With national success encouraging us all to get back onto two wheels cycling has never been so popular. We look at what Peterborough has to offer for the cyclist and where to head
It seems that cycling is undergoing something of a revival in the UK. In Forties Britain one-third of the miles travelled were on a bike. These days the car is the transport mode of choice for most people. However, over the last five years the appeal of two-wheels seems to have increased.
Cycling is now among the most popular pastimes in Britain
According to Sport England, as a leisure activity, cycling is now among the most popular pastimes in Britain coming second only to swimming and football. More than 1.8m adults cycle for at least 30 minutes a week. That makes cycling twice as popular as golf and well ahead of other pastimes such as tennis, badminton and squash. Since 2007, the number of people cycling at least once a week has risen by about 12%.
The popularity of cycling holidays is also on the up with recent research showing that UK families spent around £120 million on cycling holidays in 2010. Throughout the year Brits went on 450,000 cycling holidays, with some operators experiencing as much as a 30% increase in bookings on previous years. It’s estimated that a further 2.25 million holidays taken by the British last year included some kind of cycling trip, such a day’s bike hire or a mounted city sightseeing tour.
The reason behind the rise in popularity is difficult to pin down, but experts suggest that one factor was the 2008 Beijing Olympics where cycling was Britain’s most successful sport. The UK cycling team won 14 medals, eight of them gold.
In Peterborough there is a dedicated city council service to encourage people to ditch the car and opt for sustainable transport like cycling instead. The Travelchoice team focus on improving bike routes, providing safe cycle parking, as well as working with schools and businesses to increase the number of local people cycling. And of course, this year was the third consecutive year that Peterborough hosted the Halfords Tour Series professional cycle race. This city centre cycling race series sees professional cyclists battle it out in eight locations across the UK. The event is watched live by crowds of thousands and is also broadcast on ITV4.
Yet rather than seeing a rise in the popularity of cycling per say, Dom Coates from bike specialists, Rutland Cycling, believes different types of cycling rise and fall in popularity at different times. “A few years ago it was all about mountain biking whereas now road cycling is on the rise.” The Tour de France is obviously very iconic and the speed and competitive nature of the sport appeals to many people. The average speed of competitors taking part in the Tour is forty miles an hour.
“The other thing we’ve noticed over the last few years is an increase in the number of women taking up cycling. Manufacturers have responded to this demand and are producing increasingly extensive specialist cycle apparel designed to suit women rather than simply men’s items with a smaller cut!”
Owner of Terry Wright Cycles in Deeping St James, Paul Bonham, says there’s another reason for this surge in popularity. “There’s constant change in the industry, with new technology and accessories coming through all the time, and new bike models at least every twelve months. I’m always learning!”
Paul rides a Trek mountain bike and also owns a road bike; he also has a personal collection of over thirty specialist cycles including an original Raleigh chopper and a rare Stingray. Terry Wright’s showroom displays between 250 and 300 cycles at any one time. The range includes children’s bikes, BMX’s, comfort bikes, traditional bikes, hybrid, road race and time trial, folding bikes, mountain bikes, town bikes, adult trikes and even a penny-farthing.
Paul and his team are on hand to make sure their customers get the right bike to suit their needs. “We pride ourselves on offering the widest choice possible,” says Paul. “The bikes on display in our showroom are very extensive, and we know people like to browse the different models in person and try them out too.”
As well as helping their customers, Terry Wright Cycles support a whole range of charity bike rides and challenges. “We get four to five applications for help with charity events a week. We support as many as we possibly can. We get all sorts of requests, for example, people cycling the 874 miles from Lands End to John O’ Groats. We help out by making sure charity riders are equipped with all the spare parts they might need for their trip – spokes, tyres, inner tubes, chains. We only charge them trade cost for anything they use along the way, plus we service their bikes for them before hand, and give them energy snacks and drinks to help them on their way.”
So if you’re a beginner, where do you head? Dom suggests Fineshade at Rutland Water. There are different cycle routes on offer that you pick depending on your ability and how daring you’re feeling. All the routes are managed by the Forestry Commission and are very well maintained. The family cycle route is a five-mile circular trail starting and finishing at the top of the car park. The green graded trail has some gentle to moderate hilly sections and takes you through most of the main woodland block and the varied habitats within it. The route also has seven alternative sections that run along side the main route, allowing cyclists to test their skill and progress to more challenging terrain.
All of Cycling Rutland’s shops offer bike servicing and repairs, and the staff working in the shops are bike enthusiasts themselves. “I think when the people serving you in store are passionate about what they’re doing it makes all the difference to a customer,” says Dom who himself owns a De Rosa road bike and a Light Base mountain bike. “One of our long-standing members of staff Brian Harris has actually decided to give up his car altogether and only travel by bike. He’s lucky really because his route takes him along one of the most beautiful stretches of Rutland Water.”
“We’re always happy to offer customers advice and help with making sure helmets are fitted correctly. We even have a bike skills section on our website featuring video tutorials on essentials like how to replace an inner tube and how to true a wheel.”
The benefits of cycling are plain to see, saving you money, benefiting the environment, and burning calories. According to the NHS, someone who weighs 80kg (12.6 stones) will burn more than 650 calories with an hour’s riding. Cycling can even help you relax and de-stress after a busy day. And it seems that there’s no better place than in and around Peterborough to kick-start your very own cycle revolution. So whether you’re looking for a cheap, healthy option for the daily commute, or the speed and thrill of cycling for sport, perhaps it’s time you embrace two wheels instead of four.
You can hire a bike from any of Rutland Cycling’s four shops at Whitwell, Grafham, Normanton, and Fineshade Woods. The cost of hire ranges from £9.99 – £12.99 for two hours or a day rate of £16.99. A family ticket for four costs £29.99 and includes helmets. All the details can be found at www.rutlandcycling.com
Cycling at Fineshade Woods…
Fineshade is signposted from the A43, between Stamford and Corby, opposite the turning for Wakerley Woods. The postcode for SatNavs and Route Finders is NN17 3BB. OS Grid Reference: SP 978984 Visitor centre facility opening hours are 10am till 5pm daily. Visit: www.forestry.gov.uk and search for Fineshade to find out more.
Cycling Top Tips:
Keep your bike clean
Whether you use your bike for commuting, sport, or leisure, the chain will pick up dust and grit. If you don’t regularly clean your bike the chain will wear out faster. According to Dom Coates from Rutland Cycling you’ll reduce the durability of your chain by up to a third if you don’t maintain it, “The average chain will last for about 3,000 miles. If you don’t keep it clean it will do about 1,000 miles less.” Rutland Cycling recommends Muc Off to their customers. This luminous pink product is the easy way to clean your bike and chain. “You spray it on, rinse it off with a hose, re-lubricate and you’re done. It costs £6-7 a bottle and will easily last a year” says Dom.
Stay safe
The debate about whether wearing a helmet when cycling will save your life or make matters worse is ongoing, but Dom from Rutland Cycling weighs in firmly on the side of opting for a helmet. “It can save your life, and it can also reduce the seriousness of the injuries you sustain. There is so much traffic on the roads these days and car drivers can be careless when it comes to thinking about those of us on two wheels, so always opt for a well-fitting helmet. For as little as thirty pounds you can get a high quality, comfortable helmet”.
Don’t forget the kids
When you’re out for a family cycle, don’t forget that children on a kid’s seat or in a trailer aren’t doing any pedalling and so will get colder than you. Rutland Cycling hire out bikes with child friendly options for parents and always advise making sure children are well wrapped up. It’s dangerous to take a child under twelve months on a bike because cycling results in vibrations which could affect their development. Rutland Cycling only hire out trailers to families where children are over eighteen months just to be on the safe side.
Puncture precautions
Your heart sinks as does your tyre – punctures are no friend of the cyclist. But, never fear, Paul Bonham, owner of Terry Wright Cycles offers some advice on avoiding a flat. “There a few things you can buy to help avoid punctures. For example special tyres, for around £20, which have a protective Kevlar band built into them. You can get inner tubes which are full of slime – when you get a puncture they self repair by filling any holes. And you can purchase tape which you apply between your inner tube and tyre for added protection. The cheapest option is to make sure your tyres are well inflated. Keeping them pumped up makes a puncture less likely.”
Plan your journey
Travelchoice has produced a series of cycle guides for routes all over Peterborough. There is an official Peterborough cycle map which has been designed by cyclists for cyclists, to be as user friendly as possible. With its special splash resistant coating it stays dry so you can always get the information you need including detailed city centre mapping, comprehensive detail of Peterborough’s cycle network, mapping of the Green Wheel and other rural routes, National Cycle Network routes, information on things to do and places to visit, and cycle shop information. The “Your Cycle Map” is available for £1.50 from the Destination Centre on Bridge Street or can be downloaded for free from
It seems that cycling is undergoing something of a revival in the UK. In Forties Britain one-third of the miles travelled were on a bike. These days the car is the transport mode of choice for most people. However, over the last five years the appeal of two-wheels seems to have increased.
Owner of Terry Wright Cycles in Deeping St James, Paul Bonham, says there’s another reason for this surge in popularity. “There’s constant change in the industry, with new technology and accessories coming through all the time, and new bike models at least every twelve months. I’m always learning!”
