The Bike Sing-a-Long: Top 5 Reasons to do it

In a world as fast and stressful as ours, it is pivotal to release yourself once in a while. In time, we all come up with different ways to do this, some more effective than others. One can exercise, go to the bar, dance, scream, or watch Netflix; all good choices which should lift you up. I’m advocating for a lesser known yet rather compelling unwinding technique, namely the bike sing-a-long. Personally I have been enforcing this approach successfully since 1994, when I started biking long distances on my bicycle with my walkman from home to school and back again. It has not escaped my attention that more and more people seem to have discovered this soothing method, which let me to deduct that it could be much more mainstream than it is at the moment. Perhaps the idea of producing lyrical sounds in public does not appeal to you, or maybe, like me, you are not a good singer; remember that the same effect can easily be achieved with lip-synching. As long as you put your heart into it!

Here are the top five reasons to join the movement:

1. Release endorphins. Listening to our favourite music makes us feel good, and actively being part of making music is the trigger to release those neurotransmitters which give us a natural high. Often, when I’m feeling low, I do the bike-sing-a-long and it never takes long for me to be lifted up. It’s actually even more fun to sing on your bike when you feel good, because it can bring you to a state of ecstasy which makes you giddy; you start noticing the fun in the music you are listening to and you’ll bring that fun to wherever your journey took you, spreading the simple happiness you encountered on your bike.

2. Exercise. It is imperative for people to exercise in some shape or form. So why not get your daily work-out in the shape of fun? Cycling is a cheap option as well (provided that you already own a bike; you might be able to borrow one from a friend or neighbour otherwise). Cycling in itself is a healthy form of exercise for it strengthens your muscles, your heart and your lungs. You will find that as your sing-a-longs increase, you will build up more power so you can even continue singing while biking up that hill without getting out of breath; the bike-sing-a-long is therefore an extra form of exercise which will get you fit sooner than the soundless version.
You can even amp up your exercising-levels and dance along with your music on your bike. This is what I used to do on my long bike rides to school and back, and I got a great kick out of it. I especially enjoyed the physicality of musical songs like those from ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ or mimicking the expressions of Valensia in the Gaia video. Actually, thinking about it, with the gymnastics I performed on my bike, I should have ended up in Cirque du Soleil…

3. Let go (of stress). Wether you’re Elsa or regular Jane or Joe, we all have to let go of something. Stress is a common factor we need to release, because it’s harmful and quite simply, not fun. Biking, like all exercise, makes you feel “more content, more awake and calmer”. It can even benefit your productivity at home and the workplace! Not only biking has its benefits on your health: studies have found that singing can help you feel less lonely and depressed; it actually reduces your stress levels and releases tension. So think of what combining these two stress-killers will do for you!

4. Learn (new) languages. Oui, monsieur ou madame! Fill your playlist with songs in the language you would like to learn and you’ll see that in a matter of weeks, both your understanding of the language as well as your pronunciation will have improved. English is not my first language, and this method helped raise my levels greatly. I also put German Schlager songs on while I was biking to my German oral exam and I aced it, so sing-alongs prove to be an excellent preparation exercise. Songs like Ricky Martin’s Maria (the Spanish version of course) and Bella Maria de mi Alma (from The Mambo Kings) taught me my first words and phrases of the Spanish language. It has been proven that it’s beneficial to ride a bike while learning vocabulary, so why not try it yourself?

5. It’s fun! Okay, you might feel a bit self-conscious at first when you sing out loud, but if you relax and get into your groove, you will soon forget about the people you’re passing. I have two philosophies which helped me over my initial embarrassment and I will share them with you. Firstly, you are wearing headphones, so chances are you won’t be hearing much of your singing yourself. And if you don’t hear yourself, others won’t hear you either (I do realise that technically this is not true, it just helps!)! Secondly, chances are the people you bike past are random strangers whom you’ll never meet or see again. So who cares what their opinion is, as long as you are having a good time and are not harming anyone? Still feeling apprehensive about that great bike sing-a-long? Start somewhere you won’t come across other people easily. Take your bike out of town. An added advantage is that you’ll find yourself in a natural environment and nature has the ability to soothe, unstress and release endorphins too.

While the bike sing-a-long is great, you do need to be careful. Vigilance in traffic is crucial; always make sure you are aware of other vehicles in front, beside, and behind you, and watch out for pedestrians crossing roads. To have fun is valuable, but to be safe takes precedent. Now go out on your bicycle and sing (-a-long)!