The week’s top bike news from around the world, brought to you every Wednesday.
Local news
Anna Meares announced as Australia’s Commonwealth Games flag bearer
Cyclist and two-time Olympic gold medalist Anna Meares will carry the Australian flag into the stadium at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony tonight. Meares reportedly fought back tears when the announcement was made, saying: “This is so outside the box from what I normally do. I know it is an incredible honour… Go team! I’m just so happy.”
Riders to run in Victorian state election
Come November, Victorian bike riders will be able to vote for better infrastructure, lower speed limits and improved road user education, with the Australian Cyclists Party contesting the state election. According to party member Omar Khalifa, riders need a strong voice to represent them in parliament: “We’ve got to fix the roads and we’ve got to fix the behaviours”. The party plans to contest 16 seats in the upper house and is currently seeking candidates.
Once you start, you can’t stop
Results from the most recent national Ride2Work survey show that 60% of new riders in 2013 are still commuting by bike at least once a week almost a year later, up from 47% the previous year. According to Bicycle Network’s General Manager of Behaviour Change, Tess Allaway, who oversees the program, “Riding to work is a great way to fit in the recommended 30 minutes of exercise we need to maintain our health around our busy work and family commitments.” Registrations for National Ride2Work Day 2014 open Monday, 28 July.
International news
Living near bike paths makes people fitter
A recent British study has found that those living within 0.6 miles (0.96 km) of a bike path spent an extra 45 minutes per week walking and riding their bikes than those who lived 2.5 miles (4 km) away. Better yet, this increase in walking and cycling didn’t amount to a decrease in other forms of exercise. According to the study’s lead author and lecturer at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Dr Anna Goodman, “The fact that we showed an increase in overall levels of physical activity is very important, and shows that interventions of this sort can play a part in wider public health efforts to prevent diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions.”
Free bikes for new workers
West Yorkshire is keen to make the transition from welfare support to employment as easy as possible and is providing transport solutions, including free metro cards and reconditioned bikes, to job starters who have no way to reach their place of employment. One hundred bikes have already been gifted as part oft he scheme, and a further 150 are marked for distribution.
Hit the books
For those who revel in facts and figures, publishing group Taylor &Francis Online have made over 100 research papers on cycling and bike infrastructure available for free until the end of August.
Health
Beat Mondayitis
Staying up to watch the final stages of le Tour this weekend may potentially leave you zonked for the week ahead. Here’s tips to help you watch the race and still show up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at the office on Monday.
Video
Aussie rider, Michael Rogers, takes a bow at le Tour
Rogers rode his way to an impressive win on Stage 16 of le Tour. Check out the highlights.
Upcoming events
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