Cycling: Good for the body, bad for the nervous system

The good old government cycle to work scheme bestowed a bike upon me about 18 months ago. At first it sat there gathering dust, as the thought of venturing off the pavements into the roar and dirt of the traffic was nothing short of terrifying (i'm a complete wimp btw).
Add to this the emotional blackmail i received from my mother - something like this: I cycle = I might die = I'd ruin mum's life - and is it any wonder that i stuck to the safety of the bendy bus.

However a change was brought about by a bike service which turned my slowmo sloth into a super-charged speed demon, and the addition of a natty little basket, which is just plain handy. So now i actually quite enjoy a bit of pure fear to kick start my body and mind in the morning. Yes i'm still scared by the bits of my journey when i have to make a right turn (as, in a Zoolander-esque way, i can only signal left convincingly) or leave the relative safety of the cycle lane, but i feel that if it doesn't kill me (fingers crossed mum) it will only make me stronger. Also the recent introduction of Boris' super-bikes makes me happy as they are the only chaps i can actually overtake as i have more gears than them... Boom!


So i'd certainly say give it a go. You won't win any prizes for cool with your helmet, fluro vest and gloves (a must for avoiding callouses!) but you'll start your day energised and just pleased to be alive.

Now for the journey home...