May is National Bike Month, sponsored by our partner, the League of American Bicyclists. Established in 1956, National Bike Month celebrates the many benefits of cycling, which includes improved cardiovascular health greater longevity!

Cyclists, Mark Your Calendar! Bike to Work Week will is May 15-19 and Bike to Work Day is May 19.

Did you know bike commuting has grown by 62% from 2000 to 2013? We are big fans of cycling at Health IQ and many of us are avid cyclists who bike to work regularly. We even have our own Health IQ Strava club, which you are welcome to join!

Here are some fun facts about bike commuting to encourage you to take your bike to work more often!

Biking Is Good for Everyone’s Health!

Bicycle commuting burns an average of 540 calories per hour.

The average person loses 13 lbs in the first year of commuting by bike.

A daily 4-mile bike commute will save about 66 gallons of fuel per year

With 350 calories, a bicyclist can travel 10 miles, a pedestrian 3.5 miles, and an automobile 100 feet.

If the average person biked to work or shopping once every two weeks instead of driving, we could prevent the pollution of close to one billion gallons of gasoline from entering the atmosphere every year.

Since 2000, bike commuting has grown by 62 percent.

There were 882,198 bike commuters in 2013.

From 2000 to 2013, there was a 62% growth in the number of Americans commuting by bike.

Biking is Good for Women’s Health!

For a 150-lb woman, bicycling at less than 10 miles per hour, burns about 300 calories in 60 minutes.

Women who biked just four hours per week were less likely to gain weight over a period of six years than women who didn’t ride.

Bicycling just 20 miles per week reduces women’s risk of heart disease by 50%.

Active commuting — biking and walking — reduces women’s risk of cardiovascular disease by 13% (compared to 9% for men).

Women with an active commute of just 30 minutes were half as likely to suffer heart failure as women who didn’t have an active commute.

Women who walk or bike 30 minutes per day had a lower rate of breast cancer.

42% of American women say “people to bike with” would encourage them to ride more.

Health IQ Advantage: Are you a health-conscious cyclist who rides frequently or bikes to work daily? Cyclists who verify their knowledge and mileage can qualify for special rates for cyclists.

Health IQ is a member of The League of American Bicyclists and has insured thousands of health conscious people and cyclist with over $4B in coverage.