Cycling for Teenagers

Cycling for Young People

Personal reasons for Cycling

•    Hobby – enjoy cycling for leisure (riding with a group, races, watching cycling eg. Tour de France)
•    Quicker than waiting for lifts and joining queues of traffic
•    Keep fit – instead of going to the gym (in the fresh air, a destination/target in mind, variety)
•    Proud to have a maintained bike
•    Helping the environment

Other reasons for young people to Cycle

•    Quick way to get around town without having to nag parents for a lift
•    Independence – freedom to get on bike whenever you want/go anywhere you want
•    Looking good – impressive to be seen riding
•    Feeling good – healthy, proud
•    Meeting other people through group cycling
•    Something to talk about, like any other hobby
•    Good basis for developing driving skills – need to know similar road logic when riding on the road to when driving a car

Parents of Young People – why encourage your child to cycle?

•    Keeping children healthy and fit
•    A new hobby
•    Social development – cycling in a group or with a club
•    developing independence - children can do short journeys:
o    Keeping fuel costs down
o    Costs less to maintain a bike than a car
o    Less time spent acting as taxi driver
•    Spending time with children (cycling as a family for a hobby, or doing essential journeys together – to school, shops, doctor appointments etc)
•    Develop life skills – road-sense, social skills, self-confidence
•    Road user skills – understanding road rules, therefore feeling more confident and competent and so making better judgements in any situation

With thanks to Rosalind, our Work Experience Student from Cedars School, Leighton Buzzard, October 2010, click here to read her comments!