The dangers of not cycling

Cisco001

fred246 wrote: »

It's really sad. There are so many people who could lead happier, healthier, longer lives by bicycle commuting. Instead they choose the early death option and sit around in metal boxes with wheels, moaning about the traffic. Their noxious gas emmissions poison everyone leading to thousands more early deaths.

Depends on where you work!
My work place is 22 miles from home.
Cycle to work not an option.

Doing exercise doesn't has to be cycling.
I consider cycling is too dangerous. (idiot driver/ teenage gang beat you up to grab the bike).

fred246

The whole point of the research was that it was taken into account that a few cyclists would be killed by idiot drivers. Idiot drivers kill people whether they be other drivers, cyclists, pedestrians etc. Cyclists still live longer. People dying of cancer and heart disease don't seem to link their medical problems with inactivity. It always amazed me that people know to avoid smoking but they don't seem to think that inactivity is dangerous. Someone working 22 miles away from home could use mixed mode commuting that was noted to be beneficial in the BMJ paper. In all my years cycling I've never even thought of teenagers taking my bike off me. I hope I get a few extra years of pension although I deserve it. Cyclists take less time off work as they are healthier so they should have their pensions paid for longer.

[Deleted User]

I have started cycling again after a long break, started with 2 miles around the village and built up a little more each time. I am now comfortable doing 11 miles on a fairly heavy upright bike with hybrid tyres. There are a few hilly sections and I manage them fine in first gear, changing down before the base of the hill. I get a bit puffed but nothing at all scary. What is best is not just the exercise but actually getting to ride through the moors, along lanes and a canal and I can do that and be home in an hour. Last week I changed a tyre for the first time and sorted out my brake blocks. The week before I cleaned and lubricated the chain.

It most definitely isn`t just health benefits but also the sense of satisfaction. I`ll soon be seventy

mcculloch29

kittie wrote: »

Last week I changed a tyre for the first time and sorted out my brake blocks. The week before I cleaned and lubricated the chain.

It most definitely isn`t just health benefits but also the sense of satisfaction. I`ll soon be seventy

I agree with you about the sense of satisfaction in doing your own bike maintenance in addition to health benefits. I bought a chain cleaner from Lidl for my trike and it made a real difference to the smooth running of the chain.
I have had my trike for 15 years.
The major maintenance jobs (change pedals, chainset, Shimano gearing, brake cables) have been done by my local bike shop, but in that time I have adjusted and changed brake blocks, adjusted brake cables, fitted many new inner tubes and quite a few new tyres, maintained tyre pressures, cleaned the chainset and gear cassette...
I am grateful for the expertise of the cycle shop owner for those things I can't do, but I have saved myself a lot of money by doing basic monthly maintenance and simple repair tasks myself.

I'm not as old as you, Kittie, though I am disabled by severe arthritis. If I can do simple maintenance and repair, anyone can.

boliston

the only regular maintenance i can think of it pumping the tyres and oiling the chain - about monthly for tyres and several months for the chain

mcculloch29

boliston wrote: »

the only regular maintenance i can think of it pumping the tyres and oiling the chain - about monthly for tyres and several months for the chain

There's quite a bit more than that.
My brakes need tweaking every so often, which is easy with a pair of pliers to grip the brake cable and an Allen key for the cable holder. With my trike, the brakes are both sides of the front wheel, so checking and adjusting the brake blocks is important. Again, an easy job with an Allen key.

As well as oiling the chain, the gear cassette - at the back of my trike - needs regular de-gunging with a wire brush and re-oiling.
I re-adjust the seat regularly, and make sure the hubs get a squirt of oil too.

Then there is keeping it clean in general, keeping it as dry as possible so rust doesn't get a hold, checking lights are operational and reflectors are clean. These jobs tend to be done almost daily in winter, when working lights are essential and mucky roads more likely.

System

I can't ride a bike due to dyspraxia and a lack of balance. Can't swim either.

bertiewhite

Like Pollypenny, cycling in West Wales where I live is not as easy as somewhere like Lincolnshire.

However I would like to ask why do some people not kayak, hill-walk, go to the gym....etc.etc.

It's horses for courses really, wouldn't you say?

oystercatcher

I can't ride a bicycle due to balance problems. So last year I bought a tricycle , I love it but it really makes my knees hurt cycling so that puts me off . I thought cycling was non weight bearing but it certainly seems to make the knees do a lot of work

Over the winter I didn't cycle and knees improve, nice weather, trike out..... dodgy knees again. Now they hurt when I walk and swim too

fred246

The recent paper in the BMJ showed that bicycle commuting was associated with much less heart attacks and strokes. Most people work a 5 day week so commuting would involve 10 episodes of exercise nicely spaced out. Not many people manage to exercise 10 times a week. Longer commutes are more beneficial. 3-4% of UK commutes by bicycle while 30-40% of dutch people commute by bicycle. Increased bicycle commuting benefits EVERYONE apart from those that work in the motor industry and maybe the government from reduced taxation income. There'll always be some people that it's not suitable for but the rest really need to think about getting on their bikes. Every morning and evening I cycle past queues of traffic. It's rare to see a car with more than one person in it - and they're all taking up large areas of road space.