There are plenty of reasons to jump on to your bike in all weathers, whether you are going to work, school or just taking time off. Here are the first seven:
1. No noise. A bicycle moves silently through town. The only sound you hear is when the cyclist whistles a tune.2. No smell. Bicycles don’t reek of petrol.
3. No CO2. If you have to go 5 km to work and you bike instead of drive, you’ll save the environment 300 kg of CO2 emissions a year.
4. Lose weight. Cycling is great exercise. A 30 minute cycle rideat a comfortable pace burns off as much fat as swimming the breaststroke. Increase your cycling speed just a bit and it’s the fat-burning equivalent of jogging.
5. Save money. Cycling is incredibly cheap. A few drops of acid-free cycle oil, an occasional new set of tyres – that’s all you need. Forget loans, insurance premiums, motor vehicle tax, petrol costs and parking meters.
6. No more queues. No more tailbacks, traffic jams or waiting for the bus or train - and you can zip through even the narrowest city lanes as well.
7. Free as a bird. With the wind in your hair and the whisper of your pedals under you, you can make eye contact with the city itself.
