Cycling and Mental Health: The Surprising Benefits of Riding

If you want to improve your mental health in 2025 then cycling could be a great way to do it. There are plenty of studies that show frequent, gentle exercise can help turn your mental health around so why not hop on your bike and give it a try? 

We’re going to be taking a little look at some of the ways in which regular cycling can improve your mental health.

The Great Outdoors

It’s no secret that Australia has some of the most stunning landscapes in the world. One of the greatest benefits of cycling has to be that you get to embrace nature as you pedal across the land taking in the natural beauty we’re so lucky to live amongst. 

Fresh air and the sounds of nature are a great way to improve stress levels, anxiety or even anger issues. Just taking a little time to enjoy the great outdoors as you put yourself first can be a great step towards improving your mental wellbeing.

Reduce Your Anxiety With Aerobic Exercise

Not many people realise that aerobic exercise has been proven to reduce anxiety levels. Science Direct conducted a study where they proved that aerobic exercise like running or cycling was able to reduce the instances in which anxiety turned into panic disorders or panic attacks. 

The best thing about cycling as a form of aerobic exercise is that it's an incredibly low impact when you compare it to running. If you have conditions that make weight bearing tricky then cycling can be a great way to get moving.

Join a Club

These days there are hundreds of recreational social cycling clubs all over Australia that simply ride together for friendship. If you’ve started working remotely or just feel like you would like to meet new people, a cycling club can be a great opportunity for you! 

Don’t forget to design your own SCODY teamwear for your club. Riding in coordinating cycling jerseys is a great way to boost group morale!

Stress Relief

A recent study has also shown cycling to be a great way to reduce stress levels. People who regularly ride their bikes either for fun, sport or even their work commute have been shown to have more overall satisfaction with their lives and lower stress levels.

It’s also a great way to avoid the traffic on your morning commute which is a common cause for stress for anybody living in the city!

Fairly Cheap and Very Easy

It’s straightforward to start cycling and it doesn’t have to be expensive. A secondhand bicycle that is good enough for regular riding can be picked up for a reasonable price tag and it doesn’t involve the regular payments of a gym or personal trainer. 

Cycling is also something you can grow with. If you start off with a ten-minute ride every day you can quickly build it up to something much more if you want to. Australia is covered in so many bike routes so it can be easy to find the motivation to go further with every ride.

Very Accessible

If you’ve ever watched the paralympic cycling then you’ll know how accessible cycling can be. No matter what your physical ability is, there are some ways in which the sport can be modified to welcome everybody. The cycling community is also incredibly welcoming to all ages, abilities and backgrounds.

Higher Productivity

Now this one is for all of you commuters looking to ditch the traffic! Cycling has been shown to improve productivity in the workplace. There are reports of commuters who cycle to work having 70% more energy and 51% less stress than people who travel via car. 

It sounds mad but there have even been reports that these people have earned more money since cycling to work than when they drove. Of course, cycling can lower your stress levels and improve blood flow which are huge benefits to many office workers.

SCODY Supports All Cyclists

It might seem like we cater to the pros but honestly, amateur cyclists who fell in love with the sport for many of the reasons we’ve listed above are just as important to us. 

We want cycling to be an encouraging community of people who can get together and appreciate cycling for the awesome activity it is. Whether you’re getting ready for your next stage race or enjoying riding to your local coffeehouse, SCODY has everything you need to remain comfortable in the saddle through the good times and the bad.