Cycling has boomed in the UK over recent years and is now the country’s most popular amateur sport, with a recent survey suggesting that over six million Brits are opting for pedal power.
Team GB’s sustained success over several Olympic cycles and the Tour de France’s visit to Yorkshire in 2014 have helped to cement cycling’s status as the nation’s go-to form of exercise.
Of course, many opt for two wheels instead of four when it comes to travelling to work. It benefits your health and the environment – and could even keep your pockets feeling healthier too.
How much could the average Brit save by cycling to work? Let’s take a look.
Why cycling is so popular
Football may be seen as the UK’s favourite pastime, but only two million Brits regularly have a kickabout – a figure dwarfed by cycling participation.
As is the case with the ‘beautiful game’, accessibility is key to popularity. Whether you’re looking to get out on the open road, scramble a bit further off the beaten track or hit the half-pipe on a BMX, there are very few barriers to anyone enjoying cycling.
Even innovations like hand cycles have made the sport accessible to those with physical limitations.
There will be an initial outlay, so check your financial situation and buy a bike and the accessories that fit your budget – and then that’s it! You’re free to get out and about as much as you want.
You can be a change for good!
Getting out on the bike and leaving the car at home will cut your emissions every time you do so.Indeed, the environmental recovery that has been seen during the recent lockdown could have aknock-on impact for cyclists, with pop-up cycle lanes and pledges towards bike-only corridors being brought in to capitalise and maintain cycling’s boom.
More people cycling also means more people looking after their health which can cut the stresses and strains placed upon the NHS.
How much could you save?
A 2019 survey found that the average Brit spends £146 a month commuting to work, totalling a mighty £135,871 over a lifetime.
Put against cycling’s estimated monthly costs of less than £15, it might make for intriguing reading for many! If you are able to pay for your bike and necessary equipment upfront – a helmet, some hi-vis clothing and arepair kit are the essentials – that figure could drop to absolutely nothing.
Of course, not every commute is the same, but if yours is manageable by bike, are you now considering making the switch?
