Regular cyclists enjoy a fitness level equal to that of a person 10 years younger and research suggests that regular cycling is as beneficial as any other form of exercise. Regular cycling, where the exercise leaves you breathing heavily but not out of breath, is an effective and enjoyable form of aerobic exercise and this is the type of exercise that is most effective at promoting good health. Cycling can improve your strength, stamina and can help shed excess weight by burning body fat. It can also help to protect you against a wide range of ill health effects. In fact, physically active people such as cyclists have up to a 50% reduced risk of coronary heart disease! (Department of Health). As well as being good for your health, cycling is also good for the environment. Growth in car traffic has lead to an increase in road congestion and environmental pollution especially within town centres and urban areas. In heavy traffic jams the air quality inside a car can often be poorer than that outside. Cycling offers a clean, sustainable and accessible form of transport which can help to combat traffic congestion and unlike a car it produces no noise or atmospheric pollution. Cycling is also cheaper than running a car! Try riding to work, school, college or to the shops. By cycling you will be helping to improve the environment as well as saving money.