A new study published by the British Medical Journey has linked cycling with a halving of the risk of cancer and heart disease. It also showed benefits of walking over sitting on public transport or taking the car.
The study took place over a period of five years and sampled 250,000 UK commuters. The team in Glasgow said cycling took no willpower once it became part of the work routine - unlike going to the gym.
Over the course of the study 2,430 in the study died, 3,748 were diagnosed with cancer and 1,110 had heart problems.
But, during the course of the study, regular cycling cut the risk of death from any cause by 41%, the incidence of cancer by 45% and heart disease by 46%.
"This is really clear evidence that people who commute in an active way, by walking or cycling, were at lower risk," Dr Jason Gill, from the University of Glasgow, told the BBC News website.
