Join the revolution

Published on Friday 27 June 2008 15:42

It's fun, it's cheap and it's easy – and it could save both you and the planet

So what are you waiting for? Get on your bike and set the wheels of change in motion

IF YOU could do one thing this week that could add two years to your life, while making you look and feel ten years younger, without the need for needles, lasers or industrial suction pumps, wouldn't you do it?

Cycling gets you fit, saves you money and can usually get you to work faster than the bus. "If you live relatively close to work, think about taking the bike," says Ian Aitken of Cycling Scotland. "It's a great start to the day, and you'll feel alert and refreshed by the time you get to the office."

If you needed any more convincing, consider the fact that just 20 minutes of cycling burns around 100 calories – meaning you can have that digestive biscuit with your morning coffee after all – and it is also an excellent way to lift your mood.

A study carried out for the Department for Transport found that it is one of the few physical activities that can be undertaken daily by the majority of the population. Because it builds up leg strength, it can help older people avoid falls, and it also helps encourage independence among children.

From an economic point of view, you'll save money on bus fares and petrol. Since over half of all UK car journeys are less than five miles long, whether it be a nip to the shops or the school run, swapping the car for the bike could save the country 2.5 billion each year – to say nothing of the greenhouse gases.

"You have to invest in a bike to start with," says Aitken, "but if you compare that to a car or even public transport, it's a much cheaper option. And at the same time you're getting your health and fitness fix for the week, so if you take into consideration what you might be spending on a gym membership, you could add that into the picture too."

If you're a beginner and are quite unfit, he suggests talking to your doctor before embarking on any serious cycling, and to build up your mileage slowly. Make sure you have the right bike for the kind of cycling you intend to do, too. "There's no point in buying a heavy mountain bike if you're never going to go on off-road trails," he says. "If you're mainly going to be cycling to work, you might be better with a road bike or a hybrid, which is somewhere between a road and a mountain bike.

"The best thing to do is to go into your local cycle shop. Speak to the staff – they'll talk you through the options. They'll size you for the bike too, and make sure you have the correct cycling position – it's quite common for people to use a saddle position that is completely wrong for them so they're wasting a lot of energy and making it a lot harder work than it need be."

Expect to pay around 200 for a decent bike that will last. You should also invest in a puncture repair kit, lights, a high-visibility jacket for night and winter cycling, and a helmet. If you already have a bike gathering dust and rust in the garage, take it to your local cycling shop and they'll be able to tell you whether it can be rescued or not.

Then all that's left to do is get on your bike. "If you're scared of cycling in traffic, which is quite understandable, build up to it gradually and choose your routes carefully," says Aitken. "Remember, you're not trying to replicate the journey that you'd take in the car every day. In Glasgow and Edinburgh and various towns across the country, there are quite extensive cycle networks." And when you need to hit the road, he advises choosing the quiet residential ones that don't have heavy traffic.

Make sure you're visible to other road users too, by wearing bright clothing and taking up a strong cycling position on the road. "You don't want to be cycling right up against the gutter," says Aitken. "You want to be a good half a metre from the kerb. When you are at junctions or anything involving manoeuvres, make eye contact with the motorists so you know they've seen you and you've seen them."

If you think road biking is for wimps, perhaps you're hearing the call of the wild. "Mountain biking has really taken off in Scotland over the last couple of years," says Aitken. "The 7Stanes in the Borders has an incredible 250,000 visitors every year. Then there's the Fort William mountain bike world cup as well, which took place a couple of weeks ago, and they had about 20,000 people."

A little less muddy but no less fun is the Pedal for Scotland Glasgow-to-Edinburgh cycle, which takes place on September 14. The country's biggest bike race, it is suitable for all ages – in past years children as young as six and adults as old as 70 have taken part.

It is well signposted and thousands take part, so there is no chance of getting lost. And don't worry if you have to give up half-way through – there will be support vehicles to take you and your bike to the finish line. As for the sensitive issue of saddle sores, unfortunately it's just a case of getting used to it. "It depends on your saddle," says Aitken, "but the best advice I have is to build up your mileage and get used to it slowly."

Pedal for Scotland is a Glasgow to Edinburgh cycle taking place on September 14, 2008. To find out more, see www.pedalforscotland.org, and to start training for the event, see the panel on page 26

Getting started

Make sure you have all your equipment – pump, puncture repair kit, high-visibility gear and helmet – and that it's in good working order. If your bike hasn't been serviced for a while, take it to the bike shop for a once-over.

Choose your route. Local authority websites as well as www.sustrans.org.uk and www.spokes.org.uk are excellent points of reference for local cycle tracks.

If you haven't cycled for a while, build up your distance gradually. Start with eight miles two or three times a week, building up to ten miles a couple of weeks later, then 16 miles after a month, and so on.

Over the summer, we'll tell you how to get the most from cycling in our monthly series.