COULD YOU CYCLE IT?

Did you know that 50% of car journeys are under 2 miles?  Switching just one trip per day from the car to cycling could reduce your carbon footprint by around 0.5 tonnes per year, equivalent to flying from London to Boston.

To help encourage us back into the saddle this Spring and reduce your carbon emissions, we in partnership with Storm Skin, have produced the following helpful tips:

1. Find a bike
There are a plethora of options for those looking for a new bike.  First, consider your needs.  If you are an occasional user, renting a bike could be a good option for you.  Renting a Brompton from as little as £5 per day is a good way to keep costs down.  For budget-conscious cyclists who plan on cycling more frequently, consider buying second-hand.  Second-hand bikes can be found on dedicated sites such as Preloved or why not find out if there is a bike recycling centre in your area.  If you already have a bike that needs fixing you could take it to a Big Bike Revival Event.

2. Store it securely
Once you have a bike you will want to store it.  For those of us not fortunate to have a garage, consider hiring a bike hangar for as little as £70 per year.  Another option is to store your bike outside your house.  Use two locks and follow the police-approved locking method.  Finally, if you are storing you bike outside, invest in a good quality waterproof bike cover.  The right bike cover will prevent weather-damage and act as a deterrent for would-be thieves.  Storm Skin Bike Covers are a great option for those looking for a rock-solid bike cover that also looks great!

3. Attend a refresher course
Many of us haven’t ridden a bike since we were children.  Whilst the old adage ‘like riding a bike’ is true, many of us could benefit from refreshing our knowledge.  Bikeability offer cycling refresher courses nationwide.

4. Plan your route
Cycling on busy roads can be a daunting prospect for even the most confident cyclists.  Thankfully, not all journeys need take place on congested routes.  In the past 12 months TFL have added over 160 miles of quiet cycleways to London’s already extensive cycle network.  Manchester also has a large cycle network with more routes being added every year.  With a bit of careful planning, it’s possible to enjoy congestion-free cycling in our cities.  Visit TFL or TfGM to access maps of local cycle networks.

5. Stay safe
Firstly, it’s important to note that cycling is not a dangerous activity.  Statistics from the Department for Transport show that, per billion miles travelled, more pedestrians are killed than cyclists.  Even so, it’s important to take precautions to remain safe.  Wearing a helmet is a must.  Recent studies suggest wearing one reduces the chances of sustaining a serious head injury by 69%.  It’s also important to always follow the rules of the road.  Put that phone away and don’t even think about riding your bike after consuming alcohol. 

We’re Storm Skin. 

We think we’re taking too many unnecessary car journeys. After all, 50% are under 2 miles. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we took less? We want to help people say ciao to the car and hello to the velo. 

We’re not kidding ourselves; we know a bicycle cover isn’t going to change the world. But having a rust-free bike can’t do any harm, can it? Our story is simple. We’re passionate cyclists with one thing in common. We’re tired of flimsy, tear-prone bike covers. we’re tired of fighting to put the d*mn thing on.  We’re tired of scraping our bicycle cover off next door’s hedge.  We’re tired of seeing our bikes slowly rust and decay. So we built a bike cover that worked. 100% waterproof, easy to fit, durable, unrivalled protection from wind, rain and UV. Simple.

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