The Great Sport Of Cycling And Its Different Categories
Cycling is a popular sport that is great for the body. It is mainly an aerobic activity which is great for the lungs and heart. Cycling can be a competitive sport or a pastime depending on the individual. It also has many different categories and involves the use of protective gears such as cycling helmets and elbow and hand pads.
The history of cycling dates back in the 1800s when a man named Karl Drais developed the first actual bicycle. Drais developed the first bicycle in 1817 based on the first human powered vehicle invented by Giovanni Fontana. The said invention is also said to be a response to the back then widespread starvation and slaughtering of horses in the region. By the year 1890, a bicycle made of strong metal but at the same time light and small enough for human power was developed. This type of bike was said to be safer compared to its predecessors and thus started the mass production of bicycles. The mass production of the bicycle increased the machines popularity and demand especially for businesses and leisure. Other items associated with cycling such as the cycling helmet also became popular and in demand due to the rise in demand of bicycles.
The four general categories of cycling are off-road, on-road, cyclo-cross, and BMX or stunt riding. Off-road, also popularly known as mountain biking is a type of cycling that generally uses mountain bikes. This category of cycling was made popular in 1970 when mountain bikes were introduced. These bikes were said to perform optimally on rough terrain are made to handle the rigors and stresses of large obstacles and uneven terrain. The boundaries of this category of cycling were further pushed with the mountain bikes' rapid-shift gears, drum brakes, and suspension.
On-road or road biking is the second type of cycling which mainly focuses on speed and distance and ranges from commuting and fitness to multistage tour racing and also have a specific bike designed to be used. The third type of cycling is the cyclo-cross which is a combination of the first two kinds. Cyclo-cross racers and participants usually ride in groups over an off-road course which are unpaved and sometimes have obstacle-heavy courses that slow down the overall pace and add new challenges.The fourth and final kind is the BMX which is often overlooked as a kind of cycling since the techniques and equipment's used are a bit different. This kind of cycling also focuses more on stunts instead of speed and speed and was said to be an answer to the youngsters need for excitement and energy of motocross but are under age and cost limitations. BMX became more popular due to a number of main stream competitions it is usually played and its addition in the recent Olympic Games in China.
Cycling as was abovementioned is also good for the body. It is an aerobic activity that is good for the lungs and the heart-which are the organs that help form the basis of general fitness. As such, a great way of incorporating regular exercise into one's busy day is through cycling to work, university or college, or taking your bike on short neighborhood trips. Nevertheless, it is a must that safety gears such as cycling helmets are always worn when performing this activity.
Cycling is indeed a great sport activity that can be enjoyed either as a leisure activity or as an exercise routine. It can also be taken seriously and become a full time cyclist. Nevertheless, regardless of the purpose that cycling serves for one, it is a must to never forget wearing cycling helmets and other safety gears when doing this sport so as to fully enjoy the benefits of said activity.
The history of cycling dates back in the 1800s when a man named Karl Drais developed the first actual bicycle. Drais developed the first bicycle in 1817 based on the first human powered vehicle invented by Giovanni Fontana. The said invention is also said to be a response to the back then widespread starvation and slaughtering of horses in the region. By the year 1890, a bicycle made of strong metal but at the same time light and small enough for human power was developed. This type of bike was said to be safer compared to its predecessors and thus started the mass production of bicycles. The mass production of the bicycle increased the machines popularity and demand especially for businesses and leisure. Other items associated with cycling such as the cycling helmet also became popular and in demand due to the rise in demand of bicycles.
The four general categories of cycling are off-road, on-road, cyclo-cross, and BMX or stunt riding. Off-road, also popularly known as mountain biking is a type of cycling that generally uses mountain bikes. This category of cycling was made popular in 1970 when mountain bikes were introduced. These bikes were said to perform optimally on rough terrain are made to handle the rigors and stresses of large obstacles and uneven terrain. The boundaries of this category of cycling were further pushed with the mountain bikes' rapid-shift gears, drum brakes, and suspension.
On-road or road biking is the second type of cycling which mainly focuses on speed and distance and ranges from commuting and fitness to multistage tour racing and also have a specific bike designed to be used. The third type of cycling is the cyclo-cross which is a combination of the first two kinds. Cyclo-cross racers and participants usually ride in groups over an off-road course which are unpaved and sometimes have obstacle-heavy courses that slow down the overall pace and add new challenges.The fourth and final kind is the BMX which is often overlooked as a kind of cycling since the techniques and equipment's used are a bit different. This kind of cycling also focuses more on stunts instead of speed and speed and was said to be an answer to the youngsters need for excitement and energy of motocross but are under age and cost limitations. BMX became more popular due to a number of main stream competitions it is usually played and its addition in the recent Olympic Games in China.
Cycling as was abovementioned is also good for the body. It is an aerobic activity that is good for the lungs and the heart-which are the organs that help form the basis of general fitness. As such, a great way of incorporating regular exercise into one's busy day is through cycling to work, university or college, or taking your bike on short neighborhood trips. Nevertheless, it is a must that safety gears such as cycling helmets are always worn when performing this activity.
Cycling is indeed a great sport activity that can be enjoyed either as a leisure activity or as an exercise routine. It can also be taken seriously and become a full time cyclist. Nevertheless, regardless of the purpose that cycling serves for one, it is a must to never forget wearing cycling helmets and other safety gears when doing this sport so as to fully enjoy the benefits of said activity.
About the Author:
Stewart James is cyclist from Brisbane. Being in the cycling sports for almost two decades, Stewart is quite familiar with the different rules of the sports as well as the importance of wearing protective gears such as a cycling helmet.