This week is Transport for Ireland National Bike Week so as someone who only got back to cycling at the age of 40, I have decided to share some of the why and how of my current commuting habits to help people understand, and maybe to help others make the change in their lives. Today I am going to focus on some of the reasons I got back on my bike at 40.

Firstly (for me) it’s the environment. The biggest challenge of our time is that we are coming to a point in human history where the massive increase in standard of living that the worlds population has seen over the past 200 years is now starting to spill over into damage to the environment which will threaten that standard. Much of this has been through the consumption of fossil fuels (including through transport) which has pushed the level of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere up to such a level that the climate is becoming more unpredictable. The concept of using bicycles instead of cars wherever possible is my version of Schumaker’s intermediate technology concept and is a way that we can reduce carbon footprint without reducing quality of life.

The second reason is quality of life itself. If you are on your bicycle you can get out of the rat-race of congested traffic, worrying about whether roadworks, road closures or accidents are going to slow you down and make you late. I also have roughly €10 or €20,000 per year in my pocket that I am not spending on tax, insurance, fuel, service and depreciation that having a second car in our household would cost. I find plenty of ways to spend that money, of course, but at least I have that choice.

Patriotism is my next reason. Cars are not manufactured in Ireland and we have no sources of fuel, other than renewable energy, so every penny spent on motoring is going to the coffers of Swabian housewives (German cars) or Russian Oligarchs (fuel). Even the rare earth metals and other components in electric cars are making someone else outside Ireland rich. My bike, which I will tell you about later in the week was built in Blanchardstown! Also, I’m not doing what the marketers and capitalists like Musk and Trump want me to do if I’m not buying their stuff! A bike, once looked after, holds its value, and I don’t think anyone thinks about upgrading their bike every 2 years like some car owners do.

Dublin has terrible problems with congestion, as the number of cars on our roads has doubled over the past number of years. There is no space for all of these extra cars, so when you see me on my bicycle, you should be thanking me that it’s an extra 5 square metres of road left for those who need it, and that you are probably getting to the next traffic light one person quicker. I know that the time it takes to cycle between any 2 places is rarely affected by traffic conditions.

My fifth reason for now is that cycling puts a smile on my face. Once you have the rain gear for the inevitable rain (and it’s less rain than Copenhagen and much less than you think) cycling is a very pleasant way to get around, even when you are a little bit tired after a days work. Being out in the fresh air and exercising the limbs does wonders for a body. There is some evidence that people who cycle to work need less sick days. Reasons 1-4 also give plenty of reasons to smile on the inside or the outside.

You also see the world around you when you are on a bike. If you are driving a few tonnes of steel around the city, particularly when you are in a hurry, you don’t see what’s going on, and the only eye contact you make with people is when you are trying to judge if they are going to drive or walk in front of you. On a bike you can have conversations at traffic lights, or with neighbours. In fact that is one thing that can make my journey time unpredictable!

there are many other great reasons to cycle, some of which I can’t think of now, which you are welcome to add in the comments below Tomorrow, I am going to share my journey back to cycling, with some advice on that. You can also find some of my previous bicycle related posts here, or by clicking the Cycling tag at the bottom of this page.