The benefits of cycling

There are many reasons why it is a good idea to get on your bike:

For health

• Regular cyclists are on average as fit as a person ten years younger than them!
• Cyclists can travel four times faster than walkers using the same amount of energy
• A moderate half-hour ride burns 8 calories a minute, which is the equivalent of 11kg of fat in a year if you cycle that distance regularly – for example cycling to work
• The Department of Health advises that adults should do 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week. Figures show that only 10 percent of adults in Nottinghamshire reach this level.

For your pocket

• Even if you already get regular exercise, the low costs of cycling are a great additional benefit. With fuel expenses currently on the rise there has never been a greater incentive to use non-motorised transport. Sitting in a traffic jam in your car with the engine running costs about 12p every five minutes
• The initial outlay for a bike is relatively small and running costs are tiny in comparison with most other forms of transport.

For the environment

• On a bike you can travel up to 650 miles on the energy equivalent of a single litre of petrol
• People sometimes say that they don't want to cycle or walk because congestion on the roads makes it less than pleasant. However, by continuing to drive you are contributing to this congestion. Do your bit to reduce congestion and pollution and ask whether you could carry out some journeys on two wheels.

For convenience

• Avoid sitting in a car in rush hour congestion - cycling is a quick way to get around! There are many tracks, lanes and crossings which only cyclists can use, which in turn will speed up journeys on two wheels. To find out where these facilities are you can order free cycling maps from us
• Cycling, along with walking, are the only true 'door to door' modes of transport where you can go from home directly to your destination, without having to divert to park your car or make an initial journey on foot to get on a bus, tram or train
• Many people don't realise how far you can cycle in a short space of time. A ride of 1 mile at a moderate speed will only take an average cyclist about five minutes to complete. Therefore, if you live less than five miles from work or school, you could cycle there in under half an hour
• A 2005 personal travel survey showed that approximately 40 percent of people in Nottinghamshire own a bike.