I Challenge You to go on a Tiny Bike Ride

Getting to city pubs isn’t the only reason to choose a bike:

Cycling makes your heart 10 years younger while driving increases the risk of heart disease
Cars contribute about 70% of air pollution in urban UK, and 22 per cent of the UK’s total CO2 emissions. Bikes contribute none.
If all commutes in England under ?ve miles were by bike instead of car, we would save 44,000 tonnes of CO2 every week – the equivalent of heating 17,000 houses.
A bike is twice as fast as a car in traf?c: average speed of motorised traf?c in London during rush hour is 7mph. A bike’s average speed is 13mph.
The average yearly cost of car ownership is about £8808 (incl. depreciation). A bike costs about [£100] a year to service.
20 bikes can be parked in one car space. Source: the Brooks Bugle

It’s summertime now in the UK. So here’s my challenge to people:

If you have to do a trip of less than 5 miles and the sun is shining: go by bike! I’mm not suggesting you throw away your car or cycle in pouring rain for hundreds of miles. All I’mm asking is that, one sunny morning, you leave home 20 minutes earlier and pootle there on your bike. Try it. If you hate it you can get back in your car tomorrow. Is that a deal?

19 Comments

Clare 19/05/2011 at 09:14

An excellent post Mr H!

Tiny bike rides are so much fun! I might even do one today on my ridiculous 3 speed! :-)
- Steve 18/05/2013 at 17:21
  
  Nothing wrong with a 3 speed, great bikes :)
Alex 19/05/2011 at 09:54

A great challenge. I’ve tried my 24-mile commute a few times (normally when it’s raining!), but reluctantly have to drive most days. However, I try to never use my car within my home town.
Tim Meek 19/05/2011 at 09:55

I love this idea and since March we (family) started cycling more; when dropping girls (5 and 7) of at Rainbows and Brownies, going to the swimming pool, to the park etc in rain or shine I might add… great for all the above points, but added benefits to kids: road safety, positive attitudes towards exercise from a young age, kids growing up a bit more robust and with a sense of mini adventure.
Haggisfrog 19/05/2011 at 14:21

OK deal. I got my bike ready 3 weeks ago to go to work but find a good excuse every day not to do it.
– No showers at work and I’ve a meeting that day
– 45 kms is far. not sure to make it home in the evening
– Its going to rain tonight (not much chance of that lately)

So, tomorrow, I’m going to do it. I’ll let you know how I got on.
- Al Humphreys 19/05/2011 at 14:22
  
  Don’t do it if it’s raining! Otherwise, go for it…
  Good luck!
  - Nicolas 19/05/2011 at 16:20
    
    yes you should: http://tinyurl.com/65p96or
    
    Cheers from Copenhagen, city of the Bikes.
- Sausage King 04/07/2011 at 21:34
  
  When I lack motivation I like this:
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obdd31Q9PqA
Toby 19/05/2011 at 22:14

I have a 2.5 mile journey each way to the station every day. I’m contemplating getting a bike but the walk doesn’t seem too bad right now.

I’d gladly get a bike if parking for it was more secure.
Paul 20/05/2011 at 06:00

I think with the whole ” environmentally friendly/green living”, “great for your fitness”, “save money on gas” you see more “wrong people” ( morons ) on bikes these day…Not a surprise the number of injuries is ( relatively ) high among “cyclists”…
Will Hawkins 20/05/2011 at 06:41

I’m a fan of the Boris Bikes in London (when the system works) and use them as much as I can from the station to the office or from the office to meetings. They are cheap to use. Much cheaper than the Tube. I can cycle from Holborn Circus to Olympia in half an hour for a quid.

Yes, there are moron cyclists who constantly jump the lights but they are the minority.

Nevertheless, people are embracing the Boris Bikes in London and helping to ease the fumes, congestion and tension one tiny bike rida at a time.
Haggisfrog 20/05/2011 at 09:09

Well, I did in fact do it. The alarm went off at 6. I was sorely tempted to turn over and give it a miss. Left at 6.45 under a veiled but promising sky. The usual way to work is 8km of Départementale, 35km of Autoroute then 7 km of suburban semi-congestion.
I worked out another route which missed most of the busy roads (and the Autoroute!). So just 2kms of extremely fast Route Departementale to save a 4 km detour then 40 odd kms of country roads – up hill, down dale. Saw 2 hares and 2 deer early on. One 20 minute climb on the way and some nice twisty downhills. A couple of nice villages and a big mini Nullarbor straight line of 6km.
The last 4 kms of busy road was unavoidable but I had some satisfaction in arriving before the cars I overtook at the start of the 4kms due to traffic.

The timing was perfect. I got in the gate at 8h59, quick scrub up in the gents (still no showers at work) and at my desk by 10 past.

Verdict – Hadn’t had the bike out for a year and my last big trip was 2 years ago. Although speed was not the aim, I was nevertheless quite proud of 47 kms in 2 1/4 hrs. A satisfying start to the day and a good lungful of air. I won’t do it every day but once a week would be perfect. If you want a tip to get motivated, tell a colleague or 2 the day before that you’re coming in on your bike the next day – there’s no honourable way out ;O)

So, cheers Al, that was the little push I needed to get me going. Sorry, I couldn’t find a lake or a river to have a dip on the way!
- Al Humphreys 20/05/2011 at 09:11
  
  I’m really, really chuffed you did that. Well done!
  And thank goodness you enjoyed it, otherwise you would have been cursing me for 2 1/4 hours!
  Al
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Graham K 21/05/2011 at 15:49

Funny how I read the blog post title …my intial thoughts were around how it was going to promote using folding bikes to expand micro adventure options !

I do own a car (well a Berlingo van anyway) but that is reserved for trips which simply cannot be done by other means (either constrained by time or distance). It is amazing how a folding bike can open new locations by linking public transport …factor in a small trailer like the carry freedom and multi-day is very possible. Once did all my christmas present deliveries dressed as santa with my Dahon folder converted to full reindeer mode (red flashing nose) and trailer complete with “snow” LED lighting …the adventure aspect came from cycling through some dodgy areas up here in Glasgow !
Katie 21/05/2011 at 18:12

I cycle everywhere in London, it knocks 15 minutes off the time it would take to tube most journeys, and the freedom makes for a much happier and healthier commuter!
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[…] Consider also trying Travelling With A One Way Ticket, Using your Weekend or going on a Tiny Bike Ride… […]
SaulZ 22/05/2011 at 19:18

With Bixies now available in Toronto at $5 per 24 hours, bicycling around is very much a possibility for me during the summers. Btw, I am seriously considering to upgrade my bicycle to mountain one to cope with quite a rough terrain of my neighbourhood conservation park.
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