Whether you ride for transportation, ride for sport, or even just ride for fun, for kids and adults alike, the power of pedaling is a great way to maintain good health and stay fit.

But you don’t have to ride hundreds of miles to reap the health benefits from cruising on your pedal-powered two-wheeler. According to health experts, riding a bike is one of the best all-around activities for improving your health.

If you Google the phrase “health benefits of bike riding,” you will find almost 2 million keyword matches.

A quick scroll through the search results shows multiple reasons more people should consider riding a bike. One study reports that, on average, cyclists live two years longer than non-cyclists. Another study shows that bike riding can strengthen your immune system and yet another says biking 30 minutes a day can lower the risk for breast cancer.

Riding a bike, especially to school, can get kids off the couch and help prevent the escalating childhood obesity problem in the U.S. Plus, researchers say kids who use pedal power are 48 percent less likely to be overweight as adults.

If research isn’t enough to convince you to get out and ride, the health facts of riding may do the trick. Experts say riding a bike can lower the risk of coronary heart disease, reduce stress and help keep your waistline from getting bigger.

It seems cycling’s benefits are hard to beat. Even if it’s been many years since you rode a bike, don’t be afraid to jump on the saddle again. Once you have learned how to ride a bike, you don’t usually forget.

So, if you have a bicycle sitting in the garage, pump up the tires, lube the rusty chain, strap on a helmet and get those cranks moving. Rolling on two wheels every day may just keep the doctor away.