More than half of all bike owners are guilty of not cycling frequently – Defy the statisticians and get back in the saddle today.
Do you regularly ride your bike?
Another week, another depressing survey. Do you ever have that sinking guilty feeling about an expensive impulse buy slowly rusting in the garden shed? Well it turns out that you are not alone, as the latest poll of the UK’s cycling habits shows.
According to EDF Energy, which conducted the poll for its Team Green Britain Bike Week more than half of bike owners are guilty of not cycling frequently.
Of the 2,000 people interrogated by ICM earlier this month, 55% own a bike, but of them, 58% regularly leave their bikes unused for over a fortnight at a time. The statistics also show that while 25% of men use their bike to travel to work, only 10% of women commute this way.
Our survey says otherwise. Only a fortnight ago we reported that Britain sees bikes, rather than a mode of transport, “either a toy for children or a vehicle fit only for the poor and/or strange”. That’s according to the interim report from Understanding Walking and Cycling study, a report by Dave Horton of Lancaster University.
This new set of stats further verifies that claim. Despite roads feeling busier with cyclists, hire schemes promoting the commuter benefits, and there generally being a buzz around bikes, it’s still not the norm. Of course it will always be a specialist interest sport for speed freaks or vintage enthusiasts, but can cycling ever go mainstream?
To those with a thick layer of dust gathering on their conscience, there is something about abandoning a possession that if it goes on too long, you increasingly know that you will never use said item again. So even if it is just a quick trot around the block, or you actually go on that ride that you have always be meaning to, getting out there can change your routine in a second. It’s nearly always better than you anticipate, and the benefits are immeasurable: exploring, exercising, racing, travelling. All in all cycling can be a life-affirming thing.
It should be noted that EDF is using these convenient results to entice former, potential and avid cyclists to attend “go green” events, enlisting local Dr Bikes to get into shape any of the aforementioned abandoned two-wheeled steeds.
So defy the statisticians and get back in the saddle today. Or else give it away on Freecycle – there is almost certainly someone out there who would like your bike.
(Article Source: The Guardian Newspaper )
Worried about your bike rusting?
If you are guilty of not riding your bicycle as often as you should, you shouldn’t have to worry about your bike rusting or being damaged when not in use. By storing it in a suitable storage unit, such as the Twin Bike Locker from Asgard, you don’t need to worry about storing your bicycle over a long period of time.
The Twin Bike Locker is an all-metal secure way of storing your bicycle, accessories and spares safely all year round.
See more information on the Twin Bike Locker on the Asgard website here.
Filed under: bicycle alarm, Bicycle Security, Bike Locker, Bike locks/security, bike shed, bike shelter, Storing your bike, twin bike locker
