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A few tips ...

Hey ho, let's go ride a bike!!  Up to the highest heights   Well, apparently there are long stretches of up to 12 mile steady inclines in parts of Scotland so joking apart .......

Five good reasons to cycle

1.    Cycling exercises most of the muscles in your legs and bum – so it’s an excellent way to tone these areas. 
2.   It’s a practical way to keep fit. 75% all personal journeys are less than 5 miles long – that’s half an hour on a bike.
3.   Switching short journeys from car to bicycle will benefit both your health and community. You'll be helping to reduce noise, air pollution and traffic congestion too.
4.   It’s cheaper than joining a gym! Bicycles require no MOT, no insurance, no licensing and above all no fuel. Bicycles can be parked almost anywhere for free.
5.   Riding a bike can help you maintain a healthy weight. Average cycling burns about 300 calories per hour and gives a level of fitness equivalent to being 10 years younger.

On roads

·         Know what it is to keep your bike legally roadworthy

·         Wear clothing that you are visible in and ..

·         Know how to ride the junctions/roads that you use

·         Ride assertively and remember to look before manoeuvring

·         It’s actually illegal to ride on the pavements and if you have to, please respect pedestrians

·         Use your bell if you need to, not all pedestrians can/will see you

·         Have cycle lights and use them in poor visibility, checking the batteries regularly

·         Get the appropriate training for your needs and always follow the Highway Code

On shared and/or unique cycle paths

·         Fit a bell and use it to warn people of your presence

·         Always give way to pedestrians, leaving them plenty of room (the way you like cars to give you clearance on the road., it works both ways after all)

·         Keep to your side of the path at all times

·         Always be prepared to slow down or stop if necessary and never cycle at high speeds on cycle paths that are jointly pavements

·         Be aware of what is going on in driveways you have to cross when using the cycle path or car doors being opened if the cycle path is placed between parked cars and the road

·         Be careful at junctions, bends and entrances remembering you need greater peripheral vision than if you are on road already in the traffic stream

·         Remember that many people are hard of hearing/visually impaired and don’t assume everyone can see and/or hear you

·         Give way to wheelchair users and horse riders, especially as horses can be unpredictable and react to you/loose clothing flapping around if you are too close and you could get hurt yourself

In the countryside

·         Follow the Country Code and take litter home

·         Keep erosion to a minimum if off-road and cycle within your capabilities

·         Only you know your limits, so match your speed to the surface and your skills

·         Respect other land management activities such as farming or forestry and if there is a National Cycle Network route use it wisely

·         Be self-sufficient and ensure you are carrying a bike repair kit, first aid kit, map, food, something to drink and waterproofs etc. especially in remote areas

Ensure you and your bike are legal/correctly kitted out

·         In poor light/ at night, you should use front & rear bike lights (this is a legal requirement) and wear reflective clothing

·         If you wear a helmet, ensure it is correctly fitted and carries the correct approved kite mark.

·         Check your tyres, brakes and gears every time you go out

·         Dress appropriately for the weather, with SPF15+ sun factor and drinks in summer and warm/waterproof clothes in winter

·         Regularly service your bike to ensure it is roadworthy

Please get your child/ren trained and preferably with a helmet especially during the learning phase due to loss of balance rather than an accident - the best way to avoid being hit is to quote John Franklin, 'Head injury when cycling is neither inevitable nor common, especially for people WHO LEARN TO RIDE SKILFULLY.'  He also warns that 'Cycle helmets differ from other safety aids in that they attempt only to limit the consequences of the crash.  They do NOTHING to prevent a crash taking place; indeed, if not used properly or if their limitations are not appreciated, they may actually increase that risk'. 

You can see more of John's book, which was recently revised in the spring of 2007 to include cycle training for children at  http://www.cyclecraft.co.uk/index.html also for relatively up to date maps and information on the moors across the country go to
http://www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk/things_to_do/open_access but equally, please respect the Countryside and Moorland Visitors code
which you can download here at http://cawww.e3hosting.net/csa2/things_to_know/countryside_code/other_codes together with one or two other useful bits of information!!

DISCLAIMER:  Whilst every reasonable care has been taken to ensure accuracy of information provided on both this page and website, we cannot be held responsible for any errors in or omissions from the given text