Top 5 Reasons to Start Biking to Work

Ditching your regular commute in favour of cycling to work ticks so many boxes; it’s better for the environment, it can keep your waistline in check and save you some serious money.

8th - 28th June 2015 marks the UK National Cycling Challenge, Love to Ride so we thought we'd remind you of some of the benefits of cycling to work.

Cycling equals a happy and healthy workplace

The links between exercise and both the physical and mental wellbeing of workers is undeniable. After all, who doesn’t feel invigorated after a quick walk around the block at lunchtime? And that same logic extends to biking to and from work, providing of course that you live a sensible (bikeable) distance from your workplace - tackling the equivalent of a Tour de France Stage twice a day would soon become pretty gruelling! Employees that enrol on cycle-to-work schemes have been proven to be more productive during the day, with their health and morale significantly boosted. And a health-conscious buzz has a positive effect on absenteeism too, and with lost days due to illness costing British businesses some £14 billion a year, encouraging your team to saddle up can only be a good thing.

Arrive on time, every day

The daily commute is the bane of many workers lives; sitting in endless queues of traffic, missing that bus or train and encountering other equally-stressed out drivers. Hopping on a bike is proven to reduce commuting time (a bike can be twice as fast as a car in traffic) which allows you to arrive at work on time, every time.

Cycling to work frees up car parking spaces

Driving into work also presents another headache – where to park - especially if you’re based in a high-density urban area where parking is at a premium. At best it’s a long walk into the office from a municipal car park, and at worst it’s losing your car in an on-site log-jam with colleagues. All you need is somewhere to store your bike safely whilst at work – sites with ample space can provide a fully covered cycle shelter for their employees. And even the smallest buildings can find space for a compact bike stand such as a hoop or loop.

Access to discounted bikes via Cyclescheme

Employers can register to participate in the Cyclescheme which gives their staff access to bikes and accessories tax free. The free to join programme has so far provided around 530,000 bikes in the UK. Now is probably time to speak to the boss. http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/

Save money by ditching the car/bus/train

You’d be in for a shock if you actually added up how much your daily commute costs on a monthly basis. Train tickets, bus fares and tanks of fuel don’t come cheap. But with a bike all you need is a helmet, lights and a bit of stamina, and you’re away! Go on, do the maths and I bet you’ll be tempted to saddle up…

Bonus: Participate in Dedicated Cycle Days With a Sense of Pride

There are a wealth of events celebrating cyclists, such as the UK National Cycle Challenge, Love to Ride, which runs from 8-28 June 2015, Bike Week 2015 starts on 13 June until 21 June and Cycle to Work Day on 3 September. Do you agree with our top five reasons to start biking to work? Leave your comments below…