Almost 99% of people in China know how to ride a bicycle, but not everyone uses cycling as a way to stay fit. Nor does simply knowing how to ride mean you can get physically stronger. Many people still fall into misconceptions while cycling. Let’s take a look at them.　　

　　First: The motion of cycling
　　Most people think that pedaling simply means pushing your feet down to make the wheels turn. In fact, proper pedaling should consist of four coordinated movements: push, pull, lift, and thrust. First, press the pedal down with your foot, then pull your lower leg back, lift it upward, and finally push it forward. This completes one full pedal cycle. Pedaling rhythmically in this way not only saves energy but also increases speed.
　　
　　Second: The speed of cycling
　　Many young people are eager to ride long distances and fast—for example, attempting a 50-kilometer ride without prior long-distance experience, while only focusing on speed and power during the ride. This can actually be very harmful to the body and may even lead to serious conditions like knee effusion. The three key principles of exercise are volume, frequency, and intensity. Beginners are advised to find a comfortable pedaling frequency before increasing the intensity. For most people, a good starting point is a pedaling rate of about 60 to 80 times per minute. Each ride should include at least 20 minutes of warm-up at high frequency and low speed (i.e., more rotations with less force), just enough to break a light sweat.
　　
　　Third: The posture of cycling
　　Incorrect cycling posture not only reduces the effectiveness of the workout but can also easily cause bodily harm. Examples of bad posture include riding with legs splayed outward or hunching over. The correct posture is: lean your body slightly forward, keep your arms straight, engage your core, use abdominal breathing, align your legs parallel to the bike’s top tube, maintain coordination between your knees and hip joints, and pay attention to maintaining a steady cycling rhythm.