cycl:cycling

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cycl:cycling [2025/12/05 10:08] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1cycl:cycling [2026/03/26 19:12] (current) – [Storage / security] Katja Durrani
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-# Cycling+This topic is part of [[gt:transport|Transport & freight]]. 
 +====== Cycling ======
  
  
-![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/cycling1.jpg)+![](wiki:cycling.jpg)
  
 --- ---
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-## What is cycling?+===== What is cycling? =====
  
 Cycling is the action of riding a bicycle, tricycle, unicycle, quadracycle, or other human-powered vehicle, and the term is thought to originate from the process of turning a crank with pedals to rotate the wheels. Cycling is the action of riding a bicycle, tricycle, unicycle, quadracycle, or other human-powered vehicle, and the term is thought to originate from the process of turning a crank with pedals to rotate the wheels.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Dandy horse.+_Dandy horse._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Penny-farthing.+_Penny-farthing._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-## What are the benefits of cycling?+===== What are the benefits of cycling? =====
  
-### Social+==== Social ====
  
 The private car, since mass production began in the 1920s, has mainly moved from a convenient way to run around town and visit the countryside on the weekend to a way to sit in traffic for twenty minutes during the three-mile daily commute to the office. For at least two generations, planning and transport policy has suppressed cycling across all sectors of society. This decline in physically-active transport has been a significant contributor to ill-health of many types; public and media attention often focus on obesity but in fact the impact is much wider (see below). We need to reverse this trend, and to come up with a radical vision centred on bicycle travel. The private car, since mass production began in the 1920s, has mainly moved from a convenient way to run around town and visit the countryside on the weekend to a way to sit in traffic for twenty minutes during the three-mile daily commute to the office. For at least two generations, planning and transport policy has suppressed cycling across all sectors of society. This decline in physically-active transport has been a significant contributor to ill-health of many types; public and media attention often focus on obesity but in fact the impact is much wider (see below). We need to reverse this trend, and to come up with a radical vision centred on bicycle travel.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Some cities are much more cycle-friendly than others, like Copenhagen (notice the lack of cycle gear).+_Some cities are much more cycle-friendly than others, like Copenhagen (notice the lack of cycle gear)._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-### Environmental+==== Environmental ====
  
 Bicycles emit no CO2 in use. Governments are not yet really tackling global climate change but in coming years will be forced to do so by extreme weather events, mass migration, crop failures and other consequences of a changing climate. Bicycles emit no CO2 in use. Governments are not yet really tackling global climate change but in coming years will be forced to do so by extreme weather events, mass migration, crop failures and other consequences of a changing climate.
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 Cycling vastly reduces resource use (including petrochemicals) compared to the manufacture and use of cars. Cycling vastly reduces resource use (including petrochemicals) compared to the manufacture and use of cars.
  
-### Health+==== Health ====
  
 Cycling is an easy and accessible way for individuals to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives, reducing the risk of: Cycling is an easy and accessible way for individuals to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives, reducing the risk of:
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 - increase life expectancy - increase life expectancy
  
-### Financial+==== Financial ====
  
 Bicycles are cheaper than cars, don’t require fuel, you don’t need to buy a ticket and repairs are generally cheaper than for a motor vehicle. Bicycles are cheaper than cars, don’t require fuel, you don’t need to buy a ticket and repairs are generally cheaper than for a motor vehicle.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Sustrans are building a network of cycle paths around the country.+_Sustrans are building a network of cycle paths around the country._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
-### Getting a bike+==== Getting a bike ====
  
 Bikes are cheaper now than they’ve ever been. Your great-great-great-grandma might have had to pay a year’s wages for a bike if she worked below stairs. Bikes are cheaper now than they’ve ever been. Your great-great-great-grandma might have had to pay a year’s wages for a bike if she worked below stairs.
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 <caption> <caption>
-[Regather co-op](https://regather.net/) in Sheffield deliver their veg boxes by tricycle. Nice way to get your food.+_[Regather co-op](https://regather.net/) in Sheffield deliver their veg boxes by tricycle. Nice way to get your food._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-### Kit+==== Kit ====
  
 All you need is the bike, lights, mudguards and wet weather gear in winter, a good lock and a rack and panniers if you’re going to carry a lot of gear. All you need is the bike, lights, mudguards and wet weather gear in winter, a good lock and a rack and panniers if you’re going to carry a lot of gear.
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 You really don’t need any cushioned spandex unless you’re riding very long distances. Look to cycling nations for what you need, not North America. You really don’t need any cushioned spandex unless you’re riding very long distances. Look to cycling nations for what you need, not North America.
  
-### Maintenance+==== Maintenance ====
  
 Look for a basic bike maintenance course, make sure you can fix a puncture, lubricate moving parts relatively regularly, and carry a pump with you (and tyre levers and a spare tube, unless you’re happy to push your bike home if you get a puncture). Most bike shops will provide an annual service relatively cheaply. Look for a basic bike maintenance course, make sure you can fix a puncture, lubricate moving parts relatively regularly, and carry a pump with you (and tyre levers and a spare tube, unless you’re happy to push your bike home if you get a puncture). Most bike shops will provide an annual service relatively cheaply.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Trash to treasure: how to fix up and old bike.+_Trash to treasure: how to fix up and old bike._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-### Safety+==== Safety ====
  
 By all means get a helmet, but a cycle training course is more important. Of the tiny number of fatalities in London annually (around 10) a helmet would almost never have helped. Motorcyclists are the most vulnerable on the roads, then come pedestrians and only then come cyclists. By all means get a helmet, but a cycle training course is more important. Of the tiny number of fatalities in London annually (around 10) a helmet would almost never have helped. Motorcyclists are the most vulnerable on the roads, then come pedestrians and only then come cyclists.
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 The safest way of transporting kids is in trailers, which make great prams when fitted with a third wheel. The safest way of transporting kids is in trailers, which make great prams when fitted with a third wheel.
  
-### Storage / security+==== Storage / security ====
  
 Most bikes are stolen from shared hallways. A quality bike doesn’t have to look quality. Avoid posh racing bikes (you don’t need one unless you’re a professional racer). Bromptons are highly sought after by thieves. Most bikes are stolen from shared hallways. A quality bike doesn’t have to look quality. Avoid posh racing bikes (you don’t need one unless you’re a professional racer). Bromptons are highly sought after by thieves.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Mountain bikes’ chunky tyres are good for city potholes as well as rough trails.+_Mountain bikes’ chunky tyres are good for city potholes as well as rough trails._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-### Cycling+==== Cycling ====
  
 Cycling can be fitted into daily routines, is relatively gentle and requires no special clothing or competitive element. Changing habits requires an initial effort, and the first few times are always the hardest. Once a change of behaviour is completed for two to three weeks the choice becomes habitual, so it’s starting that’s the challenge. Cycling can be fitted into daily routines, is relatively gentle and requires no special clothing or competitive element. Changing habits requires an initial effort, and the first few times are always the hardest. Once a change of behaviour is completed for two to three weeks the choice becomes habitual, so it’s starting that’s the challenge.
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-## Further resources+===== Forum =====
  
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:transport|Transport & freight]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/transport).
  
 +===== Further resources =====
  
-## Specialist(s)+- [Cycling UK](https://www.cyclinguk.org/) 
 +- [Critical Mass](https://www.wygranaonline.com/critical-mass/) - asserting the rights of cyclists on city roads 
 +- [European Cyclists' Federation](https://www.ecf.com/) 
 +- [International Bicycle Fund](https://www.ibike.org/) - promoting cycling world-wide 
 +- [lifeCycle UK](https://www.lifecycle.org.uk/) - helping people take up cycling 
 +- [Walk Wheel Cycle Trust UK](https://www.walkwheelcycletrust.org.uk/) - national cycle network 
 +- [Why Cycle?](https://www.whycycle.co.uk/) - information for anyone thinking of getting into cycling 
 +- [Guide to buying a bike](https://www.thecyclingexperts.co.uk/uploaded_files/tce-docs/Buying%20a%20bike.pdf) 
 +- [Looking after your bike](https://www.thecyclingexperts.co.uk/uploaded_files/tce-docs/Looking%20after%20your%20bike.pdf) 
 +- [Bike repair videos](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0d8Ed1mimf6INbl0u5Qe3A/featuredrepairs) 
 +- [Commuting by bike](https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/article/Thanks-for-checking-out-the-Insight-Zone-0) 
 +- [Bicycle history](https://www.ibike.org/library/history-timeline.htm) 
 + 
 + 
 + 
 + 
 +===== Related topics ===== 
 + 
 +- [Low-impact transport](litr:transport) 
 +- [Low-impact tourism](lito:tourism) 
 +- [Pedal-powered machines](pedp:pedal-powered) 
 +- [Walking & hiking](walk:walking) 
 + 
 +===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  
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