2:26pm Friday 18th June 2010
It’s good for you and it doesn’t have to cost a lot. So this is the perfect time to take to two wheels, says Trish Andres.
WHETHER they’re dressed in flip-flops and a summer dress, or head-to-toe Lycra and a fluorescent jacket, these days all sorts of people can be seen cycling along city streets and country lanes.
They are part of healthy trend which, according to the Cyclists’ Touring Club (ctc.org.uk) is seeing the highest levels of cycling in the UK for nearly 20 years.
One of the reasons for this increase, apart from the obvious health, economic and environmental benefits, is the Government’s heavy investment in cycling, which includes schemes from tax-free bikes for work to free cycling training for both adults and children.
In Darlington, there is Darlovelo (bikebeauty.org), a bicycle sharing scheme which makes stylish Dutch bikes available for use by residents for a small weekly fee.
With the start of National Bike Week today, the aim is to to encourage people to rethink their everyday commute and switch to cycling.
This year’s theme is “everyday cycling for everyone”, with events being held in towns, villages and cities aimed at inspiring everyone – from anxious beginners to serious cyclists.
“Plenty of people get in their cars and nip into town without giving it a second thought. Yet hopping on a bike could get you there faster, more cheaply and give you a healthy boost along the way,” says Phillip Darnton, chairman of Cycling England.
Helen Pidd, bike expert and author of Bicycle. Love Your Bike: The Complete Guide To Everyday Cycling thinks cycle hire schemes are encouraging.
“Anything that can be done to encourage more people to use bikes is a good thing in my book,”
she says.
■ To find a bike week event near you, visit bikeweek.org.uk and enter your postcode. If you’re keen to participate but don’t own a bike, you can easily borrow one from your nearest bike rental outlet, which you can search for on the website.
BEFORE you start cycling, it’s important to do some cycle training to familiarise yourself with hand signals and rules of the road, says Sian Emmison of Bobbin Bicycles (bobbinbicycles.co.uk) “You can get free cycle training from the borough where you live, work or study,” she says.
The second most important thing is buying a lock. “Most locks have a Sold Secure rating: gold, silver or bronze,” she says. “For your main lock, get a gold or, at the very least, a silver. You should also have a second lock, which doesn’t have to be as expensive, but serves as a deterrent.
“Lock the bike frame, but also the saddle or anything that looks like it’s worth stealing.”
Cyclists should also register their bike with the police, she says.
Finally, don’t forget lights. “If your bike doesn’t have built-in lights or dynamos, buy front and rear lights,”
says Sian. “This is absolutely essential for evening cycling and an additional safety precaution for daytime riding.”
MARK HAYLETT, of Specialized Bikes (specialized.com) gives his top tips for making the most of your machine.
● New bikes need a service, checkover and a full safety check a few weeks after purchase. Most cycle stores offer this free to customers.
● Get it serviced once every year.
● Keep it clean and well lubricated to maintain reliability and increase longevity.
● Do not use a high-pressure washer to clean a bike. Pressure washers can easily damage bearing seals in hubs, bottom brackets and other pre-greased sealed bearings.
● Never attempt to adjust or change settings unless you are qualified.
Doing so could invalidate the manufacturer’s warranty, so always seek advice from your local bike store.
LET’S face it, we want more.
More energy, more time, more get-up-and-go. And that’s no surprise, with nearly three quarters of women in the North-East admitting to being completely and utterly bored with their lives and nearly half claiming they are sick and tired of doing the same things day in, day out.
With boredom contributing to stress levels and depression, research by Florette Fruit (fruity online.co.uk) has found that 85 per cent of women think they would be less frustrated if they made the effort to be more spontaneous – wishing they could ditch their everyday lives in favour of something a little more off-the-cuff, naming everything from singing in public to emigrating.
Five in ten of those questioned want to shake off the humdrum by getting on the next available flight to anywhere, and more than a third would go so far as emigrating if they just had the get-up-and-go.
Forty-one per cent say a change of appearance –- such as hair, make-up or wardrobe – would do them the world of good, and nearly a third would like to hand in their notice, regardless of whether they have another job.
Twenty one per cent say they would try something new in the bedroom, while one in ten would go skinny dipping and 35 per cent would tell someone how they really feel about them.
Fifteen per cent of North-East women think their mothers put them to shame in the spontaneity stakes.
So what’s stopping us? Almost 41 per cent of those questioned name energy as the biggest factor, while 32 per cent cite a lack of confidence.
Life coach Becki Houlston says: “Spontaneity only takes place when we have removed the barrier between what we want to do and actually taking action.”
IN a bid to put more bounce into her working day, director of Rockliffe Hall Spa director Liz Holmes has taken to the trampoline.
Running the business keeps Liz busy, but her love for health and fitness has led her to introduce a range of contemporary classes, including “rebounding”, on small trampolines, at the spa in Hurworth, near Darlington.
An effective aerobic workout, urban rebounding combines cardiovascular fitness with conditioning moves, through the use of the specially- designed trampolines.
Liz says: “This form of exercise is unique. Interestingly, a number of schools in the region are currently buying into it because of the benefits brought about by the low-impact, high-energy activity. It is, however, still new to the gym so we are pleased to be leading the way by introducing it to our class repertoire.”
■ For further information on Rockliffe Hall, visitrockliffehall.com, call 01325-729988 or email spa@rockliffehall.com
SKIN cancer is an easily treatable and survivable disease, if it’s caught early enough, and yet death rates are on the rise in the UK.
The reason? We don’t know what to look for – and 65 per cent of people in the region are unaware of the warning signs. Research released this week by the British Association of Dermatologists (Bad) reveals that 71 per cent of people in the North- East don’t check regularly for signs of skin cancer.
Only one per cent list changes to the appearance of their skin as a significant worry, compared to other issues about appearance such as weight gain, wrinkles or spots. Only 51 per cent of people in the region said they would seek medical help if they did find something on their skin which worried them.
To help, Bad has launched an early detection campaign. Called Ultimate Skincare, the campaign is designed to encourage people to check their skin once a month using a checklist available at ultimateskincare.org
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