Do you thinking cycling in traffic harms your lungs? It seems sometimes that I have to breathe a lot more exhaust, especially diesel exhaust which I find extremely irritating. It seems like I cough a lot in the mornings, too. How about you? Do you think cycling is harming your lungs at all?

Do you thinking cycling in traffic harms your lungs? It seems sometimes that I have to breathe a lot more exhaust, especially diesel exhaust which I find extremely irritating. It seems like I cough a lot in the mornings, too. How about you? Do you think cycling is harming your lungs at all?

While some air may be bad... exercising offsets a lot of that by simply moving more air around overall. So in the end, the hurt is offset by the gain.

I sit at a service desk all day, breathing in exhaust fumes from gas and diesel engines.

The air I breathe when riding, clears my lungs out. Even when there is traffic, it is better than what I experience all day long.

Far better than when I smoked 2 packs a day.

Air inside any building is far worse than air outside.

Do you thinking cycling in traffic harms your lungs? It seems sometimes that I have to breathe a lot more exhaust, especially diesel exhaust which I find extremely irritating. It seems like I cough a lot in the mornings, too. How about you? Do you think cycling is harming your lungs at all?Yes, it's always been a problem, and a concern.

I happen to breath very little diesel exhaust on my commute nor on most of my other rides. Those big trucks rarely venture onto the ultra-narrow roads that I ride every day. My lungs have never been better.

This is a reason for going to the front of the line at traffic lights.

smoking for 30 years pretty much makes everything else moot

Do you thinking cycling in traffic harms your lungs? It seems sometimes that I have to breathe a lot more exhaust, especially diesel exhaust which I find extremely irritating. It seems like I cough a lot in the mornings, too. How about you? Do you think cycling is harming your lungs at all?
It feels like the exhaust robs my lungs, but I've read that even when you think you're breathing bad air, it's actually better than what you'd get had you been riding in a car in the same place.

If I ride really hard when it's cold, I often cough hard enough that I wind up spitting out gunk or part of my breakfast. However, if I don't push myself, there's no problem. Whatever the case, I doubt I'm hurting my lungs since activities that leave others winded often don't even get me breathing hard.

While some air may be bad... exercising offsets a lot of that by simply moving more air around overall. So in the end, the hurt is offset by the gain.

Is this an assumption on your part, or do you have something to back it up? Not trying to be adversarial, I'm just interested to get to the truth because I hate riding in traffic primarily because the exhaust fumes often make me feel sick. I do a lot better on MUPs and quiet back streets.

the minor damage caused by the fumes is far, far outweighed by the increased lung capacity, better cardiovascular fitness and general health benefits of cycling

........ Whatever the case, I doubt I'm hurting my lungs since activities that leave others winded often don't even get me breathing hard.

Awesome quote !!!!!!!

=)

Do you thinking cycling in traffic harms your lungs? It seems sometimes that I have to breathe a lot more exhaust, especially diesel exhaust which I find extremely irritating. It seems like I cough a lot in the mornings, too. How about you? Do you think cycling is harming your lungs at all?


Not only have I been cycling for years, but i often train for cycling in the off season by running (scootin' is more accurate) stair laps for 40 minutes per day. I have lung capacity 40% greater than the average guy my age. Helped on my world tour when i got over 15,000 feet in the Andes.

roughstuff

*cough*

I think my lung capacity is fine. I just feel like I cough a lot more than I used to.

Perhaps I'm just allergic to coffee (I feel the phlegm coming on after the coffee). Or maybe I'm getting bird-keeper's lung. I do know I really am bothered by diesel exhaust and the exhaust of old pickup trucks. I try to hold my breath when they are around, including in the car. I'll roll down the window even in the rain if there are diesel fumes in my car. I wait until I'm past the truck, of course.

When I'm riding around smoke/exhaust it definately irritates me. I'm a tuba player too so while my lungs are in decent shape they still get irritated easily.

Have you seen "Return of the Scorcher" by Ted White? It's a documentary about bicycle culture in many different countries. One of the first scenes is of two cyclists in Los Angeles who are wearing filter masks. Pretty scary.

This article (http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=health&category=other.diseases.ailments&conitem=6dd09e134d1fb010VgnVCM200000cee793cd____) should be enlightening.
The second time I've posted it.

When there's a smog advisory in a city, they tell people to try to minimize their activity. I'm not saying they're right or that it directly applies.

Diesel vehicles are allowed a much much higher level of pollution (obviously) because alot of the pollution drops out of the air pretty quickly. But if you're riding around those vehicles I bet you're getting alot of that stuff before it settles out.

Still, I'm with the folks above who think it's better to be getting the exercise. If you don't smoke, the cillia (?) in your lungs probably haven't given up the fight and they'll march all that gunk back out.

edit: having read that article, uh... nevermind.

If anything my lung capacity has increased since I started cycling, which has greatly helped my asthma/bronchitis issues. Every now and then I'll get a good whiff of exhaust, but most of my riding is done on fairly empty roads and bikeways so it is not a big issue.

How about you? Do you think cycling is harming your lungs at all?
My lungs seem to be OK. Bicycling can be good for your lungs. Picture evidence provided.

my lungs are great from screaming back at motorists.

well, add breathing to the list of things i should be afraid of.
jeez.

Do you thinking cycling in traffic harms your lungs? It seems sometimes that I have to breathe a lot more exhaust, especially diesel exhaust which I find extremely irritating. It seems like I cough a lot in the mornings, too. How about you? Do you think cycling is harming your lungs at all?
Yes. What I love is drivers who pass me smoothly without excess acceleration, it's not necessary to wait until passing and then floor it, dumping all their pulverized gunk into my lungs. Furthermore, ground-level ozone is a far more dangerous health hazard than anyone wants to admit. Look at the way we ban smokers from puffing in public places while the ozone is already so bad it really doesn't matter much.

It really does make a difference to take an out-of-the-way route when traffic is bad.

I'm really not taking sides out of favoritism, smog and car exhaust have been shown to be harmful.

But I have to add that giving up cycling would not be good for my health, and that I'd be exposed to smog anyway. I just do what I can to intelligently minimize my exposure to it. Like it or not, a separated bike path can sometimes make a difference if it's not next to the road, but so can alternate routes, perhaps even more so. That's why I like the shaded neighborhoods in summer.

I think my lung capacity is fine. I just feel like I cough a lot more than I used to.

Can any of the scientists on BF comment on the relative weight of exhaust compared to "normal" air? If exhaust fumes are heavier once they've cooled (seems possible, at least visually smog appears to sit on the ground), the explanation of more coughing in your case could be the acquisition of a trike that has you inhaling more exhaust than you did on a DF.

Quick question for everyone who does worry about their lungs -- What's the alternative? If you don't bike, wouldn't you be breathing the same crappy air anyway?

Seeing as how I'm pretty short already, I'm not sure how much difference a couple of feet can make.

I used to ride a Vespa more often. I think that got me through the clouds of smoke quicker. Some lumbering diesel truck in my way? Split the lanes and power my way outta there.

I really wish I was that fast on a bike.

It's probably my birds. I probably smoke a pack of cockatoo a day.

I think my lung capacity is fine. I just feel like I cough a lot more than I used to.

Perhaps I'm just allergic to coffee (I feel the phlegm coming on after the coffee). Or maybe I'm getting bird-keeper's lung. I do know I really am bothered by diesel exhaust and the exhaust of old pickup trucks. I try to hold my breath when they are around, including in the car. I'll roll down the window even in the rain if there are diesel fumes in my car. I wait until I'm past the truck, of course.

It depends on how you take your coffee, if you use milk or cream, blame that, it's why actors and singers tend to avoid milk before a performance...

Diesel, reminds me of a funny story, guy in a rice rocket, cuts off a fire truck with lights and sirens operating , at the next light, the firetruck driver gives an extra burst of acceleration as it passes him, his windows were open, you could see the cloud of exhaust coming out the other window. I was in the idiot seat on the bus behind, should have seen the smile on the bus drivers face, kinda looked like this -> :D

There is an old jeep around here, looks like about 30 years old, doesn't go worth beans, but man, he must be burnin' old socks in that thing, 'cause the exhaust will leave the most resilient person, choking if you follow it for more then 20 seconds, maybe it's a diesel burning gasoline or something, and this in a Province that requires vehicles to pass a biannual pollution check.....

For an old guy with asthma who is recovering from aspergillosis, I guess I'm ok. I do wear a dual filter HEPA mask during pollen season. bk

It's probably my birds. I probably smoke a pack of cockatoo a day.
Parrots rule! Now that that's out of the way...
They are dusty, though! If they like water, spraying them down a couple of times a week really keeps the dust under control. It might be worth a shot, just to see if that's the source! I can't imagine having to send away any of our birds, that would be really hard to do.

I rarely post here because of all the chest-pounding non-sense that goes on - like Bad Cops, Bad Drivers, Bad Trucks, Bad Laws, Bad MUP's, Bad Walkers, Bad Dogs, ad infintum ad nauseum. Throw rocks if it pleases, but this is it.

Hellooooo! We live in a mechanised world. Get over it. Articles like the one above get written by people who have that job because their elected officials, at some level, have allowed better jobs to be exported. I have a couisin in Austria who honestly believes that tap water is poisonous, more so if it comes out of a refridgerator dispenser. He, and many other Euros "know" that American cold cereals will kill you. Very highly educated fellow, too.

Look, we as cyclists take far greater chances with our health by doing what we do, breathing aside. Let's get some focus here... :rolleyes:

This is a reason for going to the front of the line at traffic lights.
I find the opposite. Being behind an idling vehicle, there is very little exhaust and usually a slight x-breeze or you position yourself so you are not right behind the pipe.
But I notice accellerating vehicles, when they all pass you (again) produce a lot of exhaust, instead of being well behind one that is accerlating you are alongside many.

Of course if you ride where you are faster than motor traffic, going to front has the exhaust avoidance and re-passing problem addressed.

Al

I find the opposite. Being behind an idling vehicle, there is very little exhaust and usually a slight x-breeze or you position yourself so you are not right behind the pipe.
But I notice accellerating vehicles, when they all pass you (again) produce a lot of exhaust, instead of being well behind one that is accerlating you are alongside many.

Of course if you ride where you are faster than motor traffic, going to front has the exhaust avoidance and re-passing problem addressed.

Al

Exactly my experience. I don't sweat it and I don't use the Huffer argument to cheat the drivers who are waiting their turn in line.

I don't think so. But my ride is almost all rural.
Diesel fumes do irritate more, but I don't think they're actually as harmful as what's coming out of gas cars. The particulates irritate you but they need to be breathed constantly and long term to poison you.
I'd rather ride with diesel trucks all day long past pig farms than have one or two really badly tuned gas cars pass me. That can actually feel like chemicals in your eyes.

We're gonna die from something anyway. I don't know if the health benefits outweigh the detriments from exhaust and whatever else, and I don't get the sense that anyone else does, so I'm not going to worry about it. Personally, I have not noticed an increase in coughing since starting to bike commute, and I've always had a slight cough all the time even before that. (Maybe from being a big milk drinker, and yes, I do take cream in my coffee and tea.)

I also agree that biking is probably not as bad as jogging or walking because you are probably moving past any particular air, good or bad, more quickly.

However, related to what the posted article says about the benefits of the nasal passages, I do try to breathe through my nose whenever possible, especially in noticeably bad air. Even when not, I think it's a good breath control exercise to breath in through your nose and out through your mouth when riding.

ILTB: Yes, she does have a very nice-looking set of lungs. :D

This article (http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=health&category=other.diseases.ailments&conitem=6dd09e134d1fb010VgnVCM200000cee793cd____) should be enlightening.
The second time I've posted it.

:(
Man, there's a running/biking path around my school, but it runs parallel to one hella-busy street. A lot of people use it, but I guess i won't be trying it out anymore.
Question, does anyone on here wear a mask or some sort of filtering device?

My lungs are wet and sticky actually. mmmmm lungs.

Oddly enough, after spending years running and cycling, I got very sick. The doc asked if I had any shortness of breath. I said no. I could pelt up the steps no problem. He said ahhh. I got my chest xrayed. the nurse laughed and redid the xray cause the old lungs did not fit on the xray plate.....

They thought I had a bronchial infection.

I did.... but no one noticed ;p

First run I lasted about 200m and was gasping at the side of the road, my lungs full of crap from the infection...


So yah, bring on the biker lungs:) Nice big juicy things that they are!


Dunno why I told you guys that one ...

:(
Man, there's a running/biking path around my school, but it runs parallel to one hella-busy street. A lot of people use it, but I guess i won't be trying it out anymore.
Question, does anyone on here wear a mask or some sort of filtering device?
I answered, "yes" to the OP's question, that cycling in traffic can be bad for your lungs. But on the other side of the coin, the keyword is, "in traffic." So much depends on the air quality and the density of the traffic.

There is a website that monitors air quality in your area, if you live in a major US city, www.airnow.gov. The important thing is to avoid excessive physical activity when the air quality is considered bad.

What I've discovered after years of cycling to work in the Atlanta area is that usually, the air quality is excellent in the morning. In the afternoon, it's also usually not bad except during the summer months. During summer, it varies considerably according to the weather patterns. You just have to watch the website. There are those bad air days when it makes sense to take a day off.

Riding along in heavy traffic might not be too bad as long as that's not your whole commute. Where I live, there are plenty of alternate routes to avoid huffing exhaust for long periods. And remember, cycling can cover a large distance, unlike walking/running, so you don't have to be stuck riding alongside a jammed freeway. And if you drive, you're more likely to be stuck in the worst places. So cycling can actually be a better choice!

I have one of those Breathe smog masks. They're pretty easy to breathe through. I don't really use it, and when I do, it's mostly as a wind diverter to keep the cold off my nose.

If I remember right from studies that I've read on the topic, since a cyclists nose rides above and to the side of the roadway, even though they breath in far deeper than a motorist, cyclists are better off than the motorist because the air is more poluted where the motorist is breathing.

Besides, if there really was a problem with what cyclists breath in, there would be evidence of cyclists having more problems than motorists with their respiration, and we know cyclists have superior respiratory systems (and better over all health) than sedentary motorists.

I'm pretty sure it's worse being in a car. First, there's no magic filter in the car to keep out the fumes from other cars. Second, you're sitting 18 inches behind your own car's engine, and that's a lot closer to the source than cyclists get. Third, in a car you're often stuck in traffic, whereas cyclists can often get through or around the traffic pretty quickly.

At least we're not part of the problem! I hope the day comes soon when there are enough cyclists around to make a dent in the amount of pollution that's produced.

I've been able to do an informal test of how my lungs are affected by cycling through heavy traffic vs. driving or riding the bus through it, as my commute route is pretty much the same no matter how I do it.
My commute is 23 miles (each way) on bike lanes or shoulders of 2 to 4 lane arterials with heavy commuter and truck traffic, or MUPS not far from the same. The result is, unfortunately, my lungs notice the fumes FAR more when I'm cycling the route than when I'm driving or riding the bus- and it gets worse as I lengthen the portion of it that I ride. Gets to the point where my throat is irritated, and upon exhaling deeply to clear my lungs, I can smell the exhaust fumes on my breath. Not good. (Am also a runner, so lungs are fairly important).

This never happens when I'm riding the bus through the same traffic along the same route, and it's probably for these reasons:

- Less time spent in the fumes (~1hr. on bus vs. 1.5-2 hrs to ride; I'm not fast)

- On the car/bus I'm breathing the ambient air, plus the output of the half dozen vehicles around it; on the bike, vehicles are constantly passing so it's the ambient air plus the output of hundreds of other vehicles.

- I'm closer to the tailpipes of everything that goes by on the bike, and breathing more deeply than while at rest on the bus.

Other people who ride faster than me or have a less urban commute to handle probably aren't bothered as much by fumes as I am. I usually take the bike on the bus to work in the morning now, and ride home late in the evening (after 8PM)- traffic is much less, it's much more pleasant to ride at that time, and my lungs are happier. It's still a good, hilly 23 miles home and a carless commute.

So what is an "informal" test? Just how you feel, or is there some type of measuring devices and methodology involved?

I'm pretty sure it's worse being in a car. First, there's no magic filter in the car to keep out the fumes from other cars. Second, you're sitting 18 inches behind your own car's engine, and that's a lot closer to the source than cyclists get. Third, in a car you're often stuck in traffic, whereas cyclists can often get through or around the traffic pretty quickly.

At least we're not part of the problem! I hope the day comes soon when there are enough cyclists around to make a dent in the amount of pollution that's produced.


well.....

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3165/is_n7_v30/ai_15622397
Current systems screen out particles as small as 3 microns in diameter.....

http://reviews.cnet.com/2007_Toyota_Camry_Hybrid/4505-10865_7-31690653.html
http://www.u-ka.cn/en/02/101272.html

These filters are not new and not magic. As the last link shows, they are not just included on ultra expensive European cars anymore either...

Sometimes I smoke a cigarette while riding.........

Sometimes I smoke a cigarette while riding.........

so did these guys...

http://www.bicycle-gifts.com/jpg/q45.jpg

(they used to think smoking opened up the lungs and made breathing easier - Funny the things some people believe at different times)

Is that bikepacker in the background holding the bottle????

I answered, "yes" to the OP's question, that cycling in traffic can be bad for your lungs. But on the other side of the coin, the keyword is, "in traffic." So much depends on the air quality and the density of the traffic.

There is a website that monitors air quality in your area, if you live in a major US city, www.airnow.gov. The important thing is to avoid excessive physical activity when the air quality is considered bad.

What I've discovered after years of cycling to work in the Atlanta area is that usually, the air quality is excellent in the morning. In the afternoon, it's also usually not bad except during the summer months. During summer, it varies considerably according to the weather patterns. You just have to watch the website. There are those bad air days when it makes sense to take a day off.

Riding along in heavy traffic might not be too bad as long as that's not your whole commute. Where I live, there are plenty of alternate routes to avoid huffing exhaust for long periods. And remember, cycling can cover a large distance, unlike walking/running, so you don't have to be stuck riding alongside a jammed freeway. And if you drive, you're more likely to be stuck in the worst places. So cycling can actually be a better choice!

ooh, thanks, i'll be checking out that site. :)

Just looked at an old thread, Pollution, and there was a link to a study

http://www.bv.com.au/bikes-and-riding/11015

where it says

while cyclists are often able to take routes with little or no motor traffic and produce no pollution themselves, motorists get a double dose from vehicles around them and their own cars.

and quotes a second study that says

“even when account is taken of effort (a cyclist breathes on average two to three times as much as a motorist), the cyclist emerges as the victor of this comparison”

Slower traffic makes a huge difference. Eliminating idiots who gas it as they pass you would be nice, but obviously the reason they do it is because they've never been on a bicycle and have no idea what that does to us.

Saw a show some years ago about car commuting, and they showed that the level of contaminants IN the car was worse than outside.

I smoke, but I live in a land full of bike paths. My lungs are black and beautiful:D