Learner drivers to learn bike awareness

Finally, learner drivers will now be taught bike awareness thanks to two of the UK’s biggest driving schools AA and BSM. These driving schools will both include a new segment on driving safely around cyclists. Driving instructors will undergo training backed by the Driving Standards Agency and the Department for Transport, to enable them to educate new drivers.

AA president Edmund King said “I am personally committed to breaking down the ‘two tribes’ attitude displayed between some drivers and cyclists. Often we are the same people. I am convinced that this initiative will change attitudes and save lives.”

Head of BSM, Mark Peacock said “Successfully teaching a learner to drive safely around cyclists means instilling a good attitude as well as the necessary practical driving skills. Understanding why cyclists behave in certain ways, such as avoiding potholes or how they are affected in strong winds, is key to being safe around them.”

To cyclists, this may seem a long time coming, but this is a great step in making UK roads much safer for cyclists to use. With motorists learning to respectfully share the roads with cyclists, this should hopefully lead to less cyclist fatalities on Britain's Roads. Hopefully this training will prove to be successful and will rolled out as a must have for all driving schools. This training should also be applied to HGV drives, as the account for a large proportion of cyclist deaths in the UK. 

Asgard High Security Bike Shed

New cycling tunnel in West Yorkshire

A new cycle route has been opened in West Yorkshire, a former railway line has been reopened as a new route for cyclists and walkers. The new cycle route runs between Dewsbury and Ossett and has been renovated with a refurbished viaduct and bridges over the river Calder.

This route is part of a national project run by Sustrans to encourage walking and cycling on everyday journeys. David Hall, regional director of Sustrans said “It’s good for the local economy to have an alternative route into the shops of the town centre…it also is an opportunity for children to explore their environment safely away from traffic”.

So far Sustrans has helped to convert over 1500 miles of disused railway into bike and pedestrian paths, which has encourage more and more people to take up commuting by bike.

What is the best way to store two bikes securely?

Space saving bike storage solutions

Asgard Director cycles from France to Spain

Asgard doesn’t just sell bike storage units, the staff have a passion for cycling too, which may explain the high quality and care that goes into their bike sheds.

The Asgard Managing Director, Nick Hewitt, has taken it to the next level challenging himself along with a group of friends, to cycle from the northern tip of France to the Spanish boarder in just 9 days. 

The ‘Yorkshire Terriers’  team is made up of Nick Hewitt, Garry Ogden, Rupert Pearson, Oliver Garside, Robin Litten, Matt Milbourn and Andy Mullins. Nick and the team managed to beat their target, managing to finish the 848 mile journey in 8 and a half days after spending 54 hours on their bikes.

Take a look at the highlights of their journey here. 

Is this the new way to scare bike thieves?

Bike theft is a problem in major problem in most public areas, from town centres, to train stations and universities. The use of a good bike lock, or 2, seemed to be the only way to keep bike thieves at bay, however, a team from Newcastle University may have found a new way to deter bike theft. 

The team decided to test out a theory that people behave better when they think they are being watched. Research was carried out for 2 years by placing pictures of staring eyes above cycle racks around the university campus. It was found that there was a 62% drop in crime rates at the bike racks which featured these pictures and the bike racks without these pictures saw thefts increase by 63%. 

Due to the positive effect that this has had on crime rates at the university, it is now being tested at various train stations by the British Transport police, who are hoping for very similar results. I am sceptical about this method working when put to the test in other environments. This may prove to be an effective way to deter bike theft from public areas, however this may become less and less effective as thieves realise there is no real threat behind the image. 

This may work in a public place, but we’re pretty sure it wouldn't have the same effect at some one’s home. Make sure your bike is fully protected from theft at home, by keeping it locked away securely and out of sight. 

If you’re looking for secure home bike storage, Asgard metal bike sheds offer fantastic protection against theft. See the full Asgard metal bike shed range here.

The new Asgard Bike Shed

Asgard have launched the new extra-large bike shed, the Cycle Store XXL.

This metal bike shed is the biggest bike shed available from Asgard and has a massive amount of storage space for up to 8 bikes. This metal bike storage unit has been designed with bike maintenance in mind, as it offers the ideal space for carrying out bike maintenance, which will come in handy when the weather is bad.

A wide range of metal bike sheds and this cycle store has many of the same features, which make Asgard bike storage units so great. This large bike shed is made from strong weatherproof steel, has  a full integrated metal shed floor and features a tough 5 point locking system, to provide the best security for your bikes. Included in this unit is a a full wooden subfloor, heavy duty storage hooks, a galvanised steel storage shelf and a heavy duty ramp.

View the full details of the Cycle Store XXL on the Asgard website or see view their full range of bike storage units. 

Compulsory cycling lessons for all children

The report from the APPCG (All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group) stated that all children should have access to cycling lessons and now the debate as to whether children should have compulsory cycling lessons has re-emerged. 

It is being argued that cycling should have the same status on the National Curriculum as swimming and children should be having lessons from the age of 5 years old, as it is an essential life skill. 

‘Bikeability’ is the National Standard for cycling training, however just half of children in the UK get access to it, through schools.

It is argued that by the time children are age 5, they should be capable of controlling a bike in off-road conditions and at age 14, pupils should have knowledge of riding on local roads, be able to communicate with other drivers and have a basic understanding of the Highway Code.

With National Bike to School week is just a few months away (June 10^th -14^th) and this could be many schools opportunity to trial out cycling lessons with their pupils.

One problem that schools have with cycling and pupils cycling to school is that few schools have ample bike storage for all students. If your school is in need of more bike storage, Asgard have a wide range of cycle racks available in a variety of sizes.

What is the best bike locker for home?

The best way to store 6 bikes

Are Boris Bikes in trouble?

Recent news has highlighted the decline of Boris bike rentals so far this year. This fall has been attributed to the bad weather that has plagued us up until the end of March and Boris Bike rental prices, which was implemented at the beginning of 2013 and saw prices double.

The figures from the 1st week of March have shown that 135,364 bikes were hired compared to more than 193,000 in the same week in 2012 and the use of the Boris bike scheme has been in steady decline since its peak, in the weeks leading up to the Olympics.

Hopefully people will be commuting more using their own bikes and not give up on cycling as a means of transport altogether. However it is possible that cycling as a form of transport is losing its appeal to those ‘non cyclists’. There are many things that put people off cycling such as high profile cycling fatalities, which can be very scary and daunting, especially to those of us not used to cycling in busy urban areas. 2012 had a 5 year record high for the number of cycling fatalities with 122 deaths. The recent Boris Bike accident involving a cyclist and a lorry, which has left the cyclist fighting for his life, will only highlight peoples existing fears about not only using Boris bikes, but cycling in general.

New anti-bike theft rack

A new bike stand has been designed to offer cyclists secure bike storage in cities.  This new concept of bike stand is an anti-theft lock stand created by R&D Core. The bike stand works by rolling the bike into grooves in the ground.  When the stand is activated, a lock attaches the bike frame to the stand and two bolts slip through the spokes of each bike wheel, immobilising the bike. The user can then access their bike using smartphone or smartcard. This new concept may be just what is needed to stop bike theft away from the home in its tracks.

Although many bike users are most concerned about their bikes safety when out and about, the majority of bike theft actually occurs at the home. Never underestimate the importance of secure bike storage at home. Reports of home bike theft are always increasing and as summer approaches garden shed thefts will also be on the increase and your bike will be vulnerable. If you store your bike in a standard wooden garden shed, it is unfortunately only a matter of time before it will be stolen. 

Bike sheds from Asgard offer the best protection for your bike when you are at home. These bike sheds are made from strong weatherproof steel and are fitted with tough locking systems to keep bike thieves out! Take a look at the full range of secure bike storage from Asgard. 

Bike storage shed for 3 bikes

Bike theft rises in summer

With summer not so far away, more people will be using their bikes and these longer days means an increased risk of bike theft.  According to the home office, in the months of June, July and August bike theft rises by an extra 25%! Recent reports have already been made this year about the increasing problems with bike theft and many areas are struggling to tackle the crime. This is particularly notable in places where the number of cyclists is significantly higher than average, such as Cambridge where 52% of residents cycle at least once a week.

Top bike security tips to follow this summer:  

Bike security at home

·         Make sure your bike is covered by insurance

·         Invest in a secure bike shed

·         Don’t leave your bike unsecured in front of your home

·         Don’t store your bike in a shed which has windows

·         Use a ground anchor or shed alarm for additional security

Bike security when out and about

·         Lock your bike in a busy and well lit area

·         Try and leave your bike in an area with CCTV

·         Use 2 different types of lock

·         Make sure your bike is covered by insurance

Cycle storage for up to 4 bikes

The best bike security

Taken from The Ride Journal

There comes a point in many cyclists lives where even they realise that they are pushing it with the amount of bikes they have in the house. A very tolerant wife had let my collection grow but even I knew that things were getting cosy indoors. And a load of redecorating prompted a search for somewhere outside to store some of them. Living in London it was always going to be a balance of cost, size in the already small back garden and security offered. As ever the internet gave lots of options but Asgard seemed to offer the best balance between the three. All that was left was to narrow it down to what model/ size. The 4 bike Access seemed the right one and was delivered.

In an ideal world I would have been able to wait until the warmer weather, whenever that arrived, but it was too slow in coming so I commenced on a freezing cold Sunday morning, brushing snow and ice off of the concrete base and continuing the build in very light snow. My first recommendation is not to attempt anything in weather like this. The concrete base had been poured as per the instruction sheet and it was nice to know that the base would be the right size and more importantly level.

Drilling the holes to attach the base is hard work. A good drill bit is vital, as is some patience, all the hard work that you put in here is making it harder to remove by anyone else. This is the start of the security. Warmed up from the drilling it was time to begin the build.

The panels are well labelled and easy to navigate, via the instructions. Most of the job can be done by one person, its only when the heavy door needs adding that you need to enlist some assistance.
If you are used to certain Scandinavian flat pack builds the way things go together here will be a very different experience. You know when things are right, they tighten together nicely and there's a satisfaction in knowing that the connections are tight.

Linked with this is the fact that the screws tap out the threads that they are being screwed into. This gives a super-tight connection which is good to have, but at some angles can make screwing in initially a bit tough. I found that with some of the hard to reach screws is was easier to run a screw in, to open up the thread a little, and then screw the two parts together. This meant that it was a little easier in the end.

Apart from drilling through the concrete the hardest part is getting the hinges on the roof lined up with the holes at the back of the shelter. The instructions are a little vague but a bit of logic lets you see the correct order before trying to line the holes up and push the bolts through. This is the point at which any misalignment will be apparent. Even with a specifically poured base we were out and it took some pushing, coercing and a little bit of swearing to get the first hinge attached. As is often the case the first is the most difficult and the subsequent hinges got a little easier, or we got better at coercing.

With this out of the way it was a breeze to get the rest of the shelter built. Possibly due to the base being level we didn't need to do any work to get the locking hinges lined up at the end. 

How long did it take? I wasn't really timing it as I wanted it to be correct rather than quick, but suffice to say I've climbed and descended Mt Ventoux quicker. My advice is not to rush it as something this sturdy should be in place for a very very long time, so why rush getting it built?
Four bikes fit comfortably inside. If you have lots of very wide-barred mountain bikes you may have trouble with the width but with a selection of drop and flat barred bikes it was no problem. And there is room around the ends for a track pump and bike stand. I'm now thinking that some of the optional extra shelves might be useful for things like tools and oil.

With the shelter the main thing is security, I live in London after all. Having built it, felt the weight/ rigidity and quality of materials I am very happy. Short of using explosives I can't see anyway that someone is getting to my bikes. Now all I need is my fingers to defrost enough to ride one of the bikes.

View the range of Asgard Bike Storage

Great apps for cycling

During the time on my bike, I've come across some great cycling apps that have been very useful to me. Here's a list of my top 5 cycling apps.

Bike Doctor 2

This app features 29 of the most common bike repairs, with step by step guides to help you get your bike moving again. Great for those cycling emergencies and for those who are bike repair novices.

Bike Hub

Bike Hub is a free app that allows you to get from A to B on the best cycling route. Depending on your mood and confidence, you can choose between a fast route, a quiet route or something in between.

Cyclemeter

The Cyclemeter app tracks your cycling while utilising your phones GPS. You’ll be able to see statistics such as speed and distance and all of the information can be transferred to a computer.

Strava

This app revolves around a community and provides a competitive element to your cycling routine. With this app you are able to track ‘segments’ of road and compete with riders who have used also ridden the same ‘segment’ to see who can do the fastest time.  This is a great app to unleash your competitive side.

Garmin Fit

Garmin Fit turns your smartphone into a training tool and is useful for all kinds of sports including cycling. Once you have finished your session, it is uploaded to Garmin Connect allowing you to track your training progress.

Singletrack Magazine on the Asgard Cycle Garage

Singletrack Magazine reviewed the biggest Asgard bike storage unit, the 'Cycle Maintenance Garage'. Here is what they thought.....

Many of us suffer from having no garage attached to our tiny homes. If, like me, you live with more bikes than resident humans, then you will understand the need for some kind of shed for bikes.

          Asgard make sheds from double-skinned steel. They are very heavy (250kg) and arrive with everything you need to bolt them into the ground (just in case you’re worried about being robbed by crane). This model is designed for bikes - its 9ft long, 5ft wide and I’ve managed to cram six bikes in there with relative ease, as well as a set of shelves and general bike flotsam.

          It comes flat- packed and the instructions were clear enough that I had it built in around four hours, including several tea breaks. The panels are reassuringly heavy and I needed another pair of hands to get the roof in place. I was going to count the screws but I gave up after a hundred or so. I had a cordless screwdriver - it was vital. If you don’t, you can at least double the build time.

          The level of detail included in the build is impressive and it comes with everything you need, though it must be sited on either a concrete foundation or solid patio. The lock on the door is a triple point system using Yale-style cylinder keys. You can also buy a wireless infra- red alarm from Asgard and if anyone were to try and break in, the fact it is essentially a huge steel drum means they at least won’t be able to do it in silence.

Overall: If you are a typical domestic male you will be in shed heaven with the Asgard. The level of security it offers is second only to a well-padlocked shipping container.

Take a look at the Cycle Garage in detail on the Asgard Website.

London Cycling Campaign

The London Cycling Campaign has designed a new lorry to help combat cycle accidents, known as a Safer Urban Lorry. This design is based on construction lorries, as three quarters of cycling fatalities in the Greater London area involving lorries, were from the construction industry. The drivers of these vehicles most frequent response following a fatality is that they didn’t see the victim before the crash.

This bike friendly lorry has been designed with a lower seating position, lower ground clearance and much larger windows at the front and side. All of these changes will enable the driver to have a better view of cyclists.

London Cycling Campaign haulage expert and former lorry driver Charlie Lloyd said:

“Our Safer Urban Lorry design is a challenge to the construction industry to use vehicles that help reduce the terrible number of people on bikes and on foot who are killed by lorries.

“The restricted view from the cab of many of today’s construction lorries means the driver often has little or no idea who or what is in their immediate vicinity, which is totally unacceptable."

Safer Urban Lorry features:

Lower driving position

The seating position is 60cm lower than in a conventional construction lorry, providing a better view of what is happening around the vehicle.

High – visibility glass panels

The windscreen and side windows are much larger than current construction lorries, again giving a better view of things happening around the vehicle.

Lower bumper clearance

Reducing clearance between the underside of the lorry and the ground height helps lower the height of the cab and the seating position.

Sideguards

Sideguards increase the chances of a cyclist being knocked away from a lorry in the event of a collision instead of being dragged under its rear wheels.

Early warning cameras

This technology provides a 360 degree view around the lorry, ensuring the driver is aware of pedestrians and cyclists at the sides and rear of the lorry. 

London's cycling capital

Cycling in the UK has increased all over the country, this has been more noticeable in some areas than others. However, census data has shown that in Hackney more people commute by bike than car and the London borough has the highest bike rider ship in the capital.

Statistics taken from the census showed that 1 in 7 Hackney residents use their bike as their main method of getting to work. This is the highest in London, at 14.6%, with Islington coming in second at 9.6%.

There are many factors that are thought to have encouraged the popularity of cycling in Hackney:

· The borough is flat and within good distance to areas of employment.
· The population has risen by 44,000 over the last 10 years.
· The population of Hackney is largely the young and fashionable.

One of the biggest factors has been the council’s willingness to redesign junctions and one way streets to include cycle lanes.

Overall cycling in London has increased by 109% since 2001. Statistics have shown that the City of London is the only other London borough where more people cycle than drive to work. 

With such positive figures for cycling in Hackney, hopefully more boroughs will follow suit to encourage cycling, making it safer and more accessible for people to get on their bikes. 

Tour de France Yorkshire Depart gets government funding

The Government has announced that they will be awarding £10 million to the Tour de France Grand depart in Yorkshire. The funding from the central government was awarded after weeks of lobbying by ‘Welcome to Yorkshire’ and the Yorkshire MPs. This funding that has been awarded, but the money will only be received when ‘Welcome to Yorkshire’ can show that they plan on making this event have national scope, with a solid plan to Capitalise on this huge event.

A report in the Financial Times explained that current plans for the Yorkshire Depart are not strong enough to deliver a world class event. 

It said “We would like a more joined-up approach to the organisation of the world's biggest cycle race which will ensure we maximise the benefits for Yorkshire and the other parts of England that the race will pass through”.

Hopefully this will be the event to remember that we have been promised. 

Should cyclist discrimination be a crime?

We've all heard the stories about cyclists being treated unfairly, especially by car drivers that they share the roads with. Suffering from abuse while on the roads and many being injured in actions caused by careless driving. 

Campaigners are calling for discrimination against cyclists to be treated as a crime.  The campaign which has been launched in Cambridge is calling for a clampdown on abuse towards bike riders, including comments posted on social networking sites and websites.

The number of people cycling in Cambridge on a regular basis is higher than the rest of the UK, with 52% of residents riding their bike at least once a week.The Cambridge cycling campaign told the Get Britain Cycling inquiry that being labelled a ‘cyclist’ was one of the biggest reasons why people choose not to use bikes. The Campaign has said that cyclists should be treated in the same way as ethnic minorities.

Cambridge’s MP, Julian Huppert, has welcomed the campaign “Hatred of cyclists is not just extremely unpleasant and unnecessary it is dangerous because it causes conflict which can cause accidents.”

However Eddie Stadnik, chief officer of the Cambridge Ethnic community forum, said that he was not convinced that this was something that could be protected against discrimination.

This campaign is calling for more investment to increase the level of cycling paths and reduce speed limits to a default of 20mph in urban areas.

Information provided by the Cambridge News. 

British Bike Theft

We’ve seen he reports statistics and figures, so we know the problem that bike theft is on the country and if you’ve been unlucky enough to be a victim of theft yourself, you’ll know all the hassle that it can cause. 

Another case of large bike thefts in one particular area has emerged. Police have reported that in Beverley, £43,000 worth of bikes have been stolen in the last 2 months alone. These thieves have been targeting outbuildings and garden sheds in search of bikes.

One victim, James Harper spoke out about his experience, in which £10,000 worth of bikes were stolen from his shed.

"The criminals seemed to have good knowledge that I had the bikes, where the bikes were and then they made every effort to leave the crime scene as if it was untouched……..Those first moments when you see the space where your bikes should be and the realisation someone has been on your property and taken what is yours is just sickening”.

This highlights that you can never be too careful when it comes to keeping your bikes secure and an ordinary garden shed isn’t going to stop any thief.

What is the best way to keep your bike secure?

When you are cycling home, or driving with your bike attached to your car, it is a good idea to check that you aren’t being followed home. Bike thieves are becoming smarter and are now following bikes so that they can steal them at a later date. Once they know where your bikes are, you’ll have to rely on the security of your bike storage to keep your bike safe.

If you are looking for something more secure to store your bikes in, the Asgard High Security Bike Shed offers fantastic bike security. 

This all metal bike storage unit is made from strong weatherproof steel and is fitted with high security features. Find out more about this high security bike shed on the Asgard website.

Boris Bike Problems

The Barclays Bike Hire Scheme was launched in 2010, they quickly became popular as they were cheap and convienient.

However recent dissatisfaction has emerged among its users. The Evening Standard has revealed the bike schemes poor performance and showed how members of the scheme often found docking stations empty and they were unable to cycle.

This problem was identified back in December 2011, however dissatisfaction from its users continued when customers were asked about their satisfaction of the service in November 2012, as it was found that docking stations were left empty for an average of 2 hours per day.  The poor service has become an increasing problem, especially since there was 100% price rise for the service from the beginning of 2013.

Serco, the company which operates the bike scheme has been threatened by the Transport for London over the empty docking stations, as they found that 83 docking stations were left empty for up to 6 hours a day. Serco is supposed to re distribute the bikes around London to avoid empty and full stations. Transport for London said that “Londoners deserve better”.

A Serco spokesman said the scheme “continues to be a tremendous success” but admitted “at some docking stations at certain times demand for bicycles and docking points can exceed availability”. The company said it was working closely with TfL to address this issue. 

What is the best space saving bike storage?

Trying to find the best bike storage for your bikes, when you are short on space can be difficult. There are plenty of indoor bike storage solutions out there, but if you hate the idea of hanging your bike on a wall or suspending it from the ceiling, there are other options available.

Asgard is the home of the UK’s best-selling bike storage, offering compact and space saving bike storage. These Asgard Single and Twin home bike locker have been designed with space saving in mind and are ideal for down the side of a house or flat.

"Just a quick note to say thank you and the company for such an excellent product, the ordering was simple and easy (even for me) the delivery was on time and the people who delivered it placed it where I wanted the assembly of this product was so straight forward, so please pass my thanks onto the design team / person who designed this product. I feel that my bikes are now safe and out of the elements." R. Fitzpatrick.
  

These home bike lockers offer great bike security, made from strong weatherproof steel, fitted with tough 3 point locking system and pick resistant locking mechanism, to provide your bikes with the best protection and all Asgard bike storage units come with a 10 year anti perforation warranty. 

Getting children cycling to school

In 2011 it was found that only 1% of primary school children and 2% of High School children in the UK cycle to school. This is a poor figure especially as most children’s journeys to and from school, is relatively short. 1 in 3 children however would actually like to cycle to school, but many parents are unsure and afraid.

Take to get your children cycling to school safely:

Find a safe route

One of the most important things is your child having a safe route to and from school. Try a few routes out together, to find the most suitable one. 

Get the right bike

Make sure your child has the right sized bike, which is suitable for cycling on the road. 

Take bike training

Making sure your child is road ready is important. Make sure they take part in bikeability, the national cycle training, which will give your child the right training they need to be safe on the road.

Practise makes perfect

The more time your child spends on their bike, the better and more confident they will become. Take your child out on their bike as much as you can, to make sure you are confident in their cycling abilities.

Get some friends

Encourage your child to find a buddy to cycle to and from school with. 

Involve the school

If more children are to cycle to school it is important for the school, pupils and parents to work together for a better cycling culture. Suggest that the school have an area for children to store their bikes. The more of this available, the more children can cycle to school and use the facilities provided.  Bike shelters can hold a large number of bikes and keep children’s bikes safe until the end of the day.

Take a look at a full range of school bike shelters from Asgard. 

The UK cycling Legacy has become

Many have been in doubt as to whether our cycling success at the Olympics would have an impact on cycling in the UK. More and more people have taken to riding their bikes on a regular basis and there has been a call to increase the budget for cycling infrastructure, to make cycling more accessible for all.

This cycling festival will see more than 70,000 people of varying ages and abilities to take part in four separate Ride London events on the 3^rd and 4^th of August, with around 500,000 Spectators expected to turn up and watch the event throughout the streets of London.

The main highlight of this cycling festival will be a 100 mile race from London to Surrey, which will depart from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, passing major London landmarks, heading through Richmond Park and onto Surrey.

Double gold medallist Laura Trott said "Ride London has something for everyone and I hope it encourages more people to get on their bikes and start cycling." Find out more information about this event at Prudential Ride London. 

The Tour De France is coming

The 2014 Tour De France will be departing from West Yorkshire! 

Tour Director Christian Prudomme said "After the unforgettable 2007 Tour in London the question for us was how long before we come back? With the amazing summer of cycling in Britain, we were convinced to come back sooner. As soon as possible”. 

2012 Tour De France winner Bradley Wiggins said "Yorkshire is a region of outstanding beauty, with breath-taking landscapes whose terrains offer both sprinters and attackers the opportunity to express themselves."

Yorkshire is thought of as the Cycling heartland of Britain and the UK will hold the first 3 stages of the race, with two stages taking place in Yorkshire. .

Stage 1: Leeds- Harewood- Otley- Ilkley- Skipton – Kettlewell – Aysgarth –Hawes – Reeth – Leyburn – Ripon – Harrogate.

Stage 2: York- Knaresborough- Silsden – Keighley – Haworth – Hebden Bridge – Elland -  Huddersfield – Holmfirth – Sheffield.

Stage 3: Cambridge – Epping Forest – the Olympic Park – the Mall.

Bike theft hotspots in the UK

 A new list has been complied of the top 10 worst places for bike thefts in England.

1. Central London
2. Kingston- upon- Thames
3. Cambridge   
4. Bristol 
5. York
6. Oxford
7. Richmond and Twickenham
8. Brighton
9. Portsmouth
10. Nottingham

Bike security is always important and with 440,000 bikes stolen last year, which is an increase of 10% from the previous year, there’s nothing to say that your bike won’t be next. Keeping your bike secure at home and away should be second nature, if you don’t want to lose your bike to theft.

Bike security on the streets:

·         Use a bike rack whenever possible and use two different kinds of locks to secure your bike.

·         Leave your bike in a busy and well lit area.

·         Mark your bike with your postcode on the frame. 

Bike security at home:

·         Keep your bike locked in a secure shed or garage.

·         Make sure your bike is always locked away when not in use.

·         Never leave your shed or garage door open for passers-by to see the contents.

If you don’t have storage for your bike at home, investing in a secure bike shed is one of the best ways to guarantee your bikes security when at home. Asgard is the home of the UK’s best-selling bike storage and has a range of secure bike sheds in a variety of sizes and budgets to suit all.  Made from strong weatherproof steel and fitted with features to provide the best security for your bike. 

Get rid of the car and get on a bike

If you’ve always thought about scrapping your car and using a bike to commute everywhere, but have come up with a list as long as your arm as to why can’t, stop with the excuses and just do it!  Here’s a list of reasons why you should just do it, ditch the car and get on a bike!

Save money

If you choose to get rid of your car, you will save on insurance costs, tax, petrol and costly vehicle repairs. That money can quickly mount up over the course of a year, well into the thousands of pounds.

Improve your health

Cycling everywhere will improve your overall health and lifestyle. Just like any form of exercise it will help you to lose weight, reduce your stress and improve your overall fitness. Cycling also has many other health benefits:  Regular cycling improves heart health, with just 20 miles a week reducing the risk of coronary heart disease by 20%. 

Get fit

As cycling is a form of cardiovascular exercise, it will increase your fitness levels and help you to gain strength. 

Gain pleasure from your commute

Without being trapped inside a car, you’ll have the chance to notice the scenery around you. Traffic will no longer be an issue and you won’t have to spend any more time stressed out and worrying about being late.

Save the environment

You may not be able to save the environment single handed, but you can certainly do your bit and you will feel better knowing that you are. 

New bike theft statistics

A recent survey carried out by insurer LV found that on average, a person’s bike is stolen just 23 months into ownership. If you and your beloved bike are heading towards this milestone you will want to up your bike security.

This survey found that 1 in 5 bike owners have their bikes stolen after just 6 months. Most of the people surveyed expect to keep their bikes for 10 years, but with the rate of bike thefts rising this simply isn’t the case.

A third of bike thefts still go unreported as victims feel that there is a very low chance of ever getting their bike back. 3 in 10 of those questioned said their bike was stolen from their garage or shed and a fifth reported their bike being stolen from their driveway. Fewer precautions seem to be taken when it comes to bike security at the home. If your garage or shed is easily accessible, then it won’t take much for a thief to work their way inside and if you own an expensive bike it is possible that a bike thief has spotted you and followed you home for the chance to steal your bike. Reports suggest this is a particular problem in Bristol, with gangs following cyclist’s home and returning to steal their bikes.

Bike security tips:

·         Always lock your bike and use two locks when you can – a D lock and chain together is a good way to deter a thief.
·         Buy the best lock you can afford.
·         Remove all valuable items from your bike if leaving it in a public place.
·         If your return to find your tyre has been punctured, never leave the bike overnight, walk it home.
·         If using your bike at night, lock it up in a busy and well lit area.

If you are concerned about bike security at home or live in an area that has been targeted by bike thieves, it may be worth investing in secure storage for your bike. Asgard has a range of secure bike storage units designed specifically to house your bike and cycling accessories. Asgard bike storage offers the best in bike security. These steel bike storage units are made from tough galvanised steel and are fitted with strong locking systems and pick resistant locking mechanisms, designed to keep thieves out!  Check out the full range of secure bike storage on the Asgard website.

Figures and information provided by Road.cc

Things to do on your bike

A new year can bring all sorts of new and exciting challenges. If you love cycling and are looking for some adventure, here is a list of things you should do on and with your bike ! There’s something for everyone from the aspiring pro to the lazy Sunday cyclist. How many of these do you think you could do?

Bike for charity

If you haven’t already, get on your bike for charity. There are loads of biking fund raisers out there, you’ll feel great doing something you love for a cause you care about. If you can’t find something in your local area, why not have ago at arranging something yourself!

Push the boundaries- triathlon

If you love being active, no matter what the activity, why not push yourself and sign up for a triathlon. If you are up for the challenge, make sure you leave yourself with enough time to prepare and train.

Teach someone how to cycle

Teaching someone else how to ride a bike is incredibly rewarding.

Join a cycling social group

These are a great way to meet people with similar interests to you. You’ll gain a group of people to cycling with and make some friends too!

Go on a cycling holiday

Let’s face it, the weather in the UK isn’t the best and even in the summer it is lukewarm at best. If you crave warmer climates to ride your bike in, why not try a cycling holiday this year. There are plenty of destinations well known to be great for cycling holidays such as Mallorca, Croatia, Austria and America.

Take a bike maintenance class

If you are a relatively new bike owner and aren’t sure of all the maintenance you should be carrying out on your bike, take a bike maintenance class to brush up on your knowledge and skills.

Cycle to work

If you are a weekend rider and never commute by bike or just like cycling off road. Give the bike commute a chance, you might actually like it.