What is your current family bike setup?
We each have our own bike, including our 3 daughters. They are regular, cheap, Decathlon bikes, because I’ve had too many being stolen over the years…
We also have a very old tandem — see picture — which we got as a wedding gift! We use it for short trips, but it has no gear, bad brakes and uncomfortable saddles, so it’s a treat for special occasions.
How does cycling fit into your life?
I commute from Reading to London nearly every day, so I cycle from home to the station, take the train, and then cycle in London as well, using the TfL rental bikes. Each bike ride is 15 min, so I pedal one hour every working day. It keeps me fit, and on time 🙂
I also cycle for groceries, running errands, etc. As a family, we decided to ditch our car 3 years ago, because we were not using it much. Cycling is our primary mode of transport. But I don’t use it for sport, and never wear Lycra!
Why did you get involved in Kidical Mass?
Several years ago, I had finally managed to convince the whole family to use their bike every day, to go to secondary school or to work, and was very proud of that. A few months later, they all had given up and went back to walking, after various incidents, or just because it’s not convenient to cycle. I realised that not everyone is as confident as I am on a bike, and that we need to empower casual cyclists too.
I also see that transport is changing a lot in most European cities, with the introduction of bike lanes, rental bikes, electric scooters, etc. The UK has a very strong car culture and is late on this.
Overall, Kidical Mass is about promoting transportation methods which are small, silent, non-polluting and non-deadly!
What is your role in Kidical Mass?
I take care of our website, and I am a regular marshal. I’m also the treasurer, but there is not much happening there at the moment 🙂