Green Commute Initiative

Stories from Green Commute Initiative

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Stories from Green Commute Initiative

Read stories and get inspired! Share a cycling story and inspire others to get out and ride!

Stories from around the world

Image for story Attenborough Nature Reserve

Attenborough Nature Reserve

Winter Wheelers 1st Dec . First outing. Cold, dark and peaceful. Sunrise / Moon set.

Topic: My favourite place/route to ride

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Image for story Biking to work

Biking to work

It's me and my bike when l bike ride the 4 miles each way to work .sometimes early on the morning when its still dark l travel along the road side, how many people are up and say good morning .On w... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

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Image for story Ride after a Heart Transplant

Ride after a Heart Transplant

My best friend, who is a mother, teacher, triathlete, runner, Ironman, baker and all around wonderful person contracted a virus in her heart in 2017 and her life changed forever. She lived with 2 V... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Image for story Becoming an effective encourager for cycling...

Becoming an effective encourager for cycling...

In October 2020 I joined the love to ride florida Challenge. I was inspired by the organizations objective of promoting cycling for health and environmental considerations. During the month long ch... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Image for story Hart-Miller Island: Commuting to Work as a Seasonal Park Ranger

Hart-Miller Island: Commuting to Work as a Seasonal Park Ranger

"Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding!" The sounds of a drawbridge will always elicit a thrill, carrying me back to the month-long cruises of my teen years, with my Dad and family on a 28 foot sloop under sail ... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

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Image for story Matching lights #LightTheNight

Matching lights #LightTheNight

These two, feeling grown up riding in the dark. The rear bike light is a bit low so clip running lights on their jackets hoods

Topic: A story from the Bike Challenge

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Image for story Me and the lads

Me and the lads

Motivated my mates for a ride beyond their limits on an early Sunday morning. From Oldham to Bury. To local authority areas in less than 3 hours there and back.

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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C&O canal bike camping

My first time bike camping, I was dropped off by friends at Brunswick, and met up with my new group MVD. I packed based on instinct, ready for rain. we biked to Williamsport in the pouring rain, ... read more

Topic: A happy riding memory

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Image for story Light the night

Light the night

Cycling my children home in the dark on busy streets- and through a pitch black park- was a bit of a worry, so we added a lot of lights to the trailer! Now I've got two flashing rear lights on the ... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

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No bikes today!

Grantham Hospital has fenced off its staff bike shed today so I had no choice but to chain my bike to the fence. Note to managers we still bike in the winter!!

Topic: My commute by bike

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Image for story #LighttheNight

#LighttheNight

Yes! It is getting darker so to carry on cycling through the winter I replaced my old lights with new light weight rechargeable LED ones. I loved them
~#lightthenight

Topic: A story from the Bike Challenge

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Mental Health

Cycling is so good for mental health. I am a patchy lazy cyclist who suffered during lockdown as I made bugger all effort to do anything (vicious lockdown mental health circle). I have now been ... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

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The Ride Goes On

When the pandemic threatened to cancel the nearly 10-year traditional fundraising ride of the North Central Rail Trail (or the Torrey C. Brown Trail, its official name) to the end of the Heritage R... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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Winter riding

As we enter the back end of the year the winter riding challenge comes at just the right moment. I have set myself a challenge of getting 2,500 miles in in 2020 and have give or take 422 to go whi... read more

Topic: Other

Image for story Autumn Leaves

Autumn Leaves

When I rode on November 14th the sun was shining brightly and the temperature was a brisk 58 with some wind. My riding buddy and I did a 13 mile loop around Columbia and enjoyed the beautiful Autu... read more

Topic: A happy riding memory

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Starlings at dusk

We had had an unexpected visitor drop by for a cup of tea so we were very late starting our ride. However it was dry and we wanted some exercise. It was getting towards dusk and I wondered how ... read more

Topic: A happy riding memory

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Finding my love of cycling and maintenance

Having tipped past 47 years old this time I was keen to make more of an effort to get back into cycling. I joined cycling September challenge, which not entirely successful due to illness did see m... read more

Topic: A story from the Bike Challenge

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You're never too old!

To celebrate my husband's 80th birthday last month, the family helped us buy two new e-bikes. We've both ridden ordinary hybrid bikes for years and managed 25 miles fairly comfortably even in hilly... read more

Topic: Carbon Crushers

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Getting soaked

I almost miss a suprise downpour on the way to work. Almost.

Topic: My commute by bike

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Image for story To Brean and Back

To Brean and Back

I live in WSM. Not commuting right now as I'm WFH, but I head out for a 'virtual commute' ride or walk at the start/ end of work to break up the day. This is Brean Down, seen from Weston's wide, tr... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Darker nights akimbo

It's that time of year when the days are shorter, but I try my hardest to keep cycling as much as I can. Obviously my activities are reduced as along with the darker nights comes the rain. I'm a dr... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

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Image for story Be safe be seen!

Be safe be seen!

I have over 30 years cycling experience and a keen member of a local club.

Unfortunately cycling in the dark commuting and similar carries additional risks.

Purchase as powerful ... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Image for story #Light the night

#Light the night

All my cycling has been in the dark recently so I was highly delighted to receive a pair of Proviz Reflect 360 cycling gloves in the post this lunchtime, courtesy of Cycle September! Perfect for si... read more

Topic: Other

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My weekly commute.

Dear all, I have tried to cycle the round trip to school 3 times a week for the past 8 years. ( 20 miles round trip) I started out on an electric bike in 2012- but quickly upgraded to Dawson toure... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

Biking to work in the dark

Starting my shift at Pilgrim Hospital, Boston at 6am means I am cycling to work in the dark since the clocks went back. Coming the other way down a narrow unlit street I have been dismayed to see a... read more

Topic: Other

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Cycling in December

5.5 miles on a nice fresh, dry morning - best way to start the day at work, but it would have been fun to carry on past the factory!

Topic: My commute by bike

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How unfit can you get in a month!

I use my bike most days normally. I also walk. In fact I normally clock up at least 100 miles a month on the bike, 20 miles in the swimming pool and 15 or so on foot. Come the first lockdown I w... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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Image for story Looking for Light #Lightthenight

Looking for Light #Lightthenight

For the last 2 weeks, I have been in self isolation.
I was desperate to get out.
I had the perfect idea for #LightTheNight
And so, today the 30th (i am hoping I made the deadline?)
read more

Topic: Other

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Life on my Own

Riding can sometimes be a solo experience...no one there to see you flying over the handle, bars, walking home with a flat tyre, spiking your shin on the peddles, p*** wet through! cryin to yoursel... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Image for story How can we adapt and improve?

How can we adapt and improve?

Prior to March 20, 2020 riding my bike was a way to get to work after going to the gym with the occasional recreational ride. However after getting hit in April 2018 and my collarbone being broken... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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Light the Night

I have been commuting to work and back on my bike since the spring. As the evenings and mornings are now dark I have invested in a new USB front light, amazing green wheel lights and of course a ba... read more

Topic: Other

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Ignore the fear

Hi, I started mountain biking in September 2019 at the age of 48! I was pretty rubbish so decided to book myself on to a course, which was great fun. What I didn’t bank on happening was lockdown, 2... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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Image for story To Hull and back

To Hull and back

Zeeland, well what an adventure. It all began with a 'thinking aloud' post on Facebook. Wouldn't it be good if….

Now lots of people said it would be and there it sat. We all did nothing. C... read more

Topic: A happy riding memory

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Making sure your seen

Prior to cycling I would have gone out running with only an illuminace jacket on. However on the bike it is so important people see you and you can see them. This week I got my girls out on their b... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story 'Breath in for 2 minutes and recover your pride'

"Breath in for 2 minutes and recover your pride"

It was my first day of 2 annual leave days where I opted for a random ride rather than just keep painting the fence 'Autumn Gold'. My usual riding mate could not join in due to work, so I planned r... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story The time I accidentally went to Wales

The time I accidentally went to Wales

A few years ago, I set out on a mission to do 120 km in one day, for the Strava Gran Fondo challenge. It was a grey day, a bit rainy, but at least it was warm. I stopped for lunch in Chester, and l... read more

Topic: A happy riding memory

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Image for story Fabulous views, free commute and free exercise

Fabulous views, free commute and free exercise

Every day I cycle along Newcastle / Gateshead Quayside to and from work. The views are great, including:
Robert Stephenson's High Level Bridge (1849) - the world's first double decker bridge (... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

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Image for story This Goose is Riding Again

This Goose is Riding Again

I always loved bikes and specifically cross-country (XC) which I trialed frequently back in Portugal where I come from, but XC is an expensive hobby, so mountain biking was my first option as a uni... read more

Topic: My first time on a bike in years

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13 years commuting

December 2007 I started riding to work at a new job with Palmerston North City Council Parks. In the 13 years since I have probably gone by car no more than 20 times - car for service etc. Its been... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

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Taking the Jones Falls Trail for pancakes

I've been running on the new extension of the Jones Falls Trail for a while now, and have always been curious about the full length of the trail. I had a day off of work, and the weather was really... read more

Topic: Other

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That's how they getcha...

When my bestie had her first bike ride in years, we planned it so we could do a short ride to get dinner. It was a tough ride, and she had to get off and push a few times, but we made it to the res... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Wheels heals

I started riding again earlier this year to get fit and it worked! So much so i signed up for my first CX race on Halloween however like the rest of this year it took a turn for the worse and i fra... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Started going out after work and enjoying the spooky night rides

Started going out after work and enjoying the spooky night rides

Makes you appreciate the warmth of your heating when you get back home a huge amount!

Topic: My favourite place/route to ride

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Image for story Cargo Artwork

Cargo Artwork

“The Bicycle is Man’s Most Perfect Invention. The bicycle offers an unsurpassed combination of benefits including recreation, mental and physical health, stress relief, reduced traffic congestion, ... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Cycling at night

Cycling at night

It’s been rare to cycle after dark recently, especially under lockdown. When things were open I was able to swim each evening; a perfect way to complement my cycling exercise. That’s not possible j... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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In the beginning

In the beginning of lockdowns, back in Spring, when all the vehicles seemed to disappear from our streets, people began to view our public spaces in a different view. Many people dusted off their o... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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Image for story All systems glow...

All systems glow...

I commute to work by bike, so in autumn and winter I ride in darkness almost daily. Over the years I have gradually made my bike more visible – it now sports reflective strips, dynamo lights and a ... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

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Image for story Feel alive with a Sensory Overload!

Feel alive with a Sensory Overload!

#Light The Night, Inspired me to dig out the lights and get them recharged, then head for the wonder that is Canada Wood Trails, Callendar Estate, Falkirk.
Not only was it dark, it was foggy to... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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#LightTheNight

#LightTheNight If you go down in the woods tonight ... you might find me! For me the best thing about having a great set of lights means I can still commute on the exact same route of back lanes, b... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

I stopped cycling. Then, I found a reason to do it again.

I never meant to stop cycling, it just happened. After cycling to and from work during my gap year, then around university during my undergraduate and postgraduate years, I stopped when I got a job... read more

Topic: My first time on a bike in years

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