Is a distance ever too short to cycle?

[CopperCyclist]

The answer is 'Yes' however it's a unique distance to each person.

It's not worth cycling to me if a rough guess at:

Time getting into cycle clothes+travel time (is clearly greater than) time taken to walk.

Even then I'd probably just cycle and increase the distance.

No one can tell YOU it's not worth it I'd you think it is.

 

[Sara_H]

I live at the top of a RIGHT big hill, so cycling anywhere is quicker going out - sometimes I walk back up, but it doesn't take longer to walk uo with bike than without it.

 

[JohnC60]

Is a distance ever too short to cycle?
Yes, I'd never cycle to visit my in-laws (they live next door but one!)
The most direct route for my daily commute is only 1.1 miles but invariably becomes 3.5-6.0 miles depending on the weather.

 

[Night Train]

When I was really poorly early last year I went everywhere local by bike as walking much beyond my gates saw me falling over.

Now I can walk again I tend to walk locally as the risk of the bike being nicked isn't worth it unless I take the Brom and carry it around the shops, or use the winter hack.

I often don't think in terms of the distance, more the effective route. The GP's is cycleable though it is closer then the supermarket, but the supermarket is via a pedestrianised route that makes detouring with a bike a bit pointless given the road layouts, so I walk there.

 

[Cyclopathic]

Anything less than half the length of my bike is where I draw the line.

 

[Hip Priest]

I wouldn't personally cycle less than a mile or so, but that's only because my garage is round the corner from my house and has four locks on it, so it's a bit of a faff. If my bike was easily to hand, then no distance would be too short!

As CopperCyclist says though, it's personal. If you want to cycle a mile and a half to work then more power to your elbow.

 

[Sittingduck]

I'd say that a quarter of a mile is the cut-off point, for me.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I like a walk for leisure or for a medium sized shop. A big shop will need the trailer.
If I'm going out to do stuff I will mostly cycle it even if the distance is under a mile because I might need to go somewhere else after.

 

[Psycolist]

My local shops can only be about 300yds away, and it takes me longer to get the bike out and lock it up again when I get there than it would to walk, but I still cycle ! wether I would deem it to have been 'out for a ride' is another question .

 

[coffeejo]

The shortest distance I've cycled is the 2 mile round trip to the shops - not saying I wouldn't cycle a shorter distance, just that there's no reason to. However, I also love walking and generally combine trips to the shops with walking the dog, extending it to 3-4 miles. (In summer, I take the bike and dog, but it's too cold in winter to cycle at her pace.)

 

[Get In The Van]

Less than 2 miles and i'll take the BMX out for a spin. its old, needs a new back brake cable but i've not figured out how it works with the giro stem, so its great for the light shop run as it looks like a bag of spanners, as the nickability is probably very low

 

[Electric_Andy]

A few times now on other threads people have commented that they wouldn't cycle less than 4/5/10/20 miles. It's been suggested that my commute of 1.5miles(ish) to work isn't worth getting the bike out for.
I disagree. I cycle everywhere that I used to walk to. If I can't cycle we go in the car - unless I'm going shopping and I know I won't fit everything on the bike to come home, then reluctantly I'll walk.
About the only walking I don't object to now is the dog walk, and if I could train him to keep up with the bike I'd cycle that too!
Just curious if others put a minimum distance on their cycling or if anyone else is like me and just want to cycle everywhere.

It really depends on where your bike is stored and how it is stored. I would say for me, the minimum limit is 1 mile. To get the bike out I have to unlock the garage, take all the locks off the bike, put my cycling shoes on, lock up the garage again and get going. Walking a mile takes 15 minutes and I can leave straight out the door. Having said that, in this weather I'd rather stay in

 

[Sandra6]

I can't see the point in riding to anywhere less than 15 minutes walk (1 mile) away unless I am in a terrible hurry.


You should find somewhere nice to walk! Okay, perhaps you might not have this kind of thing a few minutes walk away ...

... but surely there must be a park or canal towpath nearby?

One thing that cyclists (especially female cyclists) should take account is that though cycling has many health benefits, it does not help much in protecting against bone loss. If you do a lot of cycling, the risk of osteoporosis can actually be increased. Because walking is load-bearing, it helps strengthen bones.

Get those walking boots on a couple of times a week!

That's quite interesting about the osteoporosis, I didn't know that.
I don't quite have that view to walk to, but I do have a nice river to walk along (or cycle!) and do walk the dog atleast once a day for about a mile a time so hopefully my bones are being looked after.

 

[ColinJ]

That's quite interesting about the osteoporosis, I didn't know that.
I don't quite have that view to walk to, but I do have a nice river to walk along (or cycle!) and do walk the dog atleast once a day for about a mile a time so hopefully my bones are being looked after.

There is an interesting article about Chris Boardman, cycling and osteoporosis - here.

 

[HLaB]

I know it shouldn't be but bike security is some times an issue for me as to what I say is too short to cycle.