If you asked me what my best purchase of 2019 was, I would unequivocally say my bike(s). Here are five reasons why:

1. Reminder on valuing your life

If you know how to cycle, riding a bike is generally safe. However, if you ever need the occasional reminder that your life is fragile, cycling can be great for that too.

Whether it’s a precarious car just brushing past you, an anxious pedestrian running across the road, or unaware drivers opening their door right when you’re passing them, your next momento mori encounter is just around the corner (literally).

2. The importance of insurance

Getting a bike is great because it also teaches you the importance of insurance. If you have a fancy bike, the first thing you should do is to get an even better lock. If you tie up your bike with a cheap lock, you’re practically screaming for it to get stolen.

If you were ever angry at school for not teaching you about insurance, fear not – allow your (stolen) bikes to educate thee.

3. Low-impact exercise

Exercise beats a sedentary lifestyle in almost every possible measure.

Cycling is great because it’s both fun as you can go out and explore new sights; and it’s low-impact for your lower body. Unless you’re unable bend your hips (in which you should really get that checked out), practically anyone with basic coordination is fit to cycle.

4. Making commuting interesting

If you have the luxury of being within cycling distance of your work, riding your bike as commuting can be great fun. Here are some things you can do:

• Chase down a tram/bus/car;
• Enjoy the breeze as you whiz past people, buildings and traffic lights;
• Race some fellow cyclists;
• See how many tight spots you can navigate through without stepping off the pedal;
• Chat to other cyclists before you race them again.

The possibilities are endless.

5. Freedom

Freedom is high on my list of values and cycling is the epitome of freedom. To explain, let us consider the limitations of alternative forms of transport – walking and driving – and see why cycling has the best of both worlds.

Driving is great because you can go fast, and fast is fun. However, driving sucks because you consistently have to stop at traffic lights, you can’t pass other cars in the same lane as you and the cost of insurance, fuel and general maintenance can really add up.

On the other hand, walking is great because it’s liberating – you can generally walk wherever you like, whenever you like. If you want to overtake a slow walker, walk on the grass instead of the footpath or jaywalk (safely), go ahead! Yet, walking sucks because it’s slow. Walking over 10km for one trip is generally out of the question, because it would be both too slow and tiring.

Now, back to cycling. Cycling essentially has the best of both worlds, because:

• It’s fast like a car, easily averaging 20km/h, meaning you can travel practically everywhere (unless you’re going for a long roadtrip, in which case you’d need a car for luggage anyway); and
• It’s just as free as walking, because you can walk your bike! I know, crazy right?

Bikes are great.