Can I Convince You of the Joys of Cycling to Work?

When people think of bicycle commuting, they normally see it one of two specific ways. Either it’s a liberating experience that could change their life, or it’s a practically impossible task that they’d never be able to accomplish. So, how’s it possible that one thing can appear so significantly different in people’s eyes?

As is true with most things in life, the rewards you get out of an activity are directly proportional to the effort that you put in. Bicycle commuting is no different. There are some people who view bicycle commuting as a form of torture straight out of Dante’s Inferno. The thought of leaving a nice warm, dry car behind is a terrifying thought to them. Then there are the others who, after taking up the challenge of bicycle commuting, now see the journey to and from work as their favourite and most relaxing part of the day.

I must admit that I’d never been a big fitness freak. When I was at school, I tended to dread sports, and once I left school and reached adulthood, the lure of nights drinking beer did little to help my general fitness. My only saving grace was that I didn’t own a car. That meant that, at the very least, I was familiar with the concept of walking as a legitimate means of transport, even if it was only to the nearest bus stop.

However, the area where I live is on the opposite side of a large river to the nearest city and, due to it being a busy shipping lane, there’s no bridge across. My particular line of work meant that it was very unlikely that I would find a job on my side of the water, so a trip into town everyday would be the only way.

For me, being a non-driver, I had two options. The first was to go by bus around the nearest road route. Unfortunately, the nearest road route was about 14 miles long and could take anything up to an hour and a half during the rush hour.

The second option was a little ferryboat that ran from my side of the water across into town. It’s a quaint little thing running from an old iron and wood pier that dates back about a hundred years. For the people living in my village it’s a lifesaver. The best thing about the ferry though is that you can take bicycles on it. This opens up quite a big opportunity for people to ditch their cars and get on their bicycles. Once they get into town, they can then ride to their particular place of work, even if it’s still some distance away from the ferry dock. For me it was the best option.

My first morning of cycling to work was not one that I’ll forget in a hurry. It was only a ten-minute ride from my house down to the ferry but, on a cold March morning, that was enough for me. I was looking forward to a nice relaxing rest for fifteen minutes as the ferry made its way across the water but instead I found myself feeling quite ill.

The cycle ride left me struggling for breath and, as I desperately tried to draw in more oxygen, the cold air was freezing my lungs. At that point, I really did wonder how long I’d be able to keep up the cycling.

You really mustn’t underestimate your body though. It’s surprising how quickly it can adapt if you just allow it to. I must admit that on that first morning I was treating it a bit unfairly. I hadn’t allowed enough time for my journey, meaning that I had to cycle at an excessive pace just so that I wouldn’t miss the ferry. This was a foolish oversight on my part and, understandably, my body punished me for it. Once I found a comfortable pace for the journey though, it was surprising how accommodating my body became. After a couple of weeks, I was arriving at work barely short of breath, and actually feeling stronger and more energetic.

One of the biggest problems with bicycle commuting is the psychological aspect. Many people see it as something that’s going to be hard for them to do. They think it’s going to make them ache or feel ill, so they decide that they’d better not risk it. There’s a particular group that I like to call the “fair-weather cyclists”. These are the people who will use their bicycle for commuting in the summer, but as soon as the weather starts to cool down, it’s put away in the garage until next year, and they go back to the car or bus.

While I have to commend them for at least using their bicycle some of the time, I do feel that they shouldn’t be so quick to abandon it once the weather takes a turn for the worst. This on/off approach to cycling means that their bodies never become fully accustomed to its demands. Over the cold winter months, it falls back into its old ways then, when the summer comes around, it struggles with cycling again.

For this reason, these people will generally always find cycling a hard thing, and they may find that each year they leave it a little bit later before they get the bicycle out again. The excuses start to come out like, “It’s still a bit too cold,” or, “I’m not feeling quite up to it,” until maybe eventually the bicycle stays in the garage permanently.

To be honest, if you’ve not ridden for a while then the summer isn’t necessarily the best time to start again. It might seem nice to be out in the warm sun, but it’s amazing how quickly you can dehydrate if you’re not properly prepared. Heat exhaustion and sunstroke mustn’t be taken lightly. At least if it’s cold you can wear a warm jacket. However, if you find yourself in the baking sun then it’s not always so easy to cope with.

Now, all this talk of dehydration and feeling ill might not be doing a very good job of selling the concept of bicycle commuting to you, but what you have to realise is that these obstacles can be overcome very quickly with a bit of perseverance and faith in your own ability. Once your body adapts to cycling, your daily journey will seem like no effort at all and, being free from the actual stresses of your journey, you’ll be able to really enjoy the trip.

Why spend an hour stuck on a bus or train with people you don’t know when you can be drifting along enjoying the company of your own thoughts?

Why spend every day inspecting the same stretch of tarmac from your car when, on your bicycle, you can take a route through the park or along the waterfront?

On a nice summer’s evening, I used to like nothing better than stopping for a drink by the water before continuing my ride home. Cycling just gives you a level of flexibility that you can’t get from any other form of transport. Suddenly your journey becomes a separate enjoyable entity, rather than just being the non-descript period of time between home and work.