Guide: Celebrating National Cycle to Work Day

February 23, 2017

The 14th September 2016 is Cycle to Work day, a nationwide event that encourages workers to swap their regular mode of transport and hop on a bike for their daily commute. Unfortunately, riding a bike to work continues to be a challenge for many of us in the UK, and the event hopes to raise awareness of the many benefits cycling to work can bring.

Let Ribble help you with your commuting

We’re here to encourage Britain to join the cycling revolution that so many other parts of the world are already involved in. If you can brave a bit of rain and take the required safety precautions, then the UK is truly a great place to cycle. A recent YouGov poll of 1,143 workers discovered 87% of people do not cycle to work, with a further 4% claiming it to be inapplicable to their situation as they work from home. This leaves a tiny 9% of workers regularly using their bikes as their main form of transportation, with non-cyclists claiming many factors as deterrents. 42% of those asked claimed distance was the main reason they decided not to cycle, while the changeable weather was the focus of blame for 1 in 5 people. As well as being put off by an unreliable forecast, accidents were an understandable source of worry for more than 1 in 4 people too, with a lack of cycle lanes being a major concern.

READ SOME WET WEATHER RIDING TIPS HERE

Improve your bike skills and confidence

Another concerning statistic is one that highlights the fact that women are more than twice as likely to choose another form of transport due to lack of confidence on the road. If you want to improve your cycling skills, there are many courses available that will give your confidence a major boost. The National Standard for Cycle Training scheme, which is also known as Bikeability, is suitable for all age groups. The scheme aims to develop a cyclists understanding of today’s roads and focuses on improving balance and control. Those who decide to join in on the 14th September will discover all the benefits that riding a bike to work can bring. As well as improving a rider’s overall health and fitness, getting to work via two wheels instead of four can truly benefit the environment as well as your own wallet! The price of petrol and parking certainly isn’t cheap and train prices have already started to rapidly increase this year alone – so why not opt for change and ride a bike?

So get involved and Cycle to Work

Choosing to ride a bike to work is a brilliant way to fit a workout into a busy day, while avoiding the many terrible traffic jams that workers find themselves stuck in every morning. Participating in the nationwide Cycle to Work day on 14th September 2016 is an ideal opportunity to introduce yourself to cycling, and you never know, it could even become a regular mode of transport for you in the future!