Pedal Power: Celebrating Cycle To Work Day with London Cycling Campaign

To quote a British treasure: “If my Grandmother had wheels she would have been a bike.”

But seriously, cycling does wonders for the body. From improving your physical and mental health and being extremely beginner-friendly, to offering a positive start to your morning. Cycle To Work Day brings awareness to a healthy lifestyle.

Smiley News reached out to Jessica Pike, Campaigns Officer at London Cycling Campaign to hear what they have to say about cycling.

What are the benefits of cycling?

The great thing about cycling is that it’s good for the person cycling AND the environment they are cycling in. Cycling helps keep people physically healthy (many people say it’s improved their mental health too), it offers an alternative to cars which contribute to air pollution and traffic congestion, and it can grow someone’s feeling of connection to the places they travel through. The best benefit of all though is the feeling of immense satisfaction when you can whizz past a line of cars stuck in traffic.

What tips do you have for someone who wants to start incorporating cycling into their everyday life?

There can be barriers to cycling so the first step is to identify what’s stopping from you getting out there and address it. For many people, it’s fear but the good news is that this can be overcome by starting small and building up your cycling confidence. Your city or town might offer free cycle training so seek out these opportunities. If you’re based in London, London Cycling Campaign’s Cycle Buddies programme will pair you up with an experienced cyclist so you can get out on the roads together and learn the routes you need to get from A to B.

Why do you encourage cycling to Londoners?

It’s the best way to get around the city! When you start cycling, it’s like discovering this amazing secret that was hiding in plain sight and we want more people to share in the love and joy of this experience. Often it’s quicker and cheaper than public transport or a car, you don’t have to play Tube Twister with strangers during the commute, it’s good for your health and if more people switch out car trips for cycling, London will be a less polluted, less congested, more people-friendly place to live in.

Do you have any cycling misconceptions that you'd like to debunk?

There are so many misconceptions about cycling but a big one is that you have to be and have x, y and z to cycle. If you have ever wanted to cycle and have thought ‘I’m not fit enough’ or ‘I don’t have the right clothes’ or ‘I don’t look like other people I see cycling’ or ‘I don’t feel like a cyclist’ then this is your permission slip to discard those doubts and get out there! Don’t let anyone make you feel like cycling isn’t for you because that’s not true – cycling is for everyone!

London Cycling Campaign’s Women’s Network, which welcomes allies too, has an exciting campaign in the pipeline that will further advocate for the needs of women cycling in London. To find out more about their work to promote women’s safety while cycling, head here.

Charity check-in

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

The Bike Project. This UK charity collects second hand bikes, fixes them, and donates them to refugees and people seeking asylum across the UK. Find out more.

London Cycling Campaign. This charity aims to make London safer and more enjoyable for everyone through the promotion of cycling and safety.. Find out more here.

Sustrans. This charity works for and with communities, helping them come to life by walking, wheeling and cycling to create healthier places and happier lives for everyone. Support them here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health And Wellbeing, Sustainable Cities And Communities.