When was the last time you got out on two wheels? If it was a while ago, June is the perfect month to get back in the saddle – the weather is a bit drier, and National bike week 2017 (10th to 18th June) has events around the country.

Cycling is a brilliant way to get around for short journeys and commuting to work. A report by Sustrans (sustrans.org.uk) shows that in the UK, three out of five short journeys (under 5 miles) are made by car. If this was reduced to one in five, carbon emissions would be reduced by 7.7 million tonnes. And making those short journeys by bike really adds up to measurable improvements in health, and finances – every driver would save around £280 a year if they reduced that three in five to one in five short journeys by car.

Buy a second-hand bike from as little as £30
So, if you haven’t got a bike but would like to try cycling again, what are your options? Well, you could buy a second-hand bike from as little as £30 from a bike refurbishment project such as Reclaim Cycles in Cheltenham (vision21.org.uk) or Gloucestershire Bike Project in central Gloucester (gloucestershirebikeproject.co.uk).

Borrow a bike for free
Or, you could try borrowing a bike for free – Think Travel (thinktravel.info/bike-loan-scheme) will lend you a bike and accessories for free for eight weeks so you can try cycling first. It’s a great way to get back in, and figure out what you’ll need. If you want to go for new, many employers are signed up to the Cycle To Work scheme – you could buy a new commuting bike and accessories tax-free and spread the cost over a year or more, saving you around 30%.

And, if you have a bike languishing in a shed or garage, why not wipe it down and get it back on the road? You can get a cheap maintenance service at the projects mentioned above, or you could learn the skills to keep your bike roadworthy yourself. There are lots of bike maintenance courses around – many bike shops offer paid-for courses, or try the Gloucestershire Bike Project, or the Regeneration Repair Cafe in Cheltenham on the first Saturday of every month (vision21.org.uk).

13 to 24-year-olds in Stroud could check out the Access Bike Project (cscic.org) for an open bike workshop as well as second-hand bike sales. If you feel a little unconfident cycling on fast roads at first, there is a brilliant series of cycle maps for Tewkesbury, Cheltenham and Cirencester, which grades roads according to how busy they are, and shows bike parking. Download a copy from cyclecheltenham.org.uk or pick up a copy from a Tourist Information Centre.

Use your knowledge to support new cyclists
If you’re reading this and thinking “I already do all this” – great! Have you thought about using your knowledge to support new cyclists? You could volunteer at the organisations mentioned above to teach workshops or refurbish bikes, lobby for better cycling facilities at work, or join a group campaigning for better provision for cyclists. Or if you have an old bike you won’t use, donate it!