We get it: when the rain hits and temperatures drop, the outside world suddenly seems way less inviting. It’s the season of hibernating with pumpkin spice lattes and Netflix marathons. But guess what: just because days get shorter and darker, doesn’t mean you have to put your life on hold. Fact: as soon as you start pedaling, your serotonin level increases up to 200%.
As tempting as it might be to go in full on hermit-mode, we challenge you to embrace a yes-mentality this season. Wear a bright raincoat, pick up a fun hat and let no one raindrop or snowflake stop you from being out and about with your beloved bike.
Immediately after you start pedaling, the happy hormone serotonin spikes. You can reach up to an increase of 200 percent as soon as you start riding. The best news of all is that after the ride serotonin stays boosted, keeping you happy throughout the day.
Feeling a bit down in the dumps during the darker days is very common. One of the reasons can be a lack of vitamin D. Your body produces vitamin D when exposed to (bright) daylight. Hopping on the bike instead of that damp bus ensures you’ll get more daylight in.
According to a Harvard Medical School study, biking to work is linked to reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, and early death (as long as you stick to the traffic rules, that is). Research from the Utrecht University claims that cycling adds up to six months to the life expectancy of an average Dutch person and prevents 6500 deaths each year in The Netherlands.
During winter your body has to work more efficiently to pump blood and oxygen around your body. These physiological changes sharpen up the performance of your heart and lungs. This way, cold exposure helps to train your cardiovascular system.
Winter is notorious for being the flu-season. You will not only strengthen your immune system by staying active, but also dodge the sneezing and coughing commuters in damp trains and buses.
Safety always comes first. That’s why we’ve equipped your bike with tires that have extra grip and always-working lights. Always feel free to book an appointment through the app if you feel your bike could do with some maintenance. And remember: there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.
About Swapfiets
Over Swapfiets
Swapfiets is 's werelds eerste ‘bike as a service’ bedrijf met een circulair businessmodel. Opgericht in 2014 in Nederland, groeide de scale-up snel uit tot een van de meest toonaangevende leveranciers van micromobiliteit in Europa, met inmiddels meer dan 270.000 leden in Nederland, Duitsland, België, Denemarken, Frankrijk, Spanje en het Verenigd Koninkrijk. Swapfiets streeft naar meer leefbare Europese steden, een 100% circulaire productlijn en wil in 2025 klimaatneutraal zijn. In oktober 2022 trad Swapfiets officieel toe tot de B Corp gemeenschap om hun missie te verstevigen.
Het concept van Swapfiets is vrij eenvoudig: voor een vast bedrag per maand hebben Swapfiets-leden altijd een werkende fiets. En zijn er onverhoopt problemen, dan wordt de fiets binnen 10 minuten in de winkel gerepareerd of direct vervangen zonder extra kosten. Swapfiets is in Nederland beschikbaar in meer dan 50 plaatsen. www.swapfiets.nl
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