling does is give
your heart and lungs a good
workout. This makes the
sport particularly good for
adults.
Joseph Honet, M.D., chair-
man of the department of
rehabilitation medicine at
Sinai Hospital, agrees with
the cardiac benefits of cycling.
"Cycling is a wonderful exer-
cise for cardiovascular
fitness?'
He also notes the workout
on strengthening muscles. "If
you want to work with arm
muscles, then you are better
off using a stationary bike
that has upper extremities
that enable you to move your
arms as well as feet!' For leg
muscles, Honet observes that
all biking is good.
As a physiatrist, Honet cau-
tions about some of the possi-
ble detriments. For arthritic
patients, biking can make the
knees worse. "If you have ten-
dionitis around your hips or
knees, it can make it worse
also?' It can create back pain,
when you sit in that humped-
over position," says Honet.
According to the American
College of Sports Medicine, a
professional association,
riding a bicycle is a good way
to attain the 15 minutes of ex-
ercise every other day that is
minimally recommended for
fitness and good health.
Medical studies performed
nationwide confirm the value
of biking as a fitness regime,
says Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper,
author of Aerobics and a na-
tionally recognized pioneer of
the fitness boom. He views
cycling as a good counterpoint
to running and swimming,
observing that "training ef-
fects on the internal organs
are identical in those three
sports?' He also notes that
stationary indoor bikes pro-
duce the same effects as road
bikes.
Ina Stevens of Farmington
Hills is an avid cyclist and
sports enthusiast. She is
presently the director of the
Walden Summer Spa in
Cheboygan and has taught
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
9-F