Someone once said that the bicycle was one of the world’s best inventions, and that person was right. A good bike does a little bit, but it gets you places fast, keeps you fit (makes you happy due to fresh air & exercise) and is far cheaper than a car.
If you ride a bicycle, it helps to note down the details of your local independent bike shop, as for big jobs, it’s a safer option to get an expert to test brakes and wheels etc (and helps to support local experts to be paid for doing something practical, a sometimes rare option these days).
But for everyday, it’s good to know how to maintain your bike (to keep it safe and make it last longer) along with doing little repairs yourself (if safe to to do so, to save time and money).
Safe Cycling in the City is a useful book for cyclists in in urban areas. It covers choosing the best bikes and clothes, and also covers road safety, braking, gears, and using extra power provided by electric bikes.
The Many Benefits of Cycling
As well as being very good low-impact workout (as long as you don’t go cycling up hills!), cycling gets your heart pumping, so is good cardiovascular exercise, and also helps to build muscle and keep bones strong. It’s also very good for your mental health, as cycling releases feel-good endorphins.
The financial benefits are obvious. Whether you choose a manual or electric bicycle, both are way cheaper than buying a car, and simpler and cheaper to maintain.
Environmental benefits are also huge. If more people go by bicycle, this reduces pollution from traffic fumes, along with reducing noise pollution and the number of potholes caused often by too many cars in society.
With less traffic on our roads, this makes our communities safer for anyone crossing roads – children, adults, pets and wildlife.
Cycling also builds community connections. You’re more likely to ‘see’ local shops and cafes and natural spaces in towns, when you’re cycling. You can just stop off and enjoy, rather than ‘drive through’ as there’s nowhere to park.
How to Maintain and Repair Bikes
- Use Biodegradable Cleaners/Lubes. A good brand is Kingud, which is free from toxic PTFE, you can also buy citrus toxic-free degreaser (keep citrus away from pets) and even a plant-based helmet polisher! Sold with refill packs.
- Invest in a Bike Repair Multi-Tool. This can do a number of tasks including fixing a damage spoke, snapped chain or puncture. Pebble Tool is a good brand sold with a lifetime guarantee, that can fit in your pocket to bail out most common bicycle mishaps. It includes an integrated Dynaplug® tyre repair accessories to quickly patch a puncture.
- Buy a Decent Bike from a bike shop, where people know how to put it together and test the brake, and teach you how to safely ride it. You’ll also need a good lock, bell and bike insurance/breakdown cover.
- Read Back On Your Bike, a super book with info on how to be a cyclist again, even if the last time you cycled was a child. This real-world guide includes tips on safe riding, fixes and maintenance and ideal for the nervous new returning cyclist.
Good Bicycles and Accessories
- Priority Bicycles (US) offers quality affordable bicycles for adults and children, which feature rust/grease-free carbon drive belts (no chains), internally-geared hubs , puncture-resistant tires and (mostly vegan) comfortable saddles.
- Babboe Cargo Bikes (The Netherlands) is the market leader for safe affordable bikes to carry children, dogs and shopping. With electric pedal resistance, if you don’t live somewhere as flat as Holland!
- Bikeworks offers unique bikes for children with special needs.
Recycling Bicycles (how and where)
It’s estimated that only 10% of bicycles owned in England are used regularly, the rest just lay in sheds and garages, falling into disrepair. Yet the average bike lasts 10 years, and then can easily be recycled (most are around 20% metal and 40% rubber).
This pocket wallet (made from bicycle tubes) is soft and flexible for your trouser pocket, and features a Velcro flap to contain a few coins and bank notes, plus a slide pocket for a credit card.
If you have an old rusty bicycle or a good bicycle that you never use, don’t let it languish in the shed, nor send it to landfill. You can recycle good bikes to help others, and also recycle parts like inner tubes and tires. This post covers how to do it, and where!
Bicycles are pretty eco-friendly in themselves. And you can not only pass good safe bikes onto those who can’t afford to buy them.
But bikes are one of the few items that are quite good to send to Africa, as they provide cheap effective transport (unlike sending electronic waste, that just clogs up landfills and causes poisonous fire hazards).
Obviously it’s important to ensure any unwanted bikes are safe (get a local bike shop to check the brakes and tyres etc).
Many communities have projects to refurbish bikes for people who need affordable transport (often say refugees). Instead of gathering dust in your shed and going rusty, an unused bike to change someone’s life.
If you are thinking of ‘recycling your bike’ because it needs repairs, considering supporting a local bike mechanic, rather than buying new again.
Most small bike shop owners are passionate about what they do. And can not only fix bikes, but likely know how to repair and pass them on, if you don’t want yours anymore.
The Bristol Bike Project takes donated bikes, then trains local people to repair them or use parts to ‘build-a-bike’ that they then own. They also offer workshop space and tools, for people to repair bikes themselves, once they have the skills.
How to Recycle Your Bicycle
Instead of just throwing old bikes in the shed or taking them to landfill, first assess the condition of your bike. It may well be fine to ride, with a few minor adjustments.
A good bike shop can adjust the height of pedals and saddles, check the brakes, add new tyres (or pump them up) and give your bike a beauty makeover.
If you are going to hand over a bike, remove dirt and grease and mud, this makes it easier for organisation to assess the bike, and pass it on. Also remove personal stickers etc for a fresh neutral look.
Search online for a bike recycling organisation. Also contact your council, as many will collect old bikes, as will scrap metal yards. Many cities run specific bike donation projects, just type your local and add ‘bike recycling’ in the search box.
The Bike Project has drop-off points nationwide, where refurbished bikes are passed to refugees, to help them get to work. LifeCycle lets you donate bikes in Bristol and Derby.
ReCycle provides free non-polluting transport to help people to get to work or school. Find a local drop-off if you have a bike in the garage doing nothing.
Recycling Bicycle Parts
If your bike is not safe or fit for donation, you can still dismantle it and recycle the parts. Metal frames can be donated to scrap metal yards that can recycle the aluminium frames or steel forks. Tyres can be recycled at your local council (tyre waste is a fire hazard).
You can recycle inner bicycle tubes at Velorim (600 sites nationwide). Just drop off old tubes (plus tyres and li-ion batteries) to stop thousands of tubes going to landfill. These are then made into a new rubber for industrial use.
Accessories From Recycled Bicycle Tubes
Cycle of Good is a fantastic company that makes chic black small accessories, from discarded inner bicycle tubes. It’s not always good to send our junk (laptops etc) to developing countries, as it just creates pollution and hazards at landfills.
The bike tubes provide employment in Malawi for 500 people who complete a 2-year diploma in design, using old sewing machines donated from the UK.
Then proceeds are used from the sale of these made goods to support around 2000 vulnerable children, at any one time. In a country where often if you don’t earn, you don’t eat.
The handy key ring fob includes a quality brass popper to open out to attach to a bag or belt, for security. The sturdy ring can hold many keys, and features a laser-engraved logo on the back.
If you fancy supporting these Malawi crafters a little more, you can add a recycled coffee sack tote to your order (also as a lunch bag or even a Christmas stocking!)
National Cycle Network (what and where is it?)
The National Cycle Network is a linked set of walking and cycling paths across the UK, connecting cities, towns and countryside. It also helps people to walk and cycle to local shops, to help keep money in the local economy.
In all there are over 12,000 miles of routes, developed by transport charity Sustrans, used by millions since it began in 1995. In 2018, the routes were upgraded to remove barrier, and offer better safety with more traffic-free paths.
Learn more about the benefits of cycling and cycling-friendly towns.
This is a mix of traffic-free paths, quiet roads and urban cycling routes. Nearly half of the network is traffic-free, with projects underway to create more safe enjoyable bike rides.
It also has clear signage that makes it impossible to get lost, with famed blue signs and route numbers, plus handy local info, so you don’t have to keep checking your map or phone.
The NCN is also designed to link to other transport like parks, train stations and ferry terminals, to make longer journeys easier.
Popular Sections of the Network
The Sea to Sea Route starts on Cumbria’s west coast in Whitehaven, working 140 miles through the Lake District and historic towns. You can can also begin this route in Workington.
The Bristol to Bath Path follows an old railway path. It’s a 13-mile trek that links these two very different cities, with cafes and wildlife-watching spots to see en-route.
The London Cycle Network includes major routes like the Thames Path and Regent’s Canal Path, combining iconic landmarks and green spaces, for both tourists and commuters.
Benefits of the National Cycle Network
Not just a way for people to keep physically fit, riding bikes has good mental health benefits as it steers you away from stressful pollution and traffic jams, and also releases feel-good endorphins.
Obviously the network has environmental benefits by reducing pollution and carbon emissions. And contributing to quieter cleaner streets with less congestion.
A (Bumpy) Ride on the National Cycle Network
Potholes and Pavements takes us on a (bumpy) ride along Britain’s National Cycle Network. Sometimes you are cycling along it, and the ‘path’ disappears’ into a main road.
So Laura (a cycling journalist) decides to cycle around the country using the path, to see how it fares now. Even the CEO now admits the path needs improving, with politics and dodgy financing sometimes making the path dangerous.
Along the way, Laura develops friendships in the beautiful cycling areas of the Cairngorms to Cornwall, and from the Pennines to the South Wales Coast.
Most people say they would love to cycle (most trips are less than 5 miles). And cycling is good or us and the planet, so why not use the existing path and improve it, to make more bike travel a reality.
Laura’s exploration of the National Cycle Network on her pink e-bike is an engaging tour of Britain’s erratic relationship with cycling.
She beautifully illustrates why sustained funding and governmental leadership is urgently needed to transform these often-ignored routes into the national treasure we deserve. Will Norman (London’s walking/cycling commissioner)
A charming look at the literal highs and lows of Britain’s occasionally ramshackle, occasionally incredible national cycling network. Alexei Sayle
Laura Laker is a cycling journalist, with decades of experience on political campaigns. She writes a popular bike blog for The Guardian newspaper.
Bicycle-Friendly Towns and Cities (how to!)
Cycling is not just a mode of transport, it’s a lifestyle in an age of rising concerns over health, pollution and congestion. Many towns and cities worldwide are rethinking their approach to urban mobility, with visionary councils now looking at providing more walking and cycle paths over using funding for roads.
However, don’t do what one ‘green council’ did, and remove a vertical ‘living wall’ that was home to birds, in order to build a cycle path. Bird homes are more important than cycle paths.
Safe Cycling in the City is a useful book for cyclists in in urban areas. It covers choosing the best bikes and clothes, and also covers road safety, braking, gears, and using extra power provided by electric bikes.
Benefits of Bicycle-Friendly Communities
Bicycle-friendly communities are not towns with a few coloured lanes that ‘disappear’ every 100 yards or so, or communities that encourage racing cyclists. Real bicycle-friendly communities are what happens in countries like Denmark and The Netherlands.
Where cycling is so built-in to the planning process, that nearly everyone commutes to work by bike, and countries like The Netherlands have more bikes than people! In fact, most bikes here are just plain safe boring bikes (the only issue is a huge incidence of bike theft).
As well as being a relaxing way to travel, regular cycling keeps people healthy, and it obviously saves money after purchase of a bike, as there is no petrol to buy (a bike tool kit is a one-time purchase and much cheaper).
More people the ride bikes, means less road traffic accidents (with good planning and people taking road safety courses). It also leads to quieter communities, less polluted towns and also less potholes to repair.
It also long-term would save money for say the NHS, as there would be far less obesity and diseases caused by lack of exercise. It’s also good for mental health, as people riding bikes in relaxing conditions actually makes you feel better, than in a road rage traffic jam. Cycling actually releases feel-good endorphins, driving cars does not.
Cycling Towns Support Local Shops
Beryl Hire offers rentable cargo bikes nationwide, along with e-bikes, e-scooters and manual brakes.
The latter are very well-designed with adjustable saddles (to people under 5ft to well over 6ft) and brake lights that come on when you start pedalling, and remain on for 2 minutes after you stop (cyclists can also buy these online for personal use).
The most cycling-friendly city in England is Norwich (like Amsterdam and Copenhagen, it’s flat and a fairly dry climate).
As a result, it enjoys a thriving culture of independent shops. Transport charity Sustrans has free downloadable guides on its website for town planners, including how to design safe cycling in cities.
Danish town planning architect Jan Gehl once wrote that anyone who knows what he or she is doing, needs to ‘look at a town from foot level’.
If you drive through streets, you miss things. But if you walk or cycle, you’re more likely to stop off at a local shop to browse or a local cafe for a cup of tea. People on bikes tend to explore their communities more.
The same goes for tourism. If people visit and hire bikes over cars, again they are more likely to support local shops and businesses, which bring far more money into the community.
Designing Cycle-Friendly Communities
It’s not just a case of adding a few lock-up bikes to rent. It’s far more than that. A good cyclist-friendly community should make people feel safe and eager to get and about on their bicycles.
Safety is the main reason why people don’t cycle. If we all knew that cycling was safe, we would all cycle more. Cycle lanes not only prevent accidents, but also are more convenient. Experts say the best bike lanes are ones that are protected by barriers.
Providing secure parking is also key. This means that people can park outside small shops and cafes, or at work or even near parks, without stress or expense.
Bike lockers are also good, as are showers and changing stations, to encourage people to bike to work. England has pretty rough weather in winter, so it’s important to ensure cyclists have somewhere to get changed, to arrive to work warm and dry.
Another biggie is ensuring that cyclists can easily access public transport. Making sure that bikes can safely and easily be carried on buses (foldable) and trains is key, as is safe storage.
Finally, ensure councils and schools have good free or low-cost bike safety education programs. If we want towns and cities full of cyclists, we have to ensure they all know how to ride a bike, and the rules of the road.
The City Fix reports that over 40,000 cyclists die worldwide in road accidents, which is why it’s so important for cities to follow their steps to safer cycling cities:
- Build bike lanes in car-free zones. This is where England goes wrong. We have a few coloured bike lanes right next door to thundering lorries and buses, yet abroad bi-directional bike lanes (not safe next to cars) are built for exclusive use of bikes, not near vehicles. In the Slovenian city of Ljubljana, this has dropped carbon dioxide and noise levels substantially.
- Create bicycle boulevards. These are streets that give bikes more priority over cars, using methods to discourage cars (low speed limits, pavement markings). This has happened in the US city of Portland, where cyclists are always considered in town planning (it has 70 miles of bicycle boulevards).
- Use pop-up temporary bike lanes. If you have streets with lots of vehicles, it’s important to protect them with well-marked dedicated space, not just ‘a different colour path with a cycle lane sign).
- Using free-standing barriers is one way, but as noted above, these should only be one-way to reduce accidents. Berlin created 15.5 miles of pop-up lanes in a short time using bollards and signs. Ideally there should be a buffer zone between lanes (ideally for two cyclists to ride side-by-side).
- Use heavy-duty physical segregation. If you’re riding your bike next to a car, a quick swerve can knock you off. Progressive cities use bumpers, bollards, barriers and curbs so this doesn’t happen. These are made from heavy-duty plastic or flexible rubber, to avoid steel or concrete, which could injure.
Successful Bike Communities Worldwide
It’s no secret that people in The Netherlands are keen cyclists. But it’s not just Amsterdam. People in this flat country (which helps!) have over 400km of bike lanes to enjoy. The main city always plans for bikes over cars – there are dedicated bike-friendly bridges, parking hubs and even dedicated traffic lights.
Building the Cycling City is a birthday book for your town planner, by an American couple who lived and studied public transport in The Netherlands for years. Learn how to create affordable planning, so most people want to ride bikes. It profiles five Dutch cities and interviews the experts.
The city of Ghent (100,000) does not ‘ban driving’ but before 11am and after 6pm, streets are open to public transport, refuse collectors, doctors and taxis (plus electric and cargo bikes). But during the day, it’s people and ambulances/fire engines/police cars only.
This city now has 20% less air pollution than other cities, hardly any traffic jams on outer roads, fewer accidents and ‘the noisy opposition’ quietened down long ago!
Copenhagen is another very bike-friendly city. Again, Denmark is flat so this helps. But again, town planners here do way more than in England.
Including elevated bike highways and interconnected cycle paths, so you can easily cycle from town to town, without meeting road traffic. The city even clears snow from bike lanes (before roads), showing how dedicated it is, to people who ride bikes.
Both The Netherlands and Denmark have a ‘cargo bike’ culture where parents tend to use them to go shopping, placing children in the back. In Copenhagen, the main street of Strøget is totally car-free and most people get around by bike (often due to very high fuel prices for cars).
Denmark has even created a network of cycle super-highways, which offers safe routes for distances over 5km.
Portland is a green city in the US state of Oregon. It has Trimet (the best public transit system on earth, with one ticket letting people ride the bus, train and tram – all bicycle-friendly).
The planning is so good, that residents can easily cycle out to enjoy nature, in the nearby Pacific Northwest.
