Reading 1 ends with, “Today, millions of people worldwide ride bicycles for transportation, enjoyment, sport, and exercise.” Describe examples of each of these uses.

These days, bicycles are known as a means of transport for people to commute. There are currently more than two billion motorcycles in circulation worldwide, according to some estimates. That number could reach five billion by the year 2050. 48 percent of people in Belgium and Switzerland ride bicycles. More than 37 percent of population in China use bicycles. The Netherlands is the country with the highest per-capita bicycle ownership rate (Why We Need to Encourage Cycling Everywhere, 2020a).

Bicycles are not only a means of transportation, but now they are used for many different purposes such as enjoyment, sport, and exercise.

People use bicycles as a means of transportation for many reasons. Firstly, cycling reduces costs. If people own a car or a motorbike, they have to pay for gas, maintenance and many unnamed expenses. In contrast, for bicycles, the number to pay seems very little. For instance, 7.4 percent of Europeans choose bicycles as their primary form of transportation in 2010. It has been calculated that cycling in the European Union has brought about cumulative economic advantages worth at least 232 billion dollars. Next, bicycles produce no meaningful pollution when in operation. Bikes do not have tailpipes that spew deadly toxins into the air. Because of this, in the Netherlands, people avoided 1.41 million tonnes of C02 each year through cycling (United Nations Environment Programme, n.d.).

Bicycles are considered entertainment when people have the hobby of collecting bicycles. Many people could spend a huge amount of money to own a bicycle just to satisfy their needs. Mr. Nguyen Huu Vu is known as a racer who owns a set of super bikes in Vietnam, each of his bicycles costs nearly as much as a car. There are some bikes that Mr. Vu has to order months in advance, maybe even a year to own, so he appreciates them.

On May 31, 1868, cycling became an official sport (Abt, 1999). Terrain racing is for those who have the passion for speed, and want to overcome all terrain with bikes. Those who want to join this sport need to prepare themselves in good health, and persevere because it is hard and could make people frustrated at any time. The most prestigious competition of terrain racing is the Tour de France, with a very competitive route.

Cycling is also one of the best ways to exercise and stay healthy. It could bring a lot of benefits for your health and could lead to a longer life. When people ride bikes, whether outdoors or indoors, it burns calories in their body, which helps them lose weight, reduce the risk of some forms of cancer, and cardiovascular disease. According to the Transport Research Board’s 92nd Annual Meeting, compared to persons who drive their car to work, people who walk or cycle to work frequently report higher levels of satisfaction, lower levels of stress, and a greater sense of freedom in Washington D.C.

In conclusion, bicycles now play an important role in society. Bicycles could contribute to environmental protection and are also used by people for many other purposes.

REFERENCES:

1. United Nations Environment Programme. (n.d.). Cycling, the better mode of transport. UNEP.

https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/cycling-better-mode-transport

1. Why we need to encourage cycling everywhere. (2020, February 5). World Economic Forum.

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/02/why-we-need-to-encourage-cycling-everywhere/

1. Abt, S. (1999, May 27). Cycling | History, Events, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica.

https://www.britannica.com/sports/cycling