第1669期:The growing popularity of cycling

They say once you learn how to ride a bike, you never forget. Most of us learnt when we were kids, and many still strap on our helmets, put our feet on the pedals, and shoot off for a ride around the streets. In recent times, cycling has seen a boost in popularity, so the question is, what makes it so appealing to people to straddle their bikes once again?

他们说一旦你学会了如何骑自行车，你就永远不会忘记。我们中的大多数人在孩提时代就学会了，许多人仍然戴着头盔，把脚放在踏板上，然后在街上兜风。最近，骑自行车越来越受欢迎，那么问题是，是什么让人们再次骑自行车如此吸引人呢？

First, let’s look at the health benefits. Cycling can improve your cardiovascular health and burn excess body fat. Strengthening your leg muscles in your calves and thighs helps to increase your potential torque and cadence. And cycling’s benefits aren’t just physical, but mental as well. A long ride in the countryside could help you to clear your mind, or de-stress. But it’s not only about your body and mind – there are also some plus sides for your wallet’s health.

首先，让我们看看对健康的好处。骑自行车可以改善心血管健康并燃烧体内多余的脂肪。加强小腿和大腿的腿部肌肉有助于增加潜在的扭矩和节奏。骑自行车的好处不仅仅是身体上的，还有精神上的。在乡下长途骑行可以帮助您理清思绪或减轻压力。但这不仅关乎您的身心——对您钱包的健康也有一些好处。

Cycling can be a great way to commute or get about town. By cycling, you save money on fuel or train fares. If you do drive into work, sometimes finding somewhere to park can be a nightmare, whereas finding somewhere to chain your bike up can be much simpler. Then, on the train, there are changes at stations and other commuters speaking loudly on their phones to deal with. Cyclists face neither of these issues. And if you’re worried about safety, there are designated cycle lanes in many major cities. Wearing high-visibility clothing, sometimes referred to as ‘hi-vis’, is another way to improve your safety when cycling on the roads.

骑自行车是通勤或游览城镇的好方法。通过骑自行车，您可以节省燃料或火车票价。如果您确实开车上班，有时找地方停车可能是一场噩梦，而找地方给自行车上链条则要简单得多。然后，在火车上，车站和其他通勤者大声打电话应对。骑自行车的人不会面临这两个问题。如果您担心安全，许多大城市都有指定的自行车道。穿着高能见度的衣服，有时被称为“hi-vis”，是在路上骑自行车时提高安全性的另一种方法。

Finally, cycling can also be good for the environment. It can help you to reduce your carbon footprint. Not pumping out fumes into the atmosphere is better for the planet and your own environment.↳

最后，骑自行车也有利于环境。它可以帮助您减少碳足迹。不向大气中排放烟雾对地球和您自己的环境更好。

So, whether people want to cycle for their health, getting about town, their wallet, the environment, or a combination of all of them – the popularity of cycling is on the rise.

因此，无论人们是想骑自行车是为了健康、出行、钱包、环境，还是所有这些因素的结合——骑自行车的人气都在上升。

词汇表

strap on 系上，系好
helmet 头盔，安全帽
pedal 脚蹬子，脚踏板
shoot off 快速骑走
straddle 骑，跨坐
cardiovascular 心血管的
burn 燃烧
body fat 体脂
calf 小腿肚
thigh 大腿
torque 扭转力
cadence 节奏，韵律
commute 上下班往返，通勤
get about 出行，外出走动
fare 车费
chain （用链条）锁住
cycle lane 自行车道
high-visibility 高能见度
carbon footprint 碳足迹