FUN CYCLING CHALLENGE
!! Something for everyone with no exceptions !!

Welcome to the Fun Cycling Challenge

Who are we and what is it all about ….. well, right now we’re in the development stages and this site will be under construction for a while yet so bear with us ……

Our ideas are really quite simple though - a few of us with different but complimentary skills, are pooling our resources and working together as a team so everyone we come in contact with, can join in and develop their cycling skills – including those who need a little extra help for whatever reason and it's a fun way of staying healthy too!

Meanwhile, to meet Milly, go to www.newcogs4old.org.uk – he recycles bikes and aims to construct whatever is needed to make cycling available to anyone who wants to give it a go and will also be doing the End to End with us next spring - he also has a collection of Crazy Bikes that he bought down for the Bikeability launch in August 2007 and the wonderful thing about the crazy bikes .... 99.9% of them have 3 if not 4 wheels, hence are stable which in turn means ANYONE can have a go!!

To meet Amy and Laura, go to www.lily-peds.co.uk - they are based in Exeter and offer a green alternative to transportation, proms, school runs, birthday rides etc …you name it, they've peddled it and have also branched out to offer those who want to do the pedaling themselves as a sustainable option - they also offer up to date training for all ages and all abilities in Cycle Training ..

To meet Wendy - go to www.rsct.org.uk .. she is also a Cycling Instructor and was involved in the gearing up of Bikeability as an independent instructor as against an organisation or council doing to. She rides an invisible bike getting the students to tell her what they need to be thinking about and gets everyone going in the process, laughing all the way!

To meet Andrew if you haven't already go to www.alwaysbecycling.org.uk - he and his wife (another Wendy as it happens) have a caravan down here and come down on and off through the summer, Andrew professionally is a maths teacher .. a novel way to have extra maths tuition perhaps??

And then there is Martin whose webby currently is http://www.southdevoncycletraining.co.uk - he is a British Cycling Coach, Tutor and Assessor, National Standards Instructor and X-Bike Instructor - is there no end to his talent one asks!?

To meet Roj go to www.thebikebarn.org - Roj and his business partner Dave are both former school teachers turned cycle instructors in both disciplines, both on road and off - they also have bike hire facilities and can run maintenance courses. They are also qualified mountain bike leaders so will happily take you out on the various trails.

Meanwhile to meet Karen go to www.elm-farm.co.uk - she is Roj's partner and her domain is good old fashioned farmhouse bed and breakfast, her breakfasts being the ultimate, if sleeping under the stars on their campsite doesn't appeal to you. So you could turn this into a cycling holiday if you wanted to ...

Andrew, Martin and I are all hoping to also work along side CycleExperience too - again trying to take cycle training further afield, reaching the parts of the SW that has not had access to it, both on the lines of the Cycle Festival and from the cycle training angle.

Also on the crazy bike front, meet Pete at www.cyclecircus.co.uk - he is local himself from the Launceston area and does a lot just across the border at different events but it doesn't stop there - Pete is into all kinds of things including circus skills training, Big Top shows, unicycle demos as well as just having lots of fun., check him out!! He's worked with Sustrans and various other cycling organisations too .. His cycling webby will take you to his circus webby as well

Finally there's Steve, go to www.cornwallmtb.co.uk – he is both a Mountain Bike Instructor and delivers Bikeability having been involved in the gearing up process from September '06 to March '07 prior to it being rolled out nationally, as well as having experience doing road shows and school tours etc.

Five good reasons to cycle

1.    Cycling exercises most of the muscles in your legs and bum – so it’s an excellent way to tone these areas.
2.   It’s a practical way to keep fit. 75% all personal journeys are less than 5 miles long – that’s half an hour on a bike.
3.   It’s cheaper than joining a gym! Bicycles require no MOT, no insurance, no licensing and above all no fuel. Bicycles can be parked almost anywhere for free.
4.   Switching short journeys from car to bicycle will benefit both your health and community. You'll be helping to reduce noise, air pollution and traffic congestion too.
5.   Riding a bike can help you maintain a healthy weight. Average cycling burns about 300 calories per hour and gives a level of fitness equivalent to being 10 years younger.