New Year’s cycling resolutions
By Alison Hill
As we say goodbye to 2021 – a challenging year for so many – and welcome in 2022 we asked our members what their cycling resolutions are for this year. We got some wonderful responses:
More family cycling
“I want to do a family cycle ride at least once a month.”
“I’m hoping to get my 2½ year old cycling the mile to nursery without stabilisers before Easter (she can cycle a few hundred metres at the moment).”
“To have many more adventures as a family.”
“Help to teach my granddaughter to ride a bike. To start her off I got a fabulous balance bike for her courtesy of Freegle.”
Cycling more often and more safely
“I want to ‘pimp’ our box bike with wired-in dancing rainbow LEDs and a proper headlight before the winter ends (defying a driver not to notice that).”
“I will no longer be intimidated by drivers over the Thames Bridge at Osney and will start to use my share of the road again.”
“Get out and about on some group leisure bike rides. I have lost my level of pre-pandemic fitness, muscle tone and stamina and will need to build this up again gradually. There’s nothing like a day of bike riding for lifting the spirits, even on a day when the weather is grey and dismal.”
“Treat myself annually to bike services by the local bike shop. A great time-saver for me (more time for cycling) and a way to support a local business which offers a sterling, skilled service.”
“My aim is to work on my flexibility so I can mount my bike from either side.”
Cycling for everyday journeys
“We won’t drive to any shop in Oxford which we can reasonably cycle to.”
“Use my bike for weekly shops with the aid of better panniers. Cycle to work whenever possible.”
“After having spent 6 months abroad where I cycled to work every day, I am thinking about artificially creating a cycle commute. I live much closer to work here in Oxford, plus I work from home due to Covid, but the daily cycle was great for my (mental) health and I miss it.”
“Cycle to/from work rather than take public transport every day I’m in the office, no matter the weather.”
More people cycling
“Helping Cyclox to get more people to enjoy cycling in Oxford.”
“Being a bike buddy!”
“My resolution (also for JoyRiders) is to advocate for more community-based cycle training for beginners. I helped with some sessions for adult beginners in Rose Hill late last year and it was amazing to see how determined the riders were to learn. It makes you realise riding a bike is something you take for granted, but many people don’t learn as a child – it’s something they’ve always wanted to do but never had the opportunity.”
“Getting more people to experience the benefits and pleasure of riding an e-bike.”
“Restart the Windmill school bike bus.”
Epic cycle journeys
“I have not been cycling very much since the first lock-down, and consequently I have put on weight, so I have set myself the challenge to cycle some of Ireland’s West Coast Wild Atlantic Way.”
“I want to cycle the Cornish West Kernow Way.”
“We’re going to cycle Land’s End to John O’Groats.”
Cargo bike delivery
Local couriers Pedal & Post shared their resolution with us too:
“Our challenge is to double our fleet into 2022. We aim to replace 50% of vans in Oxford; let’s see how much CO2 we can save to clean up our air and how many we can inspire to use cargo bikes.”
Happy New Year and happy cycling!