Hi and Happy Easter.
Today looking out the window it's now snowing and cold, but yesterday the weather was wall to wall sunshine, and the temperature was really warm. Enjoying yesterday's weather, i went out on the bike, and did 64 miles taking in the stunning countryside and stopping off literally anywhere i chose, to take it in.
No parking charges, or being dictated as to where i can and cannot stop, that you would get driving a car. On brief times i came across traffic, it was the usual sight of seeing the rat race, travelling to there destinations stuck in jams and looking frustrated. There pockets were being emptied as they went along, with sky high fuel prices, parking charges, and everything else that's associated with motoring.
On the bike though, here we where out in the fresh air getting some long needed sunshine, and a great sense of freedom (which we all need most after this last year). And what did it cost? Absolute peanuts.
A little wear and tear on the bike (if any) and a nice coffee stop along the way to your choosing.
There's also to great social side to cycling to take into consideration. There was many a cyclist doing the same thing as me yesterday, and virtually everyone i past shouted out hello or stopped to have a brief chat along the way. The holiday motorist on the other hand was stuck in there stuffy cars fighting for a parking space for the limited available spaces and then have the pleasure of paying for it.
As said, today it's snowing and cold so a bike ride may well not happen, but my bike is now safely parked up in the house costing me zilch, and whilst the car is sat idle outside, its costing me daily with insurance and VED.
You don't have to travel huge amount of miles to have a great adventure in the outdoors. A few hours /miles on the bike will allow you to see infinitely more of our beautiful countryside than 100s of miles travelled by car, and at a fraction of the cost.
You will get to meet random like minded cyclists along the way to chat with.
There's other great things to consider as well with cycling,Each mile you do, burns calories and that's surely a good thing. Getting into a regular habit of cycling will soon see the weight dropping off and increasing your fitness. Your also doing your little bit by saving the planet by burning less fossil fuels in the car you otherwise would do.
It doesn't matter what age you are, or what shape or size you are either. When i started cycling a few years back, i looked like a sack of spuds in my cycling gear, but even though i felt self conscious of the way i looked, every cyclist i knew or spoke to just gave me positive feedback and encouragement to keep at it (suffice to say this excellent forum CycleChat too)
Now I'm quite lean and have a decent road bike that i can travel along at a decent pace and cover a fair few miles a day. When i see someone who's (shall we say) overweight and struggling and looks new to the whole world of cycling, i always say hello and give them plenty of encouragement if we get chatting. It's not so long back i was in that position, and found the encouragement of others to be a great help to me.
Bikes don't have to be all singing and dancing machines either. Yes it's great to have a light weight fast rolling machine to munch up the miles, but not everyone can afford or justify paying huge amounts of money for one.
A cheap second hand bike will be just fine and will still offer all the benefits cycling has to offer.
4 years back i paid £80 for a heavy steel framed 1980s Road bike.
I toured right across Wales on it trouble free and have covered many thousands of miles enjoying every minute.
Naturally as my interest for cycling has gained I've purchased a more modern light weight bike, whilst the old one is hanged up on the wall (i could never sell it)
Cycling can be as cheap or as expensive as you what, it's all up to you and your budget.
If you're new or considering taking up cycling, don't be put off if you think you're either to old or to large and out of shape to do it. The old draconian views of cyclists being young 20 somethings and being ultra skinny have now long been relegated to the history bins. When I'm out on the road i see a great broad mix of people from young guys flying past me on TT bikes to families of all shapes and sizes to elderly couples enjoying a Sunday ride out.
What is there not to like about cycling........ There's nothing in all honesty.
Anyway have yourselves a great day and look forward to seeing you out there on your bikes this summer 👍👍
Today looking out the window it's now snowing and cold, but yesterday the weather was wall to wall sunshine, and the temperature was really warm. Enjoying yesterday's weather, i went out on the bike, and did 64 miles taking in the stunning countryside and stopping off literally anywhere i chose, to take it in.
No parking charges, or being dictated as to where i can and cannot stop, that you would get driving a car. On brief times i came across traffic, it was the usual sight of seeing the rat race, travelling to there destinations stuck in jams and looking frustrated. There pockets were being emptied as they went along, with sky high fuel prices, parking charges, and everything else that's associated with motoring.
On the bike though, here we where out in the fresh air getting some long needed sunshine, and a great sense of freedom (which we all need most after this last year). And what did it cost? Absolute peanuts.
A little wear and tear on the bike (if any) and a nice coffee stop along the way to your choosing.
There's also to great social side to cycling to take into consideration. There was many a cyclist doing the same thing as me yesterday, and virtually everyone i past shouted out hello or stopped to have a brief chat along the way. The holiday motorist on the other hand was stuck in there stuffy cars fighting for a parking space for the limited available spaces and then have the pleasure of paying for it.
As said, today it's snowing and cold so a bike ride may well not happen, but my bike is now safely parked up in the house costing me zilch, and whilst the car is sat idle outside, its costing me daily with insurance and VED.
You don't have to travel huge amount of miles to have a great adventure in the outdoors. A few hours /miles on the bike will allow you to see infinitely more of our beautiful countryside than 100s of miles travelled by car, and at a fraction of the cost.
You will get to meet random like minded cyclists along the way to chat with.
There's other great things to consider as well with cycling,Each mile you do, burns calories and that's surely a good thing. Getting into a regular habit of cycling will soon see the weight dropping off and increasing your fitness. Your also doing your little bit by saving the planet by burning less fossil fuels in the car you otherwise would do.
It doesn't matter what age you are, or what shape or size you are either. When i started cycling a few years back, i looked like a sack of spuds in my cycling gear, but even though i felt self conscious of the way i looked, every cyclist i knew or spoke to just gave me positive feedback and encouragement to keep at it (suffice to say this excellent forum CycleChat too)
Now I'm quite lean and have a decent road bike that i can travel along at a decent pace and cover a fair few miles a day. When i see someone who's (shall we say) overweight and struggling and looks new to the whole world of cycling, i always say hello and give them plenty of encouragement if we get chatting. It's not so long back i was in that position, and found the encouragement of others to be a great help to me.
Bikes don't have to be all singing and dancing machines either. Yes it's great to have a light weight fast rolling machine to munch up the miles, but not everyone can afford or justify paying huge amounts of money for one.
A cheap second hand bike will be just fine and will still offer all the benefits cycling has to offer.
4 years back i paid £80 for a heavy steel framed 1980s Road bike.
I toured right across Wales on it trouble free and have covered many thousands of miles enjoying every minute.
Naturally as my interest for cycling has gained I've purchased a more modern light weight bike, whilst the old one is hanged up on the wall (i could never sell it)
Cycling can be as cheap or as expensive as you what, it's all up to you and your budget.
If you're new or considering taking up cycling, don't be put off if you think you're either to old or to large and out of shape to do it. The old draconian views of cyclists being young 20 somethings and being ultra skinny have now long been relegated to the history bins. When I'm out on the road i see a great broad mix of people from young guys flying past me on TT bikes to families of all shapes and sizes to elderly couples enjoying a Sunday ride out.
What is there not to like about cycling........ There's nothing in all honesty.
Anyway have yourselves a great day and look forward to seeing you out there on your bikes this summer 👍👍
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