SHOULD I RIDE MY BIKE OUTSIDE OR INSIDE?

We are living in some challenging times.

Recently, we have received inquires regarding being able to go outside and ride your bicycle. Because it is such a sensitive subject, we did not want to directly give our opinion. Certainly, arguments can made for and against outside bike riding. So, instead of giving you our opinion, we wanted to provide you with some things to consider before you make a personal decision to ride outside or inside.

“I want to ride my bike outside!”

Last week, we wrote a blog on “5 Things You Can Do To Relieve Stress” that you could do to keep your spirits up during this very trying time. One of our recommendations was to get exercise in order to boost your immune system, while also making sure to get some vitamin D. Last week, we saw a spike in people riding their bikes outside... some riding in groups, some riding with significant others, friends, or solo. By now, we all know that California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a stay-at-home order with specific restrictions regarding outside activity.

Here is our concern with of cyclists riding outside at this time. Something that we have repeatedly seen on social media is emergency room doctors and nurses pleading, in some cases begging, for people to please stay at home, as our hospitals statewide are overwhelmed at this time.

Think about this...imagine you are riding along on your mountain or road bike and you are riding in a safe place, but all of sudden you go down for whatever reason, break a bone, tear a ligament, or even something worse. You would then have to go to the hospital. Right now, hospitals are "ground zero" for the very thing we are all trying to avoid. When in the hospital, not only do you now take up room for someone that could very well be fighting for their life, but now you have also put yourself and others at a greater risk.

We understand that you may not want to be cooped up inside and prefer to be outside, and we are not saying what to do or what not to do, rather we are pointing out the risks that currently exist that we need to be mindful of as a community.

“I am staying the heck in!"

Recently, we saw a father in the cycling community who had to cut his vacation short so that his daughter, who is a nurse, could return to work at Mission Hospital due to critical staffing shortages. He was very passionate about asking people to stay at home and take this government-issued order very seriously. He pointed out that his daughter, and all other hospital staff members, are overworked, exhausted, and working with limited resources.

Many cycling events have been cancelled due to Coronavirus Pandemic. However, there are some indoor Zwift events that are bringing cyclists together to interact and ride without having to go outside.

Thank you to our friends @BikeLegal for the excellent article!!