But more and more people are saying four wheels bad, two wheels good.
Ok, when it's raining, it's not the most pleasant thing to do - but what would you rather? A sweaty armpit in your face on the tube, or the wind in your hair as you career along using pedal power?
Cycling in London has seen a 100% rise since 2000, when only 59,000 journeys a week were recorded on roads on Transport for London’s network, compared to 119,000 a week in 2005.
TfL’s budget for cycling facilities, training and other two-wheeled activities is rising to £24m for 2006, so the number of cycle journeys from home to work, school, the shops or to see friends is set to rise even further.
To cycle or not to cycle, that is the question.
What are the benefits?
1. Cycling is a great way to get fit. It burns around 400 calories an hour – and gets you to your destination at the same time. Even 30 minutes a day can have a dramatic effect on your health, reducing the risk of obesity related illnesses like diabetes, stroke and high cholesterol.
2. Cycling is the best way to guarantee your arrival time – your speed and route are entirely up to you.
3. It’s environmentally friendly. You produce no pollution and no noise, which benefits not just you, but your local area too.
4. It’s cheaper than running a car or going to the gym.
In the cold weather, there are some slight changes to kit which you'll need, but there is no reason to give up riding a bike around town. A high visibility jacket and some working lights are all it takes.
If you think of Amsterdam, where 28% of people cycle, you’d imagine they have better weather than London – not so. The average rainfall figure there is 804mm (31.5 inches) a year, whereas here in London we only have 585mm (23 inches) annually. Yes, you will get wet occasionally, but really not as often as you think.
Many people want to cycle but aren’t sure how to get into it. Ask at work if there are showers in your building – but even if there aren’t, don’t let that stop you cycling. A quick change of clothes will freshen you up and if you bring in a few days clothes at a time, you can build up a wardrobe at work.
If you started cycling during summer, but gave up once the clocks went back, have a think – were you fitter, arriving at work on time and saving money not going to the gym? Why not buy some lights, a high-visibility top, and keep going?
Ken's Cycling Plans
Nearly 450km of the new LCN+, a cross-London network of on-and-off-road cycle routes, has already been laid out across the capital, with another 400km of LCN+ to come in the next few years.
London boroughs and TfL have also provided thousands of children and adults with special training courses to help them take to two wheels, and many schools have installed new cycle racks. There are also an extra 5,000 cycle parking spaces on the streets to help you park your bike.
For more information have a look at www.tfl.gov.uk/cycles
