Cycling to work is great for your health, wealth andhappiness. Naturally, you would think that everyone would be at it but for somepeople, concerns about fitness, safety and convenience are enough to stop themgetting on the saddle.
Here at DASH Rides we want to challenge the status quo sowe’ve put together some tips to help you promote a booming cycling (ande-cycling) culture within your workplace. For most people, the commute is themost unappealing part about returning to the office, so let’s work together tomake it the best!
Simply do it
Perhaps the best way to encourage the use of bikes and e-bikesin your workplace is to do it yourself, turning up to work on time and with asmile on your face each day. Cyclists have predictable journey times becausethey don’t get stuck in traffic like car drivers and are not subject to publictransport delays and strikes. This is even more true of e-bikers because youalways have the power of the motor to fall back on and never have to break asweat. It’s also incredibly enjoyable and great for your mental health so youwon’t help but turn up with a smile on your face…even on Mondays!
Show how easy it is
Many potential cyclists are put off by thinking that youmust be as fit as a fiddle to participate, but cycling is only hard if you areriding a poorly maintained bike, or if you turn it into a race. In fact,cycling is the most efficient form of human powered transport. It’s no more strenuousthan walking but you can travel further and faster. This is particularly true ofe-bikes, where you can select the level of pedal assistance and decide how mucheffort you put in. If you want to get the heart racing, set the assist to lowand if you want to take it easy, set it to the max!
Share Your Routes
Many potential cyclists and e-cyclists have not ridden abike since childhood and are naturally nervous about traffic, road positioningand navigation. You can alleviate some of these fears by pointing out quieterroutes, back lanes and bike paths to help them commute with greater confidence.You can also direct them to free online resources like www.cyclestreets.net or the Citymapperapp that allow you to plan journeys on quieter roads and bike paths. If youlive near a colleague, you could even offer to cycle in together. You are thenon hand to help with navigation and offer advice on road positioning.
Don’t be a cycling snob
‘E-bikes are cheating’ is something that we hear a lot of hereat DASH Rides. Amongst some in the cycling community there is a misconceptionthat e-bikes are only suitable for people who are lazy, elderly or unfit. Infact, studies have shown that on average, an e-bike user will burn morecalories than a regular cyclist. This can be explained by the fact that e-bikeusers are more likely to replace journeys made by cars and public transport withan e-bike. To put it in other words, an e-bike isn’t just for commuting. It’sfor the weekly shop, the family gathering, meeting up with friends, the dentistappointment...
The more people cycling, the better for all of us. It means fewercars on the road, less traffic, less pollution and a healthier and happierpopulation, so try to be inclusive and encourage the use of any type of bicycle,whether that’s a traditional push bike or an e-bike.
Facilitate It
Cycling facilities at work such as secure bike storage andshowers can make the prospect of cycling more tempting for non-cyclists, soasking HR to provide better provisions is a great place to start. You couldeven start a Bicycle User Group to press for better cycling facilities andspread the word about the health and environmental benefits of cycling ande-cycling.
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