Today on the 19th of May, we’ll be getting on our bikes to celebrate Bike to Work Day.We’re all in the same boat when it comes to the cost of living crisis. Currently, nearly 50% of people are swapping their cars and public transport for bikes on a weekday. Why not join them and reap all the benefits of healthier, quicker and less expensive journeys?
Check out our five handy reasons why you should make cycling a habit this May.
Cut your costs – get on your bike
Biking is cheaper pound for pound. According to Blackhawk Network, an employee benefits platform, commuters can save around £750 a year. With petrol prices reaching their peak in 2022, bike lights brand See.Sense estimated that cyclists who logged journeys with them saved more than £185,000 in fuel costs. That includes petrol and electric cars!
There are so many ways to get on your bike cheaply. Monthly bike subscription services like Buzzbike cost as little as £17.99 a month, offering bikes fit for children and adults. Many cities are investing in rentable bikes, even cargo bikes for when you need to take heavy equipment on your commute. And with businesses offering cycle-to-work schemes, you could even get money off your bike equipment as an incentive to get riding. No excuses not to use that pedal power!
Get fitter on wheels
Cycling is a great lower-body workout. The average cyclist in the UK can comfortably cycle 5 miles (traffic-allowing) in just over 30 minutes. When was the last time your commute was just half an hour? And both ways equals an hour of exercise without a gym membership. It’s a no-brainer!
There’s even better news – routine cycling can provide you with the fitness levels of someone ten years younger, according to the National Forum for Coronary Heart Disease Foundation. Get on your bike, and you’ll not only be fitter, but that 30-minute cycle is enough to raise your metabolism for several hours after.
Faster commute – cut through the traffic
Here’s the thing – not only do cars take up more space and release all that CO2, but despite your top speed – you’ll spend most of your time stuck in traffic jams! The average cyclist will be speeding past you at 14mph whilst you’re crawling towards that traffic light.
Most cities have invested in more cycle parking to encourage you to pedal. You can use this handy guide to Hull City Cycling to find local parking, advice on locking your bike and some great fun trails. And best of all, secure cycle stands are always free!
Reduce your carbon footprint
You don’t have to rely just on pedal power, either. The average push bike produces 13 times less emissions than a car. And if you need extra help, the average electric bike still produces far less emissions than the electric car. Why? Because most electric bikes are designed to help alongside your pedal power. So, pedalling always comes on top.
Bikes release no air pollution, and you can offset in under six months the emissions produced by bike manufacturing since they use a mere 5% of the materials and energy consumption required for a car. Get on your bike, and you could cut CO2 emissions by 44,000 tonnes each week. Start today, and by next Friday, you could have reduced your footprint by more than half!
It’s great fun!
Exercise is a great stress reliever, and cycling is no different. There are huge benefits to early morning exercise as it helps you stay alert longer. (That means less coffee too!) You can explore your local area on weekends and cut through those homeward traffic jams easily.
Remember when you were a kid and the days were spent outside pedalling away with your friends? The commute might not be like those carefree days, but cycling can still give you that natural stress release. Even in cold weather, cycling can keep you warm!
Not confident on your bike? Gathering dust under the stairs? Rusty Riders is here for you. All levels of cyclists can join our experienced coaches and be rusty no more!
