On your bike!

Did you know that from a year old a baby can go on the back of your bike in a safety seat and a helmet?  Did you also know (and perhaps this is more important) that you can lose a lot of weight if you exercise like that regularly?  

I cycle as many places as I can.  This is not because I am some militant greenie, although given a choice I would probably make the green one… I used non-disposable nappies (poverty drove me there – husband was made redundant some years ago and that made us seriously think about our fiscal well-being) and I do own a wormery so I guess maybe I am more green than most.  I cycle because I find it less stressful.  I cannot stand fighting for parking spaces and sitting in traffic makes me consider road rage as a sensible pass-time. I also don’t have time to go the gym (and poverty made that impossible, see above) and so incorporating exercise into my daily regime seemed sensible.  Cycling also sets a good example for my kids, I think, to show there is an alternative to getting in the car.  We now cycle pretty much everywhere.

First of all, I used a standard seat on the back of my bike.  I learnt the hard way that it is very easy to snap the lose flesh under a small fat child’s chin in the clasp of a helmet (you only do it once…) and also that a bike with a child on the back doesn’t balance against a wall, but falls over.  Again, you only do it once and it is amazing how resilient small children are…

As my kids got bigger (between 2 and 6), we resorted to a bike trailer, a sort of two man tent on wheels you can strap them in to.  I did a lot of internet research before making the decision and figured that if I stayed on the quieter back roads, we would be fine.  I did once catch the big one (Madeleine) boosting the little one (Tabitha) out as I was cycling along at speed…  she got caught under the trailer and was dragged for a few feet before I screeched to a halt, her helmet stopping her from going under the back wheels.  I also once brought a friend’s child, Clair, home for tea and when we got home Clair squealed:  “Tabitha has wet my pants!”  Tabitha had weed in the trailer and it had trickled across the seat and soaked in to Clair’s pants.  Nothing a hose couldn’t sort out…  I also flipped the trailer once, taking a corner at speed… with Tabitha aged about 18 months sleeping in it.  I jumped off my bike and peeled back the lid to find her still asleep, suspended from what was now the ceiling, her little arms and legs dangling down and still swinging from the force.  Again, I have only ever done it once.  (I'm not selling this well, am I?)

Most importantly, though, I lost the extra two stone I was carrying after having number two.  It just dropped off me once I started cycling, and now I find I can eat what I want (within reason) and drink enough to keep me sane without getting lardy.  (That's got your attention back again, hasn't it?) I also find it incredibly relaxing to ponder the troubles of the world whilst I peddle… it is that repetitive left/right action, I think which helps me process.  I highly recommend it, as long as you have good all weather gear (and you can find fabby-do, even stylish items available for sale at Minx).  I also recommend an odometer if you are slightly sad like me and feel great satisfaction knowing that you have cycled 80 miles every week.

We used the trailer for a few years (a brilliant Cycletote) until Madeleine got so big I had to either rethink or start amputating limbs.  I decided against kitchen table surgery and instead graduated to a tag-along and Madeleine cycles along beside me.  Actually she cycles behind me because I would rather not see her trying to make it to the end of the road with no hands on the handle bars.  This works well, except Tabitha can frequently be found sitting on the back of the tag-along, feet on her handle bars and NOT pedalling as she should be, but rather reading her school book as I do all the work.  We also sometimes have the dog in the basket, so she can come with us.

And all this cycling does some good as well.  I have for the past two years, cycled from London to Brighton and raised money for the brilliant Capital to Coast, and plan to do it again this July.  So if you feel inspired to either get on your own bike go to it!  You don’t need to spend a lot of money and most areas have a freecycle system where you can get a second hand bike, bike seat or tag-along for free.  If you are unlikely to get on your bike yourself, but would like to sponsor me, dash to my just giving webpage where you can pledge some cash to speed me on my way.  To be honest it is just a really crafty way to spend five hours on my own without the kids.  I shall be plugged in to The Archers cycling with a huge, selfish smile on my face…