Mountain biking and cycling have become the fastest way to spin into the summer season, and SOM Footwear provides the perfect balance of strength and zero drop flexibility to keep you pedaling over every terrain. With gas prices soaring, now is the time to explore the benefits of moving on two wheels.
Strengthen Wallet, Earth, and Body
It’s no surprise inflation and world events have hit the gas pump hard. Prices continue climbing across the country with AAA.com tracking the current national average nearing $5 (as of June 22nd, 2022), and some cities have already hit $7. We aren’t suggesting trading in the V8 for a 10-speed, but a great way to get around without breaking the bank is by pedal-power.
Mr.MoneyMustache.com broke down a rough estimate of just how much can be saved over time through biking.
Bikes are good for your wealth. Let’s start with the bare minimum: any mileage you put on your bike instead of your car saves you about 50 cents per mile in gas, depreciation, and wear and maintenance. From this savings alone, doing a couple of bike errands per day (4 miles) in place of car errands will add up to $10,752 over ten years.
It’s a small step that builds over time to create serious savings. This same approach is true for the environmental benefits of reducing our carbon footprint through bicycling. By not producing carbon dioxide, a few pedals a day can go a long way in reducing traffic congestion, noise, and air pollution.
While the planet and wallets enjoy these moments of tranquility, our bodies reap the immediate effects of a bike ride.
Bicycling is an excellent source of raising our heart rate, which strengthens lungs and immune systems. The tougher our immune systems, the better prepared our bodies are against viruses, which in these ongoing COVID times, is still very much on everyone’s mind.
As the days bring stress from inflation, outbreaks, political discourse, and everyday living, mental health must never be forgotten in the equation, and a bicycle ride can do wonders for our mind.
From CyclingWeekly.com, “A study by the YMCA has revealed what every cyclist knows already: that exercise makes you happier, with people with a physically active lifestyle having a well-being score that is 32 per cent higher than those with inactive lifestyles” (Henry Robertshaw).
A bike ride frees us from our screens and the 24/7 onslaught of information and attention-hungry content. Our brains are left to the sights and sounds of nature. Fresh air, peace and calm.
Calories melt away when we pedal. Cyclingfitness.com estimates the body can burn between 400 to 1000 calories an hour, depending on the intensity and rider’s weight. What’s even better is the low-impact stress it has on the knees and feet. If running or walking are too harsh on your joints, mountain biking or cycling is a terrific way to challenge your body without wearing it down.
The goal is to strengthen all aspects of ourselves, inside and out. A bicycle checks all the right boxes, and SOM Footwear provides the perfect accessory for enhancing those pedaling trips.
Why SOMs Are Perfect Cycling Shoes
The connection between your hands and handlebars is just as critical as the one between your feet and the pedals. Thick-treaded, heavy insulated shoes block the feel of what’s beneath you, reducing reaction time and weighing down movements. Just as you wouldn’t wear oven mitts when riding, the more a shoe obstructs the natural qualities of your foot, the less control you have and the weaker your feet will be.
SOM Footwear shoes are designed to put your best foot forward by embracing the unique shapes of our feet. A wide toe-box gives your toes room to spread and breathe. A zero drop sole at 8mm thick provides flat, even surface-contact for better posture, balance, and stability. Lightweight, durable materials made in the US flex and bend with your steps without slowing them down. All of these features combine to strengthen your feet as they move and connect you to your activity as if you were barefoot.
Our cycling customers love telling us how they switched from their previous shoes when they tried SOMs for the first time:
I originally bought these two years ago for hiking, running but since have found that these SOMs excel as a mountain bike shoe. I since have gotten rid of my Five-Ten MTB shoes in favor of these for the superior toe splay and pedal feel. Yet they have enough stiffness, padding and protection so that I won't strain my plantar fascia on the pedal or break my toes on rock strikes.- G.R. of New Britain PA.
Not only will lighter, roomier SOMs treat your feet to a barefoot-level of comfort for longer-lasting exercise, but when you’re closer to your pedals, you're closer to your sense of adventure.
Sources:
1. Henry Robertshaw, “It's official: cycling makes you happier,” New York Times Stuff Works, January 9th 2017, accessed June 23, 2022, https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/its-official-cycling-makes-you-happier-305862.
2. AAA.com
Love my SOMS. Great feeling shoe.