Cycling to Work

Cycling to work is an excellent way for you to make your daily commute, bringing both physical health, improved levels of concentration and levels of your well-being. However for those who have not made the journey before it can seem like a daunting experience. Fear not, for My Journey will help you by breaking down the process into a number of easy steps.

Select your route

This is an important first step and there are a number of aspects you should consider. Can you complete the whole distance without too much trouble? Perhaps you can break up your journey by taking a train some of the distance?

If the two legs of the journey seems too long - could you cycle to work one day and then home the next? Breaking up the trip like this, could help build up your fitness and confidence on the roads.

An excellent way to discover the cycling distance between two places and the routes that you might use, is using our Journey Planner.

Accessing a bike

You need to make sure that you have a bike you can make the journey on. If you do not have a bike yourself, check and see if your business is part of the Cycle to Work scheme. This is an excellent Government initiative that allows you to get a bike and pay off the price in instalments without having to pay tax on it. 

Getting your bike ready 

Perhaps your bike is slick and shiny, and ready to go, or perhaps it may have sat in the shed for a few years. Before any journey it is important that you check your bike is roadworthy. Check out this helpful video from Sustrans to make sure your bike is ready to use.

If your bike needs some work what should you do? The first and best port of call should be your local bike shop.

My Journey sometimes brings Dr Bike to some of our events who can provide a free bike check for you. Check out our events page or contact us for more information.

Motivating yourself to ride

This is often the most difficult aspect for people as it involves a change to their routine, fears about safety and being open to the elements. If cycling is not part of your normal routine, then make sure to take your time with it. Perhaps start by testing out your route in your free time. It will make things much less stressful on the day and you don’t have to rush. Next try cycling to work one day a week as a change, either at the start or end of the week. Once it becomes regular, you will notice yourself the advantages that it will bring to your day.

Also you could try using some apps to help maintain your motivation. Strava is an excellent way to track your journeys and if you are competitive you can monitor your split timings.

Have you signed up to Love to Ride which is also a great way to build your enthusiasm about cycling. We are working with them to run activities where every ride you make gives you the chance to win some fantastic prizes.