Gearly Beloved

This week is bike week, the 11th to 19th of June to be precise, so what a better time to dust off the saddle and get cycling.

Bike week is all about trying to get people on their bikes to stay healthy and fit. However, it is also about an environmental perspective too. Swapping 4 wheels for two can help bring down emissions and lower the effects of pollution. Cycling is such a fun activity. You can use it to stay active, as a family activity or to go along some lovely coastal or woodland areas. I absolutely love my bike and use it as a means of getting around even cycling from my huse near the Glenrothes town centre through to Kirkcaldy town centre and it is also a good feeling to know I am helping the environment more than if I were to get a lift or catch a bus.

The focus of this years bike week is mostly on using a bike to get to work, in recent years many workplaces have invested in bike parks for staff and some even having showers so people can freshen up after a cycle. This means there is no reason not to hop on a bike and get a bit of morning exercise before work and a stress relieving cycle afterwards. It is also good for the conscience if you know how much you are helping the environment. The CO2 emissions generated from even short journeys in cars can actually be quite scary.

Lets look at some of the evidence of this. According to youcanbikethere.com, from fuel use alone a small car can generate up to 635 kilos of CO2 from travelling 50 miles and an SUV can produce up to 1720 kilos of CO2 emissions doing the same. Even in the manufacturing stages the energy and resources used to make bikes don’t even touch on how many are used for the production of cars. Regularly cycling instead of  taking the car for small journeys can reduce these emissions largely while also burning some calories. A bonus is the amount you save on fuel will add up leaving you with a little extra money in your pocket. You could even use the money to upgrade or accessorize your bike.

There are so many benefits to cycling so what could go wrong? Oh, your bike is broken? Don’t let that stop you in your tracks, Greener Kirkcaldy are putting on a programme of Bike Maintenance Workshops and Dr Bike Fix-it Drop-ins throughout the year to give people the opportunity to get their bikes repaired and checked over for free, and learn the skills to fix their bikes themselves. The next Maintenance workshop is Saturday 18th June, 10am – 12.30pm at Hunter Hall, Kirk Wynd, Kirkcaldy. The next Fix-it Drop In Session is Saturday 25th June, 9am – 1pm, Kirkcaldy Farmers Market, Town Square, Kirkcaldy.

To stay up to date with future bike related events or any events, keep an eye on the greener Kirkcaldy events page. To learn more about bike week or where your nearest bike week event is click the links.