On Your Bike: Get Back In The Saddle This Summer

Rex Features
It's green, it's inexpensive, it's great exercise, and it's stylish: cycling has never been so fashionable. But you haven't been on your bike since gaining your cycling proficiency badge? Not to worry. Here are some tips to get you back in the saddle.
1. Don't be fooled into thinking you have to wear Lycra
Lycra has a purpose - it's light and tight and aerodynamic. Good for shaving seconds off your record in the Tour de France. But you are not taking part in the world's most famous bike race, are you? You're going to work, or to the shops. Why dress like Lance Armstrong on your commute? Just wear something breathable that won't get caught in the chain. If you need some inspiration, check out Copenhagen Cycle Chic. While we're here, yes, you can wear heels, as long as the soles aren't too slippy and they're fastened on properly. Turning up with one bare foot is never a good look.  
2. Take a cycling lesson
If you feel nervous getting on your bike for the first time in years, get some cycle training. This is not an expensive or shameful endeavour, and you won't be in a primary school playground weaving around cones again. These days, cycle training is mostly road-based, and it is a brilliant way to gain confidence in the saddle. Some local authorities offer training for free. Find your nearest cycling instructor through the CTC.
3. Get the right bike for you
If you have a bike you don't like or doesn't fit you, you won't ride it. Take some time to really figure out what you want from a machine before you go bike shopping. Where do you want to ride it? (Up hills? Along a gravely towpath?) Where are you going to store it? How much do you want to spend? To get a decent new bike, you will need to spend at least £300, so if money is tight, buy secondhand. Around £100 will buy you a decent used bike. Rope in a bike-knowledgeable friend to help you choose.
4. Get a good lock
Ideally two, especially if you live in a big city. Any lock under £40 is a waste of time and can be cut by a thief in seconds. When you lock your bike, lock the frame and both wheels to something secure.
5. Don't flash at the lights
Remember what I said about not wearing Lycra? Well, there is one exception tot hat rule: slipping on a pair cycling shorts under a summer dress is a marvellous way to disappoint anyone hoping to look up your skirt at the traffic lights. Proper cycling shorts also come in with built-in padding to stop your bottom getting sore or chafed. Just don't wear them on their own unless you really do want your bum to look the size of a space hopper. I like Craft's bike boxers.
Bicycle by Helen Pidd (Penguin, £14.99) is out now.