cycl:cycling

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revision Previous revision
Next revision		 Previous revision
cycl:cycling [2025/12/06 17:31] – Dave Darbycycl:cycling [2026/03/26 19:12] (current) – [Storage / security] Katja Durrani
Line 1: Line 1:
-# Cycling+This topic is part of [[gt:transport|Transport & freight]]. 
 +====== Cycling ======
  
  
-![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/cycling1.jpg)+![](wiki:cycling.jpg)
  
 --- ---
Line 10: Line 11:
  
  
-## 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.
Line 22: Line 23:
  
 <caption> <caption>
-Dandy horse.+_Dandy horse._
  
 </caption> </caption>
Line 54: Line 55:
  
 <caption> <caption>
-Penny-farthing.+_Penny-farthing._
  
 </caption> </caption>
Line 63: Line 64:
  
  
-## 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.
Line 81: Line 82:
  
 <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>
Line 88: Line 89:
 </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.
Line 96: Line 97:
 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:
Line 135: Line 136:
 - 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.
Line 145: Line 146:
  
 <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>
Line 154: Line 155:
  
  
-## 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.
Line 170: Line 171:
  
 <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>
Line 177: Line 178:
 </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.
Line 183: Line 184:
 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.
Line 193: Line 194:
  
 <caption> <caption>
-Trash to treasure: how to fix up and old bike.+_Trash to treasure: how to fix up and old bike._
  
 </caption> </caption>
Line 200: Line 201:
 </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.
Line 210: Line 211:
 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.
Line 220: Line 221:
  
 <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>
Line 227: Line 228:
 </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.
Line 239: Line 240:
  
  
-## 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 =====
  
 - [Cycling UK](https://www.cyclinguk.org/) - [Cycling UK](https://www.cyclinguk.org/)
Line 252: Line 257:
 - [Bike repair videos](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0d8Ed1mimf6INbl0u5Qe3A/featuredrepairs) - [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) - [Commuting by bike](https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/article/Thanks-for-checking-out-the-Insight-Zone-0)
-- [Bicycle history](- [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)
  
-## Specialists+===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  
  • cycl/cycling.1765042316.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2025/12/06 17:31
  • by Dave Darby