Cycling boosts your fitness and health after just one month, according to science

Now the world is coming out of lockdowns thanks to the vaccine rollout, people everywhere are returning to work. You might be tempted to hop back in the car, on the train or the bus, but we'd definitely recommend switching to a cardio commute, if you can. Cycling just a few times a week has proven benefits when it comes to your health and fitness.

One study, published in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, found overweight and untrained individuals can benefit from just a month of cycling to work three times a week. 

The study, published by researchers at the University of Basel, studied 30 volunteers who where considered untrained overweight individuals, with a body mass index of 28-29. The cyclists measured the exercise intensity on e-bikes and conventional bicycles.

It turns out both confer similar benefits. The participants rode a distance of six kilometres, three times per week, and found both ebike and conventional exercise groups had developed comparably well in their fitness and their hearts worked more efficiently. If the routine carries on, this is enough to reduce the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease.

Electric bikes were found to travel at a higher speed, and maintain higher elevation, during the course of the study. "This indicates that the e-bike can increase motivation and help overweight and older individuals to maintain fitness training on a regular basis," comments Arno Schmidt-Trucksaess, Professor of Sports Medicine at the University of Basel. You can see some of our top e-bike choices below:

• Trek Verve+ – £2,100
• Specialized Turbo Vado – £2,600
• Gtech eBike Sport – £995
• Browse electric bikes at Halfords
• Browse electric bikes at Wiggle

However, not everyone is in a condition to cycle to work, either due to distance, time or some people may work from home. In those cases, we recommend a simple solution: one of the best exercise bikes for home use. Whether you're cycling while watching your favourite streaming service or just racking up those workout minutes, our guide to the best home models can help.