At FLIT, we believe that cycling (especially on an ebike!) is the best way of getting to work! We may be biased, but there’s no doubt that cycling is better for your health, better for the environment, and can reduce your commute time in comparison to commuting by car.
It’s #CycleToWorkDay today, so to celebrate we’re sharing some of the benefits of commuting to work by bike, and some of the great initiatives out there to help you make the switch to cycling (see below for how you can save up to 43% on your new bike + accessories through the UK Cycle to Work scheme!).
Cycling to work is great for your health: both physically and mentally
Improve your fitness
Cycling is a great way to improve your fitness en route to work – especially if you don’t have time to fit the gym in around your busy lifestyle! What’s great about cycling is that it’s low impact, but it uses lots of different muscle groups – meaning that it’s easy on your joints, but still gives you a good workout.
There is a common misconception that ebikes are for “lazy people” – however a recent study has shown that you are still getting all of the health benefits with an ebike. Although ebike riders do less exercise per mile, they often ride more frequently and cover longer distances per trip. Best of all, an ebike allows you to cycle in your normal work clothes, without having to worry about getting sweaty!
Not only can cycling to work improve your fitness, it can also help reduce your risk of getting chronic diseases. A recent study from the British Medical Journal tracked over 250,000 commuters in the UK over five years, finding that those that cycled to work had a 45% less chance of getting cancer and 46% less chance of developing heart disease.
“So excited to finally ride my Flit bike. It’s awesome, going to completely change how I commute. Short trips that I would have taken in the car will be resigned to the history books. The bike feels great and is an amazing bit of kit.”
– FLIT Rider
Improve your mental wellbeing
It’s a well known fact that exercise releases “happy hormones” called endorphins – cycling releases these too! Riding your bike to work each morning helps kickstart your day, making you feel great (it can even help you to be more productive at work!).
Cycling is also a great stress reliever, can help to reduce anxiety, and can help you sleep better – so it’s great all round for your mental wellbeing!
Cycling to work is better for the planet
Did you know that bikes emit 90% less carbon than cars per kilometre travelled? By using your pedal power, instead of fuel power, to get to work you can make a big difference to your carbon footprint. Ebikes, like our folding ebike the FLIT-16, have a motor that boosts your pedal power so that you can travel longer distances and tackle hilly terrain with ease. A recent study showed that ebikes emit very similar amounts of carbon to ordinary bikes, so there is no shame in going electric.
Cycling to work saves you time
Fact: London drivers spend on average 6 days stuck in traffic each year, when two thirds of these trips could be cycled in under 20 minutes!
Cycling is one of the quickest and most convenient ways to get around the city, allowing you to beat traffic and avoid wasting time.
“An excellent aid to my commute”
– FLIT rider
Cycling to work saves you money
As fuel prices are at an all time high, there’s never been a better time to switch to cycling.
Bikes are cheaper to maintain, and are cheaper to insure, so you’ll not only be saving on fuel costs!
Cyclescheme, a major Cycle to Work scheme provider (and one of our Cycle to Work partners – more info on that below) ran a study to investigate the cost of running a bike vs a car. They found that cars costs on average £3,727 per year; whereas a bike costs just £396.
Want to see how much money you can save by cycling to work, rather than driving? Check out this awesome calculator.
Save even more money through the Cycle to Work scheme
Did you know that you can save up to 43% on your bike and cycling accessories through Cycle to Work?
The Cycle to Work scheme is a great UK government initiative to help get more people commuting by bike. It’s a salary sacrifice scheme, whereby you pay for your bike in monthly instalments pre-tax (which is where the savings come in!).
Even more great news is that you can now purchase bikes worth over £1,000 through the scheme (which most quality ebikes are), so ebikes, including the FLIT-16, are eligible.
For full information about the Cycle to Work scheme and how to get involved, check our website here.
“A brilliant product with fantastic customer service. My fold-up e-bike is not only practical- I can commute on the train with it, but also really stylish- PERFECT! 5 stars!”
– FLIT rider
We hope this blog post has inspired you!
Interested in making the switch to cycling? Shop the FLIT-16 folding ebike today.
Happy riding!
