Becky’s bespoke bike repairs

Posted on 20 October, 2012 by doug

Here’s my daughter Becky at work on our friend’s bike; it’s all about learning to be a little more self reliant, enterprising, entrepreneurial and something about learning how bikes work.  It is all leading towards her earning money towards a school trip in 2013 and taking some responsibility towards it.  So, we’re letting our friends know what we’re up to.

So far we’ve washed a few cars, sold some snacks to other kids at her dancing class and now we’re repairing and tuning up bikes.  I love it – seeing her getting to grips with how bikes work and fit together.  Today was all about getting a stiff rear brake working and before we tuned a bike up for one of her teachers.

These bikes, by the way, were almost identical and involved a certain amount of weight lifting – yes weight lifting – as I always hang my bikes from the garage roof in order to work on them (we’re too mean to buy a proper bike stand).  These bikes weren’t far short of 40lbs and all good experience, along with strength building exercise for me.  Fixing the brake on this was straight forward: we replaced the galvanised brake cable and coiled outer for something much smoother to good effect.  We used one of those smooth stainless steel cables with a lined outer.  We also loosened the V brakes off from the mounting bosses on the frame so we could lubricate them.  Adjusting the springs so the brakes pulled evenly was easy to do and while we were at it we couldn’t resist dealing with one or two other things which we’d spotted.  All good fun and, dare we say, fantastic value for money.

That works both ways.  Becky earns a little pocket money, I teach her how to fix bikes; what a great deal.  Mind you, I learnt something too.  These rear Shimano gears, although fairly modest in the range, work in an opposite way to normal.  By this I mean the cable pulls the chain onto the smaller sprockets, not the other way around.  That seems a bit of neat problem solving on Shimano’s part as it would be a challenge for any rear deurallier in pulling the chain up onto that large sprocket – you can see its a huge jump up to the 34t sprocket but this appears to work alright.

With the bike duly tuned up there was a good satisfying feeling.  Two mugs of tea and a lesson completed in replacing a brake cable and getting V -brakes working alright.  So thanks Tom for letting us fix your bike.  One last thing, Becky’s invoice referred to me as her “assistant”.  Not so sure about that but I guess it’s better than being a glamorous assistant!

Posted in cycle maintenance, family | 1 Comment

Cycle Seven blog – happy 3rd birthday

Posted on 18 October, 2012 by doug

I do like the Cycle Seven blog and I’d like to give it a plug here on my blog.  As a good all-round” cycling blog that covers a fair range of subjects it’s a good read.

Written by a handful of (seven?) writers there is a mixture of styles which is sometimes supplemented by guest contributors.  I like their easy-going style and complete lack of any pretentious twaddle which sadly comes out in some blogs.

Just follow the link:

http://cycleseven.org/our-blog-after-three-successful-years

 

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Review – Wholebake flapjacks

Posted on 17 October, 2012 by doug

Back in September I bought a little supply of these flapjacks with high hopes for a brilliant find.  Below is our view but first of all a little introduction concerning Wholebake.

The company

Wholebake was founded in 1984 by Stephen Jones and Jennifer Gibson who, after many years in both the retail and wholesale Wholefood Trade, found that was nearly impossible to buy good quality, healthy ready-to-eat food anywhere. Seeing the potential of this market, they started to produce such food in the kitchen of their farmhouse and sold it locally through Health Food Shops and local supermarkets.
Initially this consisted of frozen Ready Meals. Encouraged by the response, a range of Wholefood pies and pasties were soon added to the range. A barn adjoining the house was soon converted to provide the extra capacity needed to cope with the demand.
By 1987 they had again run out of capacity and purchased premises in Corwen. With the extra facilities at the new premises, a new product was born – the Apricot & Apple Slice. With a shelf life of three weeks these slices were distributed far more widely and proved to be so popular that soon other flavours were added.
Since then they have continued to grow and develop as a company and increasing their range. Their purpose built factory is in North Wales

The range

Wholebake do a nice range of flapjacks.  With the exception of the Flapjack bites, they retail for around 70p to 80p.  At 100g they are just about the right size, more about that later.  The flapjack range consist of a premium range (pecan, cranberry, berry and pistacio), nut, fruit and finally their indulgent range.  The indulgent range includes chocolate, chocolate & ginger, fudge and Bakewell).  This, to be honest, is a very attractive range: if you like to have one in your daily lunch box you’ll not exactly get bored with the same flavours cropping up every week or two.
Ingredients are pretty straight forward with 37% oatflakes in the Apricot flapjack, for example.

Road testing

We both tried some of the flapjacks from the fruit range and the indulgent range.  At over 400kcals per flapjack they are not foods for slimming.  On the other hand, for us sporty types, this makes them ideal.  It is a compact punch of energy which includes sugars for an instant boost through to more slow-burn carbohydrates.  I found them to be suprisingly solid and this is useful for the kind of saddle-bag cuisine I try to perfect.  It is all-too-easy for flapjacks to crumble and fall apart through being bounced around in a saddlebag.  These don’t cost anywhere as much as Blackfrairs, which are natural competitors.
We liked the taste of the chocolate & ginger and Bakewell varieties with just the right amount of topping.  The topping was lovely and sweet.
The flavours from the topping is close to the ideal – there is a slight tendency to be a little bland in taste but the ginger and chocolate certainly improves the taste.  they are easy to eat and digest, providing you don’t gobble them too fast.  We liked the other flavours and they had a good balance between the natural ‘oatiness’ and the sweetness of the toppings.

Queries

There are a couple of inconsistences which need clearing up.  These include the possibly misleading labelling concerning the Kcals in each flapjack.  The chocolate & ginger flapjack says it gives you 745 kcals per 100grams.  Wow that seems a lot.  The internet says it is 415kcals, which is closer to what I would expect.
The other inconsistencies is the handmade nature of this product.  Indeed the packaging refers to it being handmade and yet the website boasts of machinery cabale of producing 200 flapjacks a minute.  I don’t think they can have it both ways – needs to be phrased differently.
I have tried to have a conversation with Wholebake, albeit unsuccessfully.  When I telephoned, the receptionist suggested it would be better to speak to someone more senior and put my query on to their website’s ‘contact form’ a few weeks ago  but this is disappointing with no response.

Conclusion

There’s a good range of vegetarian flapjacks here, reasonably priced and taste good.  It is organic food with no GM ingredients or hydrogenated fats – this is good.  Balance against this are my queries.
We may buy a supply and they will fit the bill completely.  There is scope for greater clarity as outlined above but on the whole, we like them very much.  I am very happy to address any issues, as and when I’m contacted.
Posted in food, reviews | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Cardboard bike

Posted on 17 October, 2012 by doug

A bicycle made from cardboard?  How green, how cool, wacky and well, cardboard – is it possible?  Read on…..

Picture: REUTERS/Baz Ratner

Israeli inventor Izhar Gafni rides his cardboard bicycle in Moshav Ahituv in central Israel. The bicycle, made almost entirely of cardboard, has the potential to change transportation habits from the world’s most congested cities to the poorest reaches of Africa, Gafni, an expert in designing automated mass-production lines and an amateur cycling enthusiast.

We think this is pretty cool and we know cardboard can be surprisingly strong so maybe there is a future for such bikes in a quirky kind of way.  Whether they are viable is somewhat doubtful in our view but there is scope for using it to prove a point; perhaps in the cardboard packaging industry or as design exercises for students.  We have also clocked helmets where the construction uses cardboad very effectively; this makes some sense.

This had me thinking… I remember reading about bike frames made from Bamboo and a quick internet search reveal that really do exist.  But I’ll blog about those some other time.

For now cardboard bikes; now that’s something that is, well, I’m not sure really.  On one hand it is an amazing feat to produce a usable bicycle from cardboard.  On the other hand, I cannot ignore the fact the above photograph was taken in warm dry conditions.  Here in England it is October – the weather is becoming progressively more cold and wet.  Ride that bike in the rain and it might collapse in five seconds, perhaps?

Have you ever ridden a bike made from any alternative material?  Cardboard, bamboo and so on.  Please let me know!

Posted in materials, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 3 Comments

The Jon Snow cycle effect?

Posted on 17 October, 2012 by doug

We were intrigued, impressed and heartened to see evidence of so many cyclists at Channel 4’s building in Westminster, London.  Not that there were many at work last Sunday but plenty of bike locks hanging from the railings outside – presumably ready for use first thing Monday morning.

We wondered (in a not-very-serious way) if there was some kind of pecking order  going on with the cycle parking.  If you were Jon Snow or another high profile person, you could have a prime spot. Alternatively you could be resigned to locking your bike on the outside of the railing!

 

Perhaps this is some kind of Channel 4 fringe statement; there’s nothing on their website about cycle facilitates other than the provision of the Cycle to Work scheme.  We can certainly understand why people leave their locks there – some look very heavy and bulky to carry to and from work each day.  Besides, locked or chained to the railings must almost guarantee your spot when you arrive.

Nonetheless, bravo for Channel 4 and their employees!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Nice but look closer….

Posted on 16 October, 2012 by doug

Who do you think would own a bike like this?  Spotted in Petty France, outside the Ministry of Justice.  Someone up to date in the cycling scene, a good dash of style.

Classy Brooks B17 saddle, clearly a saddle of choice.  Interesting way of securing the saddle to the bike.  It appears to be a closed length of cycle chain with an old inner tube to stop it rattling around.  Seems a shame to have to do this in order to stop the saddle being stolen, also spoils the style of a minimalist fixie bike like this.  But then, it is parked outside the Ministry of Justice…

 

 

And then you see the perilous state of the rear tyre.  One more skid and bang goes the inner tube.

Perhaps hard times in the Ministry of Justice?

 

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Bike shots in London

Posted on 15 October, 2012 by doug

Outside the Tate Modern, some classy bicycles

A very nice Felt frame, perhaps carbon fibre.  Not so sure about the white chain and rims?

A pair of Moultons, perhaps his and hers?  These are cool and clearly the Brooks saddle is  highly valued in being locked as well.

Tourists getting to grips with some “Boris Bikes” at Admiralty Arch

The Mall was pleasant for strolling and a gentle ride on a Boris Bike.

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Cycling alone, or in a group?

Posted on 14 October, 2012 by doug

 

Which do you prefer?  Riding your bike or maybe going with others?  By nature I tend to cycle (and run) on my own and I never yearn to have someone else alongside.  That’s not to say I don’t enjoy those occasions when I get a chance to cycle with my daughters or my friend Wallie; a long term friend.  And yet I have now found myself challenged in an unexpected way and need to think this through.

Sometimes I have been known to express my regret that relatively few people cycle nowadays, although I’m aware cycling is going through a renaissance currently with MAMILs spending large sums of money on some decent bikes.  That’s good but still cycling is in a minority in terms of the competition against the huge numbers of cars on our roads.  At our church on a Sunday morning, we are growing in number (300 – 400 each Sunday morning) and the car park is full and the bike racks have less than ten bikes. Okay, many people will walk, which is fine.

Completely out of the blue, my friend Jeremy sent an email to a good handful of us raising the possibility of occasional bike rides together.  This is good but also a challenge for me with all kinds of mixed feelings.  My inclination is to say yes, and go ahead and join the group.  Here’s a few pros and cons:

Cycling alone

  • great if you enjoy your own company
  • an opportunity to be alone with your thoughts, to mull things over
  • you can travel at your own speed but this might be slower compared to group rising
  • you can go whichever way you want, making up your route as you go
  • you can stop whenever you want (to take a photograph, have a pee, have a snack or a rest, add a layer or take a layer of clothing off etc)
  • building self reliance and confidence

In a group

  • share the adventure; each ride is different and people will notice different things
  • depending on the road, you can ride alongside each other and talk.  Other times single-file is best
  • you can help each other with any mechanical problems
  • you can race or train together
  • camaraderie with like-minded people
  • different people have different paces – some can feel held back and want to go faster.  Others may struggle to keep up with the group and feel awkward
  • you might get irritated by others constantly stopping for “this and that”
  • some people hate riding on busy roads, or up hills, others don’t mind
  • less scary at night time
  • a chance to deepen friendships

So, which do you prefer?  Cycling alone, or in a group, or both?  Why?

Posted in confidence, cycling, family | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Cateye TL-LD100 review

Posted on 13 October, 2012 by doug

 

I bought one of these lights three years ago and was so pleased, I got another for my second bike.  Overall I am impressed with it.

Description

There are two rows of LED lights on this good quality rear light.  Each row has three LEDs facing backwards and an LED on either side.  Each row is controlled by a single individual button.  It is supplied with two basic AA batteries and a bracket which attaches the light to a seat post.  In the above picture, it is attached to a pannier rack using a single self tapping screw – which has held it in place for well over 3000 miles without any problem.

Performance

The TL LD100 is very efficient and reliable.  In terms of being seen this is excellent – providing the light is correctly angled and the beam of light coming from the LEDs is straight and horizontal (not pointing up or down, left or right).  The lens effect is very powerful and can, according to my wife, be seen over a long distance.

The batteries seem to last a long time and there is a period of ‘grace’ where it still works but the brightness is fading.  Do be alert to this and I imagine it applies to other LED rear lights.

In use

One nice feature is the ability to toggle between the different modes, independently on both rows,  The sequence is flashing (all LEDs) > all on steady > side to side > random.  It is the first mode which is the most effective for being seen.  For economy, you could try the random mode where only one LED is on at any one time on each row and I quite like setting it for this mode, with both rows flashing – best of both worlds!

Neither lights have proved problematic in any way, in spite of being bashed a few times in the course of normal wear and tear.

Some other reviewers have commented that the plastic battery sleeve makes getting batteries in and out is difficult.  This can be true but the sleeve is supplied so that a slightly tighter battery can be taken out more easily.  On the whole, other cyclists like this Cateye and I tend to agree with them.

Accessories

Cateye does have the advantage over some other manufacturers of making a range of accessories, also of good design and quality, available.  Wiggle and Evans stock these but a typical LBS may be a little hit-and-miss.  Spare brackets are useful for swapping a light from one bike to another or simply because you want to have the light somewhere different.  These brackets, while generally good, do not necessarily solve every mounting problem.

Cost

Expect to pay £30 to £35.  Spare brackets are £2 to £5, depending on type.

Conclusion

  • Excellent LEDs, nice and bright.
  • Excellent lens effect.
  • Durable
  • Spare brackets available for different bikes or positions
  • Variety of static or flashing modes
  • Uses AA batteries
  • Not the cheapest light but in my view, it is worth it.


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Cleaning a bicycle chain

Posted on 12 October, 2012 by doug

Cleaning a bicycle chain is probably one of the yuckiest things to do in the world of cycling, other than having a broken chain in the middle of nowhere, at night and in the pouring rain.  And yet when you have a nice clean chain running over an equally clean cassette, your bike will running sweetly and smoothly.  You will enjoy smoother gear changes and be in the full knowledge that less wear is taking place.

For cleaning the drive chain, you can buy some special gadgets that will clean the chain in-situ.  These work best, I think, if the chain is frequently cleaned.  Here I am taking you through the steps of cleaning the drive chain in a good, thorough way.

  1. Find the “magic” link, if there is one.  Many modern chains have one.  The above photograph is a KMC type.  To break the link, grab the chain firmly either side.  Wriggle it from side to side as you push the link  inwards as the two halves separate.
  2. To clean the chain – that’s dissolving away all the horrible abrasive gunge – you need a jam jar and some white spirit.  All you need is 2cm in the jar, enough to slosh it all around.  Wipe the chain so it is as clean as possible, then repeat the process once or twice more
  3. Make sure the chain is nice and clean, then hang it up to dry while you turn your attention to the chainset and sprockets.  By the way, while you are doing this, you’ll need to make sure you have kept the “magic” link somewhere safe and naturally you’ll need to give that a wipe to clean it as well.  Hang the chain up to dry.
  4. Next, squirt some solvent over the sprockets and chainrings so they can be cleaned as well.  For the sprockets, an old paint brush might be useful to get the solvent working on the sprockets and then wipe between each of the sprockets with an old rag.
  5. Next, give the chainset a good clean
  6. Clean the front and rear mechs and then a drop of lube is needed.
  7. Time to refit the rear wheel and the chain.  When the “magic” link is reconnected, make sure you press down on the pedal to “click” it into place.
  8. Finally apply some lube.  There’s quite a choice but for most purposes I prefer the dry lube type.  Don’t put too much on, go for the minimum you can get away with.
  9. Lastly enjoy a nice clean drive chain.  You will probably experience smoother gear changes and a nice smooth sound.  Keep it like that in order to extend the life of the chain, sprockets and chainrings.
Posted in cycle maintenance | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Correct position on the road

Posted on 2 October, 2012 by doug

This cyclist has adopted the correct position on the road – about 1 metre from the edge.  This allows a cyclist to be able to avoid any potholes, sunken drains through having sufficient room to be able to move to the left if he needs to.

The disadvantage is that many car drivers may view 1 metre as being a luxurious distance from the edge and may “suggest” that as they eventually overtake.

Not so with the car in the above photograph.  The car driver has overtaken the cyclist and has allowed a reasonable amount of room, though ideally it could be a little more.

What’s wrong?  What’s the problem?

Yes, while the cyclist is in a good position and the car driver has given a reasonable amount of room in over taking, it is taking place on a bend in the road and how does the car driver know if anything is coming the other way.  Chances are that on that road, two cars coming towards each other at a closing speed of 30+30=60mph, an accident is very likely.  Thankfully nothing happened in this situation.

 

 

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Does the “Cyclists’ High” really exist?

Posted on 29 September, 2012 by doug

If you are a moderately serious runner, the chances are you will have experienced the Runner’s High or at the very least, you will have heard people like me drone on about it.  We can easily go on and on about how fantastic it makes us feel; the feeling of being on top of the World and euphoric.

While nobody fully understands exactly what happens, there are some valid explainations.  To put it in a nutshell, there is a process of chemicals being released in the brain – often referred to as endorphins – and these are our natural painkillers which come into play after a period of intense physical exercise.  In my own experience, it’s wonderful.  It brings another dimension to using exercise to stay in good shape; both physically and mentally.  One wonders if it is anything like heroin or other opiates since it is referred to as a “legal high”.  While I have known numerous drug users (through my profession I hasten to add) I haven’t known any who are runners, other than possibly when running from the arms of the Law.  If I had the opportunity, I’d be curious to explore this with them – heroin compared to the Runner’s High.

Upon trying a Google search there are only two references, both from fellow bloggers.  This link leads to the most comprehensive reference:

http://bikenoob.com/2012/07/24/is-there-a-cyclists-high/

The question now, is there such a thing as a Cyclist’s High?  Cyclists do ride as hard and fast as they can – either for endurance over a long distance or perhaps outright speed over a defined distance.  Consider those short, intense uphill races, those sprint finishes and a whole raft of other reasons why someone would push themselves to the limit on a bike and yet, nobody ever seems to talk about having a High.

So, does the Cyclist’s High exist?  I suspect it does but it would manifest itself slightly differently to that of the Runner’s High.  I could be a little more bold and assert that YES IT DOES EXIST and you heard it here first!

Either way, I would welcome any comments on this matter.

Posted in cycling, runner's high | Tagged | 3 Comments

Shimano A520 pedals – review

Posted on 28 September, 2012 by doug

These pedals have:

  • been pedalled thousands of miles
  • clipped in and of umpteen times
  • allow my foot to unexpectedly spring out a few times
  • caused me to fall off only once

and because of that, I think they are fine.

Why?

These were my very first foray into the scary world of clipless pedals and, to be honest, I was already content with my existing toe clip pedals.  It was the lack of easily available and reasonably priced cycling shoes that pushed me in the SPD direction.  It wasn’t difficult to learn how the Shimano SPD route was an easy one to follow as there was a good range of pedals and shoes stocked by many bike shops.  At the time I just wasn’t in the mood for anything too exclusive or aloof looking.

These are from a fairly limited range of Shimano touring SPD type pedals; there are a few others around but not a huge choice.  If you extend the range to include MTB type pedals, you then have about 14 with prices from under £20 to approaching £100 for the rather posh XTR version.  All of the MTB versions are double sided.  Some of the trekking,  commuting or utility versions are designed so they can be comfortably used with ordinary shoes without any cleats – handy for riding down to the shops etc.

The actual “touring” pedals are a choice of just three.  The others in the range are the slightly more expensive with the Shimano A530 (at about £44) and these are better when ridden with ordinary shoes.  The Shimano A600 is pitched at Ultegra level and resemble the more economical A520 but cost around £70 and are about 32 grammes lighter and have bearings which are of a higher quality.  All of these pedals are compatible with the multi direction SH51 cleat.

As far as my pedals are concerned, the A520s have worked very well.  Having covered thousands of miles with no maintenance, they are still smooth running although one is developing a little loose play (not that you’d notice when pedalling).  Clipping in took a bit of practice and determination to start off with.  Judging from other reviews and feedback, I am not alone with this view.  If ever you find yourself in this position, it is worth making sure the small adjustment allen key bolt is turned all the way to the minus mark (-).  They are slightly weighted so the back hangs down; therefore making it easier to flip the pedal forward and clicking the shoe in.

It really is worth setting aside time to make sure the position of the cleats is exactly right. Whatever you may have heard or read, it is good old fashioned trial-and-error experimenting and I’ll blog about that another time.

Now the pedals and cleats are wearing, I have the need to tension the allen key bolt and tension spring a little.  This is because the cleat has popped out when I’ve been pulling up, rather than pushing down.  This is no big deal and precisely what the tensioing spring mechanism is for.

The downside to these pedals could also be argued as part of the simple appeal.  Being single sided brings limitations which is compounded by making the underside surface unsuitably for using ordinary shoes (save the shortest of journeys).

By way of conclusion, these are generally good, economical, fairly durable, good looking and worthwhile.  I like their simple look and uncomplicated clean line.   I would happily either buy these again or maybe try out the A600 to see if they are twice as good (as they cost twice as much).

 

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10 fantastic reasons to be a cyclist

Posted on 27 September, 2012 by doug

1. Health

In broad terms, if you’re a regular cyclist you can halve the chance of getting diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.  Compared to inactive people, cyclists have the good health of someone 10 years younger.  The biggest cause of death in the UK is Coronary heart disease (CHD). Around 40% of all deaths are due to CHD. Many of these coronary heart disease deaths could be prevented through regular exercise (and cycling is ideal). It has been calculated that around 37% of all CHD deaths are due to physical inactivity compared to around 19% from smoking.

Cycling is brilliant for weight control.  Depending on how fast you cycle or the effort you put in, you could expect to burn between 4 to 12 kcals per minute.  That’s up to 900 kcals per hour!  Another benefit is it’s non weight baring i.e. you’re not pounding your feet, as with running.  Your exercise can be as vigorous or as gentle as you want.

Probably worth mentioning mental health as well as I believe this to be very relevant.  Cycling is a brilliant stress-buster, a way of un-winding and sorting out some of those niggles.  A good bike ride will almost certainly lead to a good night’s sleep which is very important.

In other words, cycling is a very healthy thing to do.

2. It’s very green

Once a bicycle has been made, shipped and sold it has very little impact on the environment.  Even the environmental impact of manufacturing of a bicycle is small compared to a car or a motorbike, so it’s off to a good start.  In use, bicycles burn no fuel, have zero emissions and create no noise pollution and routine servicing does not involve the disposal of oil, spark plus, filters, old parts etc.

3. No congestion

When did you last see a road grinding to a halt through too may bicycles on the road at the same time (cycling events aside)?  Never, at least in the UK.  This is particularly important in urban areas and commuting traffic.  A number of European cities have a transport system which is designed to accommodate cyclists and assist their flow through the streets.  Such measures are generally very cost-effective; some towns and cities have a dreadful infrastructure for cyclists, others are more enlightened and the outcomes include fewer cars clogging up the streets.

4. An efficient form of transport

In urban areas, cycling is often faster than, compared to driving a car, taking a taxi or a bus.  Bikes can also be used for shopping, providing you have some pannier bags, or a saddle bag or a small ruck sack.  I think it’s also very “satisfying” to squeeze £40 of food and groceries into my pannier bags and get home faster than I would in my car.

5.  No licence required

No driving licence?  Not a problem.  Great for children.  Great also for disqualified drivers.

In my line of work, I have dealt with a number of drink drivers and some go through a period of mourning their former status as a motorist.  Some ignore their driving ban and face a further prosecution, another sentence of some kind, hugely increased costs later on if they renew their car insurance.  I remember once having a conversation with someone in that position who couldn’t comprehend not driving everywhere.  Eventually the light bulb did come on and he did dust his old bike off.  He needed to deal with some self-imposed humiliation, some loss of pride.  He came to realise he didn’t need a car after all and carried on as a cyclist once his disqualification had ended.

6.  Less crime

While I’m on a work related subject, there’s a lot of crime going on around cars.  This includes stealing them, scraping a key along the side, smashing a window to steal something inside and a whole list of offences that can be committed once behind the wheel of a car.  Sure, without doubt the theft of bikes is a tricky problem especially at railway stations but on balance cars lead to more crimes than bikes.

7. Cycling is comparatively cheap

The cost of buying a car is huge, not to mention the cost of learning to drive and passing a test.  Petrol, servicing, insurance, road tax, car parking, finance charges and depreciation all add up to a significant portion of many people’s salaries.

Buying a decent bike for, say £1,000 and investing in £500 worth of accessories and clothing is very cheap transport.  I reckon bikes could easily last longer than cars which also helps their business case become even stronger.

8.  A family activity

Cycling is for children too, of all ages.

Our daughters learnt to ride bikes without stabilizer wheels when they were 4 years old.  They love it and have thoroughly enjoyed it ever since.

We normally take our bikes on holiday and it’s a great way of exploring places together.  It also builds confidence in children, helps them develop their independence and physical growth.  It’s the kind of thing we enjoy as a family – seeing things together, getting wet together, getting lost together and just enjoying each other’s company.  Somehow, pedalling along with each other is always more meaningful and memorable than arriving by car.

9.  You can wear Lycra

Perhaps a matter of taste?  Cyclists have their own dress code, just like many other groups of people.  There’s the traditional tourist (often baggy shorts, rain capes, neat cycling shoes), the time trial speedy cyclist (skin tight Lycra, weird looking helmets), urban fixies (tight jeans, tweedy tops).  Some people love to wear Lycra – cycling is a good ‘cover’ story.

10.  It identifies you

Cyclists are independent and more self reliant.  Many people will admire you as a cyclist, for making the statement of moving around under your own steam.  You’ll probably be slimmer than you’re immediate circle of friends, family, neighbours and colleagues.  You’re making a real statement about yourself – why you might travel by bike instead of using your car.  You’re independent, you can rise above all the squabbles and hassles of car parking, you can dispense with the cost of being in a gym and know you’re doing the right thing for these – any many other reasons.

 

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