Walking is four times less efficient than this common exercise
The efficiency stems from the bicycle's design, which allows for a compact, circular leg motion, reducing the energy wasted on swinging heavy limbs.
Bicycles utilise wheels for smooth rolling contact with the ground, eliminating the energy loss and jarring impacts associated with each footstep in walking or running.
Gears on a bicycle help muscles operate at their peak efficiency by allowing them to maintain an optimal contraction speed, preventing them from becoming less effective at higher speeds.
Overall, cycling is considerably more energy-efficient, being at least four times more efficient than walking and eight times more efficient than running, though very steep gradients can favour walking.
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BBC News
6 hours ago
- BBC News
Guernsey employers encouraged to help staff ditch cars
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The Independent
12 hours ago
- The Independent
Eight of the best cycling destinations around the world
As the 2025 Tour de France comes to an end, you may have been inspired to get on two wheels yourself. Maybe you might even be considering your next cycling trip? When it comes to exploring and really getting to know a destination, doing it on a bike is an excellent to truly immerse yourself. And the best thing? You can decide your limit and can make your trip as relaxing or as hardcore as you like. Independent Travel has been writing about cycling trips for years and our writers have pedalled their way through everywhere from Tokyo and Transylvania to the French Alps and Los Angeles beaches. So, whether you're looking for a gentle meander through the UK countryside or throwing on some lycra to work up a sweat taking on a thousand-foot peak, we've rounded up some of the most dynamic routes to pedal your way through. France Journalist and cycling enthusiast Paddy Maddison loves the French Alps and would argue that the gruelling Alpe d'Huez climb, with 21 hair pin bends soaring 1,860 metres into the sky, is a worthy challenge any biker can take on. After a trip last year, he wrote: 'Over the years, the winding mountain pass leading up to the [Alpe d'Huez] resort has served as a backdrop for some of the most memorable moments in pro-cycling history … To cyclists, it's a sporting landmark akin to Silverstone or Wembley. The key difference is that anyone can come and pit themselves against the iconic 21 hairpin bends. And I mean anyone…' Begin your ascent in the town of Le Bourg d'Oisans and make your way up to the resort, stopping at the many cafes and cultural sights along the way. Journalist Chrissie McClatchie also loves France as a cycling destination – but as well as pedalling up a peak, she recommends biking across the picturesque promenades of Nice. She writes: 'Thanks to the region's mountains-meets-sea terrain, the Côte d'Azur is a cycling paradise.' Among the city's 125km of cycling lanes, she suggests cycling along the Promenade des Anglais, 'the city's emblematic waterfront boulevard that sweeps from Nice Côte d'Azur airport to Vieux Nice'. Cycling along the 22km coastal route that connects Nice to neighbouring Antibes is also a great introduction to biking across the vibrant city, she says. Romania If unearthed trails and rugged landscapes are more your thing then biking across the Romanian countryside could be for you. Damien Gabet recommends the newly opened Via Transilvanica route, which takes in Transylvania and all its folkloric villages. He says: 'Dubbed 'The Camino of the East', the Via Transilvanica is a tethering of ancient trade and transhumance trails that now stretches 1,400km across the country. 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Wherever possible, the routes follow designated cycle tracks so you can enjoy the fabulous countryside while marvelling at the grandeur of the mountains and the truly outstanding views.' Land's end to John o' Groats If crossing the pond isn't your thing, then Britain has no shortage of scenic cycle routes, and if you also happen to have a spare three weeks, then the LEJOG (Land's End to John o' Groats) path could be for you. Griffin writes: 'Leaving the Cornish coast, the 1,000-mile route passes through the wilds of Dartmoor, before crossing the River Severn into Wales. Riding further north, you'll skim the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, over the border into the dramatic scenery of Scotland, through Edinburgh and then up past Inverness to finally arrive at John O'Groats.' Tokyo, Japan If your travels have taken you to Tokyo, then exploring the city on your bike is the perfect way to escape the chaos and crowds. 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BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Work continues on Birmingham Camp Hill Line railway project
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