We all know that cycling a bicycle to work is the greenest form of transportation (aside from walking or running!). But if you are just starting out or have been thinking about it for some time, or perhaps you’re trying to convince an employer that cycling is a good thing! Then we have compiled a list of great reasons to convince anyone to ditch the car keys and bike to work.
1. It’s so much more cost effective than financing a new car!
Goes without saying really, what you would typically spend on a single monthly car payment would purchase a perfectly good bike that would not only get you to and from work but would outlast the car. Purchase our new rothar via the Bike to Work scheme and it becomes even more affordable with a tax saving of up to 52% on the cost of the bike plus any accessories you may need to get you going. It might also be worth mentioning to your employer that they will make a saving of up to 11.05% on employer PESI for each bike purchased through the scheme.
2. The carbon footprint of manufacturing a bike is tiny compared to that of a car.
It’s pretty obvious that cycling a bicycle 10km to work produces lower carbon emissions than taking the car, but what about the manufacturing process? What is the cost, in carbon terms, of producing that bike? Trek bikes released study findings in their #GoByBike campaign called the ‘Rule of 430’. They found that cycling 430 miles (or 692km) is the magic number a person must cycle in order to balance out the carbon required to manufacture the bike in the first place. At that point you are carbon neutral – so by replacing your car with a bike and cycling 692km, the equivalent of just under 2km a day, you will have saved the carbon it took to make your bike. So what about e-bikes, are they as eco-friendly as you would think? Well a study by the ECF (European Cycling Federation) found that e-bikes actually have lower greenhouse gas emissions over their lifetime compared to regular bikes. About 30% less in total, when taking into consideration the manufacturing process, battery production, electricity usage and bike food consumption over. Why do e-bikes score less? This is because it is estimated e-bikes require less food production per kilometre travelled. So you are burning less calories on an e-bike than a regular bike but you are doing more for the environment!
3. Using more Bikes can save Taxpayers money with less wear and tear on our roads.
Potholes driving you crazy? We hear you! Fed up with never trusting a puddle and always have to scan the road in front of you for new potholes. If there were more est. 13kg bikes and less 2 ton cars our roads would be in much better condition, thus saving the necessity for road resurfacing (and saving cyclists wheels!).
4. Bicycles are an Effective Alternative to a Second Car.
It may not be feasible to adopt a bicycle as your primary source of transport. But a bike will certainly make an excellent choice as a second vehicle. With traffic levels returning to their pre- pandemic levels, research shows that nearly two thirds of all car journeys are less than 5km with more than half of all journeys being under 2km. Trips that could be covered by bike in a fraction of the time and at a fraction of the cost. The AA estimates that it costs €10,691 to run an average family car for a year. So save yourself some time and save the expense of owning, maintaining and running a second car. Opt instead for a bike to run short errands and for commuting.
5. Improve your overall health and wellbeing by cycling regularly.
The health benefits from regular exercise are well documented but did you know that cycling a bicycle actually gives you a mood boost and improves your overall mental health. Here at Biketowork.ie we recently conducted a survey of just under 1,400 of our cycling community to find out how cycling makes them feel – the top three answers were
A. I feel happier after I cycle
B. I feel a ‘mood boost’/ feel more positive after I cycle
C. I feel calmer and more mindful after cycling
Cycling has also been found to help you sleep better, improves memory, productivity and helps reduce feelings of depression and anxiety.
6. Parking a bike is much easier and cheaper.
Consider not just the cost of parking a car in a town or city but also the inconvenience of finding a spot and the increased demand for more parking spaces. A bicycle takes up a lot less space than a car – you could actually fit up to a dozen bicycles in a single car parking space. Increase the number of bikes on the road and we will need fewer parking spaces. Just think of the environmental and financial impact this could have.
7. E-bikes make cycling more accessible for all.
Regardless of your fitness ability or maybe health reasons prevent you from cycling a regular bike, e-bikes ensure cycling is more accessible to a broader section of society. Motorised pedal assist has increased the loads people can carry on a bike, (e-cargo bikes), it has made cycling possible for people recovering from injury where they can vary the effort required. E-trikes have also been used to help people gain confidence on the roads. E-bikes help provide transport and keep people fit and healthy the benefits of which are now been seen from a wider perspective.
8. Cycling is more efficient than taking the car.
We are not talking any illegal antics here but bikes are often faster than cars in urban areas, especially when city designers have set aside proper bike lanes and priority bike lights. There's nothing more satisfying as a bicycle commuter than breezing past a long line of gridlocked traffic.
9. Bicycle commuters are healthier and take less time off work.
This is the reason why employers are so keen to accommodate, support and encourage commuting cyclists. Healthy workers are better workers — and that's good for the bottom line. Bikes therefore are smart business.
10. Finally cyclists are cool!
Fact! A 2014 study found that cyclist demonstrate a unique blend of intelligence, generosity and the ‘cool’ factor!
So there you have it, 10 great reasons to dust off that bicycle or invest in a new one and to start taking advantage of the longer evenings and warmer weather. If not now, when?
