Life Cycle Bike Shop

Lifes A Bike Ride It

LCBS Editor

Bike Copenhagen Cycling In Copenhagen

A Guide To Cycling In Copenhagen

LCBS Editor 0Comments

Copenhagen is a city where the people life on their bicycles. Cycling is the primary method of transportation in the city with people using bikes to get to work, take their children to school and go shopping. Cycling is such a large part of life in the Danish capital that only 29% of households living there own a car. Statistics show that there are actually more bikes in the city than there are people.

The World’s First Bike City

Cycling-in-Copenhagen

Copenhagen is focused on getting people to use bicycles when traveling around the city. The green transport routes around the city have been made for cyclists and will take you through all of the green spaces in the city. The cycle tracks and traffic lights have been coordinated to favor cyclists during rush hour and vehicles will often sit in traffic while cyclists sweep through the city.

The city also hosts a cycle super highway which leads cyclists in and out of the city. The super highway reaches up to 15 kilometers outside of the city limits. The city has over 350 kilometers of cycle paths and lanes which make it very easy for cycles to get around. The lanes are also raised from the road which makes them very safe to use.

1193-04-1024x560

The sustainability experts at Treehugger have named Copenhagen the best cycle city for 2 years running. This is due to the wide lanes the city offers and the abundance of cycle routes. It is not only the city that has great cycle route, but many of the attractions to the north and south of the city can be reached using a bicycle.

Cycling As A Tourist

cykler_kasper_thyge

If you are going to be visiting Copenhagen then you do not have to worry about taking a bicycle with you. Many of the hotels in the city will provide their guests with bicycles so that they can travel around and view what the city has to offer. If you are not going to be staying in one of these hotels then you will have other options.

There are a number of bicycle rental stores around the city where you can hire a bicycle. The rentals will vary in price from 75kr for the day to 350kr for the week. However, if you are looking for a cheaper alternative then you could also borrow on do the city bikes. These bikes will cost 25kr for an hour and will have a built in GPS which is very useful for any visitors. The bikes can be found across the city and rented from the city stands.

Moscow_09-13_img19_rental_bikes

The city bike program was first introduced in 1995 with the first generation of bicycles being retired and replaced over the years. In 2013 the city bikes changed and were replaced with a new generation of electric bikes which makes traveling around the capital even easier. There are 1800 bikes available for rental in the city bike program so you should never have trouble finding one.

Bicycles On Public Transport

Bicycles are not the only form of transport in Copenhagen as they also have the S-train. If you are going to be taking the S-train then you can take your bike onto the train with you. However, if you are going to be taking one of the regional trains in Denmark then you will need to buy a bike ticket. The cost of this ticket will vary depending on your destination and you will need to find out more at the train station.

180_train

Cycling in Copenhagen is a way of life with at least a third of commuters using their bike to get to work. If you are visiting the city you can easily hire a bike from a rental store or from the city bike program.

Cape Town Ride The Moonlight Mass The Moonlight Mass Cape Town

Preparing For The Moonlight Mass Cape Town Ride

LCBS Editor 0Comments

If you’re someone that is into cycling and you live in or want to visit Cape Town, you have options. Moonlight Mass Cape Town is something that started as a social media experiment, and now it’s one of the more popular rides in this area!

Moonlight

A ride like this is one where you’re with people and you will get to explore a little with them. It’s more of a social thing than it is a race. A casual night ride is what it’s all about, and it can be a nice way to chill if you’re visiting or if you live in the area. You need to look on their website to find out more in case anything has changed. But, for the most part, it’s a pretty straightforward ride where you start in one place and go to another during a full moon once a month.

Even though this is a casual ride, you don’t want to bring something that is too tiring to ride. There are some really small bikes that are hard to use for something like traveling. Ask around and see what others use in the area, and you may also be able to rent something if what you have won’t work. If all else fails, find a bike you can buy. Maybe you can find one locally so that you can have one to use during every ride you go on like this one!

We-made-it-to-the-finish-now-lets-go-for-a-drink-2000x1125

Figure out where the parking area is because you may not want to ride a bike all the way here and then all the way back to where you were. There’s a lot that holds people and you can also park near the end goal if you don’t want to have to go all the way back. It’s up to you, and you may find an option that works better for you if you look around. Just know that you don’t have to spend time biking there if you don’t want to and have a vehicle to use.

Why would you want to try to ride a bike around if you’re not competing? Well, some people like to just go out on a beautiful night and have a relaxing ride. When you have others with you, it’s a very nice way to connect without having to talk. You’ll all be enjoying the ride and you may make some friends when all is said and done. This can also be a good way to be a little more active. It shouldn’t be all you do each month, but it can give you exercise for the days it’s scheduled for.

Do you want to bring something with you so you have a drink. You may also want to bring other things with you, so make sure you have a pack that’s not too heavy. If you’re going to bring your vehicle, you can store items in there as long as you make sure you can lock them up. You can also leave things behind and only bring a drink or whatever is absolutely necessary. Just make sure it all doesn’t interfere with your ability to ride your bike since that can make the trip quite the disaster a lot of the time.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Rides will take some energy to get through. While this is a more casual and not a big workout, you should be fine in most cases. But, if you just had surgery or have another reason why you shouldn’t be active, make sure that’s out of the way before you join. If you can get a doctor’s okay if there is something you’re not sure about, that may make you feel better about going on this trip. The people that you’ll be riding with are helpful and if anything goes wrong you’ll be sure to get someone over to help out quickly.

Moonlight Mass Cape Town rides are something that anyone can enjoy. Just make sure you have the right equipment and that you know when it will happen. There are going to be others there so be sure you ask someone if you’re not sure about what the times are and where you’ll be going.

Cycle Lane Woodstock Cape Town Woodstock Cape Town Cycle Lane

General Considerations On The Woodstock Cape Town Cycle Lane

LCBS Editor 0Comments

Cape Town is a cyclist-friendly city. There are countless cycle lanes and bike friendly venues, so cyclists can commute to and from work without any problems. Nonetheless, there are some challenges that need careful thinking and firm actions, as you are going to see in a moment.

Cape-Town-City-Cycle-Tours-1231

Unfortunately, cycling lanes are sometimes used as kerbside parking by vehicle drivers who don’t care about the community they live in. Motorists are also hogging these lanes, leaving very little space for cyclists to use. Experienced cyclists may be find with that, but beginners are surely challenged whenever they encounter such obstacles on these lanes that were supposed to be used solely for cycling.

 

A few years ago, the Woodstock Cape Town cycle lane, as well as many others, have been painted in green. This initiative was intended to make the streets safer for the riders. Nonetheless, speeding taxi drivers took over these lanes, turning them into dangerous routes. Moreover, deliver vans appeared to find these green lanes to be the perfect spot to park for quick deliveries. This is how the skid resistant surface meant to offer cyclists increased safety turned out to be a paradise for all drivers who needed to go a bit faster than everybody else or for those who wanted to park their cars for a little. Although clearly marked, all these lanes were overrun by car drivers and motorists, thus becoming a real hazard for riders.

Cape Town has spent R300 million on non-motorised transport projects, including the cycle lanes which have been painted green with skid-resistant paint. Picture: Thomas Holder/Independent Media.As the Woodstock Cape Town cycle lane can contribute to improving the traffic flow inside the city, it surely deserves a better fate than becoming the fast lane of crazy drivers who can’t waste their time on the road like everyone else. Bicycle riders could report all such incidents and misbehavior, thus helping the police do a better job at finding these drivers and penalizing them. This cycling route deserves to become safer, but this is a hard to reach objective, as the officials are overwhelmed with many other problems that need to be addressed in order to maintain the safety of this city.

Luckily, Cape Town has a fairly large sport cycling scene. In addition, the growing number of biking commuters can contribute to the improvement of the actual situation. The hipster suburb of Woodstock is home to one of the largest cycling enthusiasts communities in the city. These people love their vintage bikes, with their refurbished frames and their classy looks. There’s even a cool workplace and coffee spot where these riders love to hang around. This place is Woodstock Cycle Works, and it is decorated with vintage bike frames and other similar elements. This is the favorite spot of bike lovers. Many of the m gather here for a coffee ride to start their weekend on the right foot.

IMG_9407

Woodstock Cycle Works is one one example, but the list could go on, as many other coffee shop and restaurant owners have decided to turn their places into biker-friendly spots. Under these circumstances, the need for safety and for protected bike lanes in more than obvious. Slowly but surely, such initiatives can turn Cape Town into a paradise of cycling commuters. This may entice some drivers to give up their cars and ride their bikes to and from work. It’s enough to think about the fact that back in the 1970s, Amsterdam was a city dominated by cars, to see the potential of Cape Town and of other similar cities. The only requirement for this to happen is to secure the safety of cyclists.

The new cycles lanes are welcome by local communities, as cycling is an inexpensive way of commuting. The design of new cycle lanes such as the ones running from Liesbeeck Parkway to Station Road, Woodstock, is meant to promote safety in traffic for cyclists, as well as a pleasurable ride. This trend is fascinating, as it can be the most effective solution to the global warming problem all countries of this planet have in common. The sooner we understand we have to put an end to this heavy pollution by adopting environment-friendly initiatives, the more chances we have to offer our children a beautiful planet to live on.

Bike Cycling Safety Riding A Bike

Urban Commuter Cycling Safety

LCBS Editor 0Comments

Cycling Is One of The Best Ways To Get Around

Vancouver-Cycle-City-Tours-Rolls-into-Gastown

Riding a bicycle is one of the best ways to get around town. We know that it is very efficient, that it costs very little money and it can help you get in shape. It is no wonder that more and more people are deciding to ride a bicycle to commute on a daily basis. You see more and more people in urban environments choosing to ride a bicycle than to use cars or even take public transportation. You might be one of these people who have decided to cycle instead of taking a car or public transportation. You might be aware of all the things that come with making this decision but we’ll talk about it anyway.
It Can Be Dangerous

New-York-City-bike-lanes-Wikimedia

The first thing that you have to realize is that cycling can be very dangerous. It is true, many motorists do not pay attention to people on bicycles. Bicycles can easily fit into the background and that makes them easy to hit. When you ride your bicycle as your main form of transportation you should be aware of all drivers at all times. You should also make sure that you are very visible to them. You should give cars the right of way as often as you can because this can prevent injury. Every year hundreds of bicyclists are killed each year on the roads. Please do not be one of them.
Ways To Make It Safer

0323_bicyclists_01

There are many ways to make riding a bicycle safer in an urban environment. The first way that you can make cycling a lot safer is by making yourself as visible as possible. That could include wearing reflective clothing, having reflectors on your bicycle, having reflective lights on the frame of your bicycle, having brake lights and headlights on your bicycle. You also have to learn how to make proper decisions that can keep you out of harm’s way. That means not riding aggressively, being patient, knowing that cars can not accurately guess the speed that a bicycle is going.
Way To Make It Comfortable

aa

You will stay committed to riding your bicycle every day as your primary way of commuting if it is as comfortable as possible. This starts with having the proper seat for riding in an urban environment. You need to see that it’s very comfortable, that is has a gel cushion, that the seat has suspension, that it has springs. You can also purchase a spring-loaded seats stem that will take the load off of your seat. You can also invest in front shocks that can take some of the impact for riding around town. You also need Creature Comforts such as fans, body heaters and things that can make riding in the elements a lot more comfortable. You should also have a safety bag that has a poncho and other weather equipment that can protect you.
Putting It All Together

Make sure that you have all the right equipment, that you take the right precautions and that you figure out what you need to be comfortable when riding in an urban environment.

Bike Cape Town Bicycle Tour Riding A Bike

Cape Town Bicycle Tour: See The City

LCBS Editor 0Comments

A Great Way To See The City

There are many ways to see the City of Cape Town but not all of them are created equal. Some are definitely better than others and cycling around the city is definitely the best way to do it. We are talking about not just riding a bicycle alone but going on a guided tour with someone who truly knows the city. When you take such a tour you will see the city in a way that you could not normally take it all in. It will definitely be the highlight of your trip and you will be able to take many memorable pictures while you are on your tour.

ct2

Slow Down And Absorb Everything

s__dafrika_1740Some ways that people typically tour the city is by taking various buses, various tour vans and other vehicles that although they travel relatively slow to other Motor Vehicles; you can’t really take in everything. The ability to ride slow on a bicycle allows you to take in more things than you normally would be able to see. You’ll also get much better pictures as you ride around and have the ability to stop whenever you want to. You could argue that a walking tour would be the same but walking is very tiring and sometimes you just want to coast on a bicycle and let the bicycle do all the work for you.

Fresh Air And Light Exercise

shutterstock_58236202It’s also tackles two things that people love about taking a bicycle tour. People love getting fresh air and they love that they are getting very easy exercise. It is so easy to be lazy and to just eat really great food while on vacation but a bicycle tour is a great way to get out in the fresh air and get moving. It is exercising without exercising at all because you’re going to feel so comfortable doing it. It’s a great choice for anyone who wants to see the city in a different way, who wants to their blood flowing while taking in everything and absorbing all that the the city has to offer.

Cape Town Is The Perfect Bicycle City

1011PH0333

We have already established that cycling a is a great way to tour the city but let’s now talk about how Cape Town is the perfect City to ride a bicycle in. Cape Town is a city that is not really hilly and it has a ton of flat areas which make cycling around the town very easy. We have everyone from young children to elderly people on bicycles taking in the city that way. So you don’t have to worry about it being tough, tackling Hills or having to walk your bicycle more than riding it. It is a city that was perfectly made for riding the bicycle.

Sign Up Now You Will Love It

Don’t waste any more time and sign up for the next bicycle tour in Cape Town, you are sure to have a great time.

Benefits Of Biking Bike Riding A Bike

Benefits Of Cycling To Work

LCBS Editor 0Comments

There are a number of advantages of cycling to work such as improved health, longer life, lower cost, higher energy level and cycling is also environmentally friendly. If your workplace is close enough and you are not biking to work, here are some of the major benefits of biking to work.

One of the biggest benefits of regular cycling is that it helps you remain fit. It is estimated that a 30 min bike ride can help in burning anywhere from 200 to 500 cal, depending on your weight. Also, you will not only burn off extra fat during cycling but you will also keep it burning at a higher rate for several hours after you are done cycling as it enhances the sedentary metabolic rate.

89793401_XS

Cycling is also much kinder to your joints, especially if you are overweight by a lot. It is one of the better ways to lose weight then jogging as cycling does not put too much strain on your joints. You not only become fitter when you cycle regularly but you also look younger.

Cycling significantly cuts down the risk of cardiovascular disease, all types of cancer, type II diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and other ailments related to heart. A number of research studies have confirmed that just 150 min of cycling each week can make someone biologically younger by around nine years. Other research studies have also found that the risk of heart disease can be cut by up to 50% with regular cycling. Aerobic exercises help in accelerating your breathing rate which helps in stimulating the contraction of intestinal muscles and prevents bloating as well as various other diseases.

When you cycle to work, you also save a lot of money in the long run. Many people are not aware of the fact that operating expense of a car for a year is around $8000 whereas you will need to spend, on an average, only around $300 when you use a bicycle for commuting to work. You will not only save money on vehicle maintenance and running costs but also on your healthcare costs. It is estimated that being active just twice a week has the potential to lower the healthcare costs by around $400-$500 a year for obese individuals.

Bike Commuter in Portland Oregon

Since cycling is increasing in popularity, a number of cities all around the world have dedicated pathways for bicycles which make cycling a much safer activity as compared to driving a car.

When you shun your car in favor of cycling to work, you help in saving the planet. A car takes around 20 times the materials and energy used for making a bicycle. Also, operating a bicycle results in zero pollution whereas a lot of pollution is generated when you use a car. In most countries, a majority of carbon emissions are generated from road transport but you can help in cutting down the overall carbon emissions by using a bike for your commute.

Regular cycling also helps in increasing your self-esteem and confidence levels as you get fitter and leaner. In other words, it helps in lifting up your mood. When you cycle, you also get increased exposure to sunlight that also helps in increasing the level of serotonin in your brain. It has been observed that many people all around the world suffer from vitamin D deficiency whereas around 20 min of exposure to sunlight is enough for the body to synthesize enough vitamin D.

23ce28576d2959da_shutterstock_64715095.xxxlarge_2x

Regular cycling also helps in removing cortisol, the stress hormone, from the body.

Overall, these are some of the major benefits of cycling to work. Cycling is becoming popular all over the world. It is cheaper, better for your health and good for the environment.

Bike Riding A Bike

Why I Love Riding My Bike

LCBS Editor 0Comments

I have never been into sports and wouldn’t really call myself an active person. However, I decided to make some changes to my habits a few years ago because I was gaining weight and felt tired all the time. I talked to my doctor and he recommended that I find an activity I enjoy. He said I had to be more active to avoid developing more serious health issues.

The problem was that I did not really enjoy any sports. I finally decided to purchase a bike and to ride it as often as possible. I found that I really enjoyed riding my bike and this simple activity has made a difference for my health.

adc062I love riding my bike because I feel this is a healthier activity than sitting at home on the computer or in front of the TV. I used to spend most of my free time catching up on TV shows and talking to friends on Facebook. I still have time to be online and do all the things I love but I really feel that my days are more productive when I make some time to ride my bike.

I have made some new friends thanks to this new activity. I start going on short bike rides throughout my neighborhood and eventually, people started recognizing me. I know almost everyone in my neighborhood now and have recently started riding my bike at a local park where I have met people with similar interests. I never thought riding my bike would be a way to meet new people but I was wrong!

Riding my bike is a great way to get some fresh air. I feel that I wasn’t spending enough time outdoors before I started going on bike rides regularly. I work in an office and would spend almost all my free time indoors at home. I didn’t realize how much getting some fresh air, some sunshine and just spending time outside was important until I started riding my bike and saw how much of a positive difference it made in my life.

10-Health-Benefits-of-Bike-Riding-2

Being more active has helped me feel better about my body. I started riding my bike because I was gaining weight and nothing I did seemed to help. I have lost a few pounds since I started riding my bike and I think I have started developing stronger muscles. My silhouette looks a lot better and I feel more comfortable in my body than ever before. I can now wear clothes that I love but that I haven’t been able to wear in years!

My energy levels and my mood have improved since I became more active. I used to have a hard time with going to sleep at night and always felt tired in the morning. I think that going on a bike ride everyday has helped with my internal clock. I sleep better at night, feel better when I wake up and have more energy throughout the day. I have also found that I am in a better mood after getting some exercise.

Riding my bike has done wonders for my stress levels. My job can be stressful at times and I used to feel overwhelmed by it. I have found that going on a bike ride early in the morning allows me to keep my stress under control during my day at work and that riding my bike when I get home is the perfect way to relax.

These are only a few reasons why I love riding my bike. I am glad I decided to start being more active and my next project is to get my children to go on bike rides with me!

You Missed

Bike Cape Town Bicycle Tour Cape Town Ride Cycling Safety Riding A Bike

Cycling 101: Beginner Mistakes And How To Avoid Them

Bike Cape Town Bicycle Tour Cape Town Ride

Cycling Routes in Cape Town

Types of Bike

Knowing the Different Types of Bike

Benefits Of Biking Bike

Why You Should Start Cycling