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According to conservative estimates, about a billion people in the world use bicycles with varying degrees of regularity. According to the International Cycling Union, the number of such people has even exceeded a billion and a half. The bicycle is an important part of modern civilization, so it will be useful to learn a little more about it. The experts at writemyessay service have collected 9 interesting facts about cycling and bicycling, many of which you probably don’t know.

1. Men in cycling shave their legs

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It has to do not only with aesthetics. As the athletes themselves explain, this is done to facilitate the application of massage and speed up the process of skin regeneration for abrasions, inevitable in cycling. But in fact, the most important aspect of shaving the lower limbs is to improve aerodynamics. Air flows better around smooth skin and allows for greater speed – in the case of track racing, this has even been proven by measurements. In addition, shaved legs are a kind of “pass” to the world of professional cycling, because for fans the benefits of the procedure do not outweigh the possible ridicule and some domestic discomfort.

2. Buying a sportbike doesn’t automatically mean joining the world of healthy living

First, you have to ride it regularly. You should do it properly, taking precautions and safety precautions, and making sure the bike is in good working order. Serious cycling does not mean that you have to improve your health. During training and competition will have to endure a lot of pain, get injuries. Lack of results will bring disappointment. With all that, there is no better discipline than cycling – every pro will confirm it!

3. Unbroken records

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The famous Spanish cyclist Miguel Indurain, who was twice the Olympic champion and won the Tour de France five times, had unique physical attributes. Way back in 1994, Miguel set a world record that has not been broken to this day, despite the development of cycling technology and composite materials. He rode 53 kilometers and 40 meters in one hour on the track. The volume of his lungs exceeds eight liters, while in ordinary athletes it is equal to six, and very rarely seven liters. Miguel’s circulatory system is also “record-breaking” – it pumps more than seven liters per minute, while the norm is four to five. In this case, the value of the pulse at rest is 28 beats per minute, while even in trained people, this parameter varies in the range of 50-60 beats.

4. Bicycling has a positive effect on socialization

Cycling is a large body of written and unwritten rules, communication with like-minded people, competition, and mutual support. Many psychologists in different countries recommend cycling to solve problems of social adaptation and communication. In every “cycling tour” there are many stories about weddings and tumultuous romances, about strong friendships and mutual assistance. As scientists say, regular cycling exercises strengthen muscles and harmonize blood circulation in the genitals. This is especially true for men. Riding promotes libido and sexual ability – it changes behavior and social contacts. According to Indurain, it was cycling that helped him to develop his natural abilities because initially there was nothing supernatural about him.

5. The bicycle was one of the most powerful technological drivers in history

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The first homemade bikes were extremely flawed, and this is understandable. But even production models were initially unreliable and uncomfortable. For example, it was bicycle manufacturers who came up with the principle of painting the frame, which then spread to cars and other mechanical engineering industries. Bicycle designers had to invent brakes, a free-wheeling mechanism, and many other “bells and whistles”, without which it is impossible to imagine modern machinery. By the way, aluminum was also used in mechanical engineering for the first time in the manufacture of bikes. It is the same story with carbon plastic.

6. The concept of sustainable transport places the bicycle at the forefront of ensuring minimal environmental impact

This approach is based on a set of ideas called environmentalism. Bicycling helps to reduce the burden on the environment, combats global warming, keeps biodiversity from decreasing, reduces ozone holes, etc. The promotion of amateur cycling is one of the most important parts of the modern environmental movement all over the world, even in countries with cold climates like Sweden and Norway.

7. Professional cycling is one of the most traumatic

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Several safety research centers around the world have made this assessment. The most common injuries are wounds and abrasions from falls, but the cervical spine also suffers due to the need to look forward in a bent position. Serious cycling can adversely affect the joints, including the elbows, and cause compression neuropathy and muscle abnormalities. There is no need to talk about the dangers of fractures and head injuries. Therefore, professional sports require special responsibility and control on the part of a qualified coach.

8. The PRC is considered to be the most bicycling country

The current ratio with the number of cars is 300 to 1. Chinese universities have almost free bike rental, in many cities, the rental system is tied to the application in smartphones, GPS, QR-codes, and other attributes of high technology. In this aspect, the Chinese are far ahead of the rest of the world. At the same time, professional cycling is underdeveloped here. This is partly explained by the peculiarities of national mentality, which attaches more importance to the practical side of riding than to the competitive one. In fact, until the beginning of the XX century, only foreigners rode bikes, and residents of the Celestial Empire considered it a sinful, God-blessing occupation.

9. Cycling records

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Among the constantly updated records, two stand-alone: Dane Fred Rompelberg (50 years old at the time of the record) reached a fantastic speed of 268.83 km/h. U.S. citizen Michael Seacrest managed to cover 1958 kilometers in one day. So far, no one has been able to approach these figures, despite the development of technical capabilities.