This is the article we submitted for the January 2020 edition of the Hayling Herald. They may of course edit their version, and we format this version for the website with photos and links.
- Happy New Year
- Cycle Hayling’s resolution for 2020.
- Can you extend your lifespan or health-span?
- Carrying stuff on your bike
Happy New Year!
Christmas and New Year are quiet on Hayling roads, so a great time to enjoy a sociable ride with family and friends, try any bike-related presents out, and burn off all those Christmas calories!
If you’re into resolutions, why not challenge yourself, and enhance your health, wealth and our island environment through cycling?
Maybe a weekly ride to work, or to the shops, or just for fun? Maybe even sign up for the Paris to Hayling ride?
Cycle Hayling has its own resolution for 2020 – to make Hayling the cycling paradise it should be.
And we’ve got 2020 vision about how to do it. Our councillors want it, our kids deserve it, our environment needs it.
To coin a current phrase, let’s just “Get it Done”.
Can you extend your lifespan or health-span?
Can you increase your lifespan with more exercise? For most people, no, your lifespan is largely determined by your DNA and by luck, although you can improve your odds, for example by not smoking, or by wearing a cycle helmet.
But you can increase your ‘health-span’ by up to ten years – through regular exercise.
Yes, you guessed it, your ‘health-span’ is how long you stay healthy enough to enjoy the things you love, which is even more important.
There’s incontrovertible evidence now that exercise works, and the easiest way is by building exercise into your daily routine, such as everyday cycling.
If doctors could prescribe exercise, it would be hailed as a new wonder drug!
What about idiots (like me) who fall off occasionally? Well I’ve only had one bad fall in 50 years, and as the A&E sister said, “An x-ray and a sling, and you’re out of here, but people who don’t exercise might be with us for life”.
The stats show that cycling is about 20 times more likely to help your health than harm it.
So get cycling!
Carrying stuff on your bike
People often ask how they can cycle carrying shopping, work gear, spare clothing or a bike pump and tool kit?
I quite like rucksacks, because they’re so flexible, but they’re not for everyone.
For serious shopping, a rear rack is very cheap and can fix to most bikes. Then you can use panniers, or strap a box to it.
Some traditional bikes can have front baskets, so you can keep an eye on the contents. We met one couple who carried their dog like that for three years, all over Europe.
Bromptons have a brilliant mount over the front wheel to clip on specially adapted bags.
Whichever you choose, you’ll have a smug feeling that you didn’t add to CO2 or air pollution.
More on the website
Lots more help and advice via our website, at cyclehayling.org. If you have any comments or ideas, please tell us!