Why do you cycle?

[Cycling Naturalist]

better for carrying a load of stuff and I enjoy it...

Have a look at the room on the back seat of my car.

 

[Toshiba Boy]

Always had a bike as a kid, gave me freedom at an early age, have always cycled since (40+ yrs) for commuting/as a sport/to keep fit,

Basically become a very grumpy sod if haven't had my bike "fix" for more than a day or so, suppose there are worse things to be addicted to.

 

[Intelligenthamster]

Began again last year on new bike when told to by rheumatologist to keep arthritic knees mobile. Just over a year on have returned ancient road bike to active use AND bought an MTB as well...

... because as soon as I started again I realised how much I used to love it and still do. Not very good, just a pootler, but I like it and it does me good.

 

[goo_mason]

I was piling on weight and unfit, and the last place I ever wanted to be was in a gym. Hey presto - work suddenly offered a Bike To Work scheme as part of our flexible benefits package, and I worked out on the Spokes map that I could get to work on paths from my front door to work.

Eureka ! Started off doing it twice a week, then after last summer I upped it to 4 days (I walk wee one to school on a Monday and carry a week's worth of clothes in to put in my locker). In January, I let my annual bus pass expire for the first time since I got one in 1996 - thus saving over £400 a year straight away.

I've just passed the 3000 mile mark since April 2006 and I am now fitter, healthier, happier (yes, Dom, I am happy !!) and better off financially. I get to work faster than I would by bus (in fact, I do it in half the time on the way home), I get in early and build up flexitime without much effort.

Now, if ONLY I could convince my 7yr-old daughter to try to learn to ride her bike and stop being such a big girl's blouse !

 

[Yorkshireman]

I simply enjoy riding a bike, and have done so for 60+ years (with the odd 'breather' now and then).

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

freedom

 

[barq]

I can't answer the poll question because I'm not able to meaningfully single out one main reason for cycling. For me pleasure and fitness are inextricably linked.

 

[Mr Phoebus]

Everything mentioned so far really, also I'll add observing nature & wildlife and scenery.

 

[Arch]

I can't answer the poll question because I'm not able to meaningfully single out one main reason for cycling. For me pleasure and fitness are inextricably linked.

That was sort of my point...

Goo, do you know about the scooting method for learning to ride a bike? Might be what you little girl needs.

In case you don't: (and apologies if you do)

Take pedals off bike and put saddle low so she can reach the floor comfortably with both feet.

Encourage her to scoot along pushing with her feet. She'll start slow, but as she gets her balance, each step will get longer, and pretty soon she'll be freewheeling in between 'steps'. She'll be learning steering, balance and brakes, without the same risk of falling over and without having to cope with action of pedalling at the same time.

Once she's confident with freewheeling, steering and stopping when she wants to (if you can find a very gentle downhill slope, so much the better) you can replace the pedals and it'll be almost instinctive for her to pedal. Then you can start to raise the saddle gradually.

I taught a middle aged man to ride this way, in 45 minutes - showed him what to do and off he went and came back in less than an hour to have the pedals on, and away he went. Kids are pretty quick to learn.

 

[gpx001]

I cycle mainly because I enjoy it, for me there is nothing better than a cycle across our green and pleasant land with the sun on my back, winding down country lanes, taking in the various sights and sounds and smells. It really is addictive.

As others have mentioned its great for keeping fit, reducing congestion and getting strange tan lines!

Jas

 

[col]

I can't answer the poll question because I'm not able to meaningfully single out one main reason for cycling. For me pleasure and fitness are inextricably linked.

That was sort of my point...

Goo, do you know about the scooting method for learning to ride a bike? Might be what you little girl needs.

In case you don't: (and apologies if you do)

Take pedals off bike and put saddle low so she can reach the floor comfortably with both feet.

Encourage her to scoot along pushing with her feet. She'll start slow, but as she gets her balance, each step will get longer, and pretty soon she'll be freewheeling in between 'steps'. She'll be learning steering, balance and brakes, without the same risk of falling over and without having to cope with action of pedalling at the same time.

Once she's confident with freewheeling, steering and stopping when she wants to (if you can find a very gentle downhill slope, so much the better) you can replace the pedals and it'll be almost instinctive for her to pedal. Then you can start to raise the saddle gradually.

I taught a middle aged man to ride this way, in 45 minutes - showed him what to do and off he went and came back in less than an hour to have the pedals on, and away he went. Kids are pretty quick to learn.[/QUOTE]





What a good idea,i wish id known about that when i taught my son to ride.I took pics of him circling around me on our local park field when he got the hang of it,great feeling

oops forgot to vote,it would have to be multiple for me,it used to be for fun and enjoyment,but now its for health and weight loss,and hopefully enjoyment too,as well as going to work now.

 

[Mortiroloboy]

I cycle for fitness and fun, I just enjoy cycling, going fast under my own power!
On the topic of teaching children to cycle, our 11 year old twin girls learnt to ride on Bean Sands in Somerset, vast swathes of hard sand (when the tide goes out) only the occasional hole, where an angler as been digging for bait, one of the girls found one of these holes, we could see it about to happen, but as they were several dozen yards away, there was no chance of intervening to prevent the inevitable over the handle bars experience!
It was a sort of Sam Peckenpah moment when it did happen! No lasting injuries and straight back on the bike. from not being able to ride without stabilizers they went to being able to ride a bike within 10 minutes! Brilliant.

 

[Mr Phoebus]

To p*ss motorists off!!!

 

[laurence]

Because.

L

 

[Mr Phoebus]

Why does the sun come up? Or are the stars just pin holes in the curtain of night, who knows?