Q: What would make you cycle?

Everyone has an energy story – this is a 2021 Islington Faces project which will see locals asked what puzzles them about trying to change our carbon hungry habits & find and share solutions from people who live locally.

Everyone has an energy story #1.

For our first Energy Story we’ve borrowed this interview which uses FAQ to answer Merium Bhuiyan’s cycle concerns. It was originally published on Finsbury Park Neighbourhood (August 2020) with some answers from Adam Hardy & Islington Faces’ Nicola.  Each Energy Story interview is triggered by the questions local people ask Islington Faces about cutting carbon/tackling climate change.

Most of us know that riding a bike is supposed to be great for fitness, gets you around quickly and is non-polluting. So this question is from the many women who want to know, “Is it safe to ride a bike?” If you find this interview useful please do share – in fact how about sharing it with at least one or two people you know who might find it useful, especially in Islington. Please do send in any questions you have about cutting carbon – in particular for getting around, staying warm/cool and growing food via islingtonfaces@gmail.com  Interview by Nicola Baird

Introducing Merium Bhuiyan
“I feel safer and protected in a car. My car is my office, my bag carrier, my wings,” says Merium, who works in education, and bought a new car before lockdown began. But once a parking spot has been found she’s still up for a stroll around Finsbury Park to think about what might encourage her – or friends – to park up and cycle or walk more for fitness, fun and to avoid traffic jams. We go from the tube to the mosque, then on to the Post Office, up Stroud Green Road, zigzag over Fonthill Road and through the Pools Park estate, past the Sobell Centre and then back to our starting point via Seven Sisters Road. Neither of us need to stop at the shops [which during August 2020 were open!] so we can chat the whole way. Merium isn’t scared of anything and often walks around the area, but she has quite a few worries about getting on a bike locally. Here are some of her concerns – chances are they might strike a chord, which is why some suggested solutions are also provided.

Q: What would I wear to cycle?
Merium: “As a Muslim woman wearing a headscarf I feel very vulnerable. Is it comfy fitting a helmet over my hijab? Is my clothing OK for a bike?”

• Khadijah Zaidi from Cycle Sisters (which helps get women cycling) has written some fantastic pieces about cycling in Islamic dress on her website www.cycleandjam.com – see how to fit a helmet over a hijab,  how to stop long, flowing clothing (eg, a jilbab) getting caught up in the chain  and cycling in Islamic clothing
• If you aren’t doing competitive cycling, then any clothes will be fine. You don’t have to wear full lycra popping out to Morrisons supermarket or Common Ground cafe. You can buy skirt guards to stop clothes getting caught in a bike chain. Some people prefer to wear leggings (either separately or under a dress), or more old-fashionedly, tuck their right trouser leg into their sock. A cycle clip also stops oil from the chain getting on to leg wear.
• Cyclecraft by John Franklin is a book which bills itself as “the complete guide to safe cycling for adults and children” Amazon link is here.

Q: But London doesn’t feel like a cycle-friendly culture like Denmark or Amsterdam.
Merium:  “The air is unclean and cars are so dirty.”

• Things are changing! Over the next year Islington will see the end of rat runs and speeding cars as low traffic neighbourhoods are trialled. The Government is also promoting cycling in a bid to make us healthier, keep public transport from being too crowded to avoid Covid-19 outbreaks and meet climate emergency targets.
• You get more pollution inside a vehicle than outside. If your usual walking or cycle route feels very polluted, then try using quieter roads. The spread of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods in Islington makes the whole borough much easier to cycle in, here are some maps to use provided by Cycle Islington.
• We all think Dutch cycle culture is just normal, but the Netherlands didn’t used to be cycle friendly. In 1971 a combination of oil price shocks, new interest in car-free housing and a massive number of road deaths  – in 1971 deaths by motor vehicles reached record levels, with a shocking 3,300 people dead (of which 500 were children) – led to policies that made cycling and walking something Dutch people really wanted. More detail here.

Q: The weather isn’t good enough
Merium:  “How do you cycle in the rain or if it’s windy? I don’t want to be blown off and I don’t want my make-up spoilt.” This is a good question from Merium as she runs a make up business, see her website www.cakeface-makeup.com, insta @cakeface-makeup or official facebook page Cakeface

• This is tricky – cycling in Britain is most comfortable if you wear layers. Ideally have a breathable-waterproof jacket and a waterproof pannier bag or basket where you can store it.
• Make-up spoils if you sweat so adjust your journey speed, or arrive in good time and apply at the place you want to look presentable. A baseball hat worn under a helmet can keep rain off glasses and make-up. Or just use a peaked cycle helmet, that way you don’t need to remember (or fit) an extra cap.
• You don’t have to cycle everyday: keep an eye on the clouds or your favourite weather app and use your bike on good days.
• And if you do make it out, the Strava app is a great way to see how far you’ve cycled.

Bikes are expensive
Merium:  “I’d want a good bike. How much do I need to pay?”

• Employers on the Government’s Cycle To Work Scheme, Bike2Work can offer discounts up to 42% in 2,200+ stores. See https://www.bike2workscheme.co.uk
• Halfords has a good selection of reasonably priced bikes for adults.
• You’ll probably get a discount if you are a member of London Cycling Campaign (rates for individuals, households and concessions – annual membership gives you discounts on bike repairs at participating shops; a magazine; liability insurance – super useful – discounted theft insurance and a free legal helpline.
• You can buy secondhand bikes. Don’t forget ebay.
• Find a biking buddy who knows their stuff and ask if they can help you. Sometimes cycle shops are a bit too keen to sell a particular brand. Overall a good quality secondhand bike is probably best.
• You don’t have to buy a bike – you can borrow from a friend (eg, if they’ve gone on holiday, or no longer use their bike or just ask if you can use it for a one-off day out). You can also rent from Santander or the dockless bikes. Messing about with friends on one bike in a park for an hour is cheap and can be a lot of fun. This is the link to find bike hire in Islington for pedal and electric bikes.
• Bikes don’t lose their value like new cars. Looked after and given some basic servicing they can last for years. You might be able to pass the bike you buy now to use for the next few decades to your grandchildren – and it will work just as well.
• The Bike Project provides bikes to refugees. https://thebikeproject.co.uk

The roads are dangerous
Merium:  “Cars go really fast. We’ve just walked down an N4 cycle route but it’s not safe here for kids to learn, even by the garages and estate doorways.”

• Roads aren’t dangerous but drivers can be.
• All Islington roads have a 20mph speed limit except the main routes operated by Transport for London (eg, Holloway Road).
• All drivers can help by sticking within the speed limit.
• This map shows you cycle friendly routes around London, https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/cycle
• Park paths are often quite busy with people so may need a lot of skill. Instead you could try cycling in a park on the grass when you are re-acquainting yourself with a bike. Or use a quiet car park (eg, Sobell Centre; Waitrose off Holloway Road) or challenge yourself to cycle around the Emirates Stadium.
• Since this interview was first published, low traffic neighbourhoods are being trialled in Bunhill, Canonbury and Highbury. There are also new protected cycle lanes on Liverpool Road (a good way to get to Sainsbury’s and the shops/markets at Angel) and along Green Lanes near Clissold Park. There has never been a better time to have a go on a bike…
• A lovely mostly off-road cycle adventure is to follow the path by the River Lea from Springhill Park along to the Olympic Park.

Cycling is dangerous
Merium:  “I’ve heard horror stories about using bikes that don’t fit.”

• Cycling is called active travel because it can be part of your fitness routine. Pedal and electric bikes are both forms of active travel and are a way to stay healthy – not moving around risks long-term conditions including heart attacks and diabetes.
• In Islington Bikeability offers adults free lessons and give guidance about how to set your seat at the right height. They also offer courses for children and DrBike repair skills.
• Islington Cycle (a local campaign group affiliated to London Cycling Campaign) can help team you with a cycle buddy (after lockdown) which puts new riders in touch with experienced riders so that you can be introduced to safe routes you might regularly use, eg, from home to a workspace/sports ground/library etc. Islington Cycle also meets up each month on line.
• If you can’t ride a bike, or worry that you are wobbly, you could use an adult-sized tricycle instead. It’s a very cool machine and easier to carry your shopping or any bags on.

Q: Where can I keep my bike?
Merium:  “Big families in small spaces can’t store bikes.”

• Buy two expensive locks – one D-lock and one cable lock – so you can then secure your bike outside.
• You can rent a bike space in a secure residential bike hanger for an annual fee. Unfortunately, in Islington these are quite expensive compared to car parking. They cost £104 a year to rent and there’s a refundable key deposit of £25. Bike hangers fit six bikes. More info about how to apply for a space is here.
• This doesn’t really solve the problem but Finsbury Park, 12 Stroud Green Road has a secure area for bike commuters. It costs just £5 a year to use it but you will need to join a waiting list, see here.
• If your walls are robust enough – and the homeowner agrees – then bike storage hooks attached to the wall or ceiling can be a good space saver. You will need to be strong enough to lift up the bike too though.
• Lightweight bikes are often more expensive but they can be stored on hooks more easily.
• There are some ideas about where and how to store your bike in this article from Cycling magazine
• Here are a variety of bike sheds for the front garden ranging in price, material and aesthetics on sale at Screwfix, see here.
• A fold-up bike can solve space issues, but they are more expensive.
• If you’ve got nowhere to store a bike then it makes sense to rent from Santander or use the dockless bikes.

Q: Will I remember how to ride a bike?
Merium: “I learned as a child. I stopped when I fell off going down the hill near Ashmount School. The last time I rode a bike was along the beach in Alexandria in an abeya.”

• Adult cycling courses are great for teaching new cyclists about road positioning. You need to avoid cycling too close to parked cars in case someone opens a door and knocks you off.
• How about trying to get your cycling mojo back with a ride in a park on grass? You could use a Santander rental bike in Hyde Park.

Q: Can everyone ride a bike?

• Probably!
• Pedal Power is a cycling club for all ages with learning disabilities. It meets in Finsbury Park and has special kit.
• Ideally learn to ride a bike as a child. Does your child’s school or after school provider have pedal-less bikes (balance bikes) or bikes?
• Wheely Tots runs balance bike fun sessions for toddlers in nearby North Hackney and Haringey, so maybe you and the kids could join one?
• Wheely Tots also offers bike discounts and hires and can be booked for street parties, see its kit library.

Join the #energystory interviews
Do you have any questions about cycling or bikes that you’d like answered? Or what about other questions that you are finding as you think about how to decarbonise your life or tackle climate change, eg, about travel, food, energy use? Send us a message  via islingtonfaces@gmail.com