IÔÇÖd like to tell you that I love cycling because I care about the environment, or my health or any of the other reasons that someone with better priorities than me might tell you to buy a bike. But for me, I own a bike out of laziness, cheapness and as a way to spend some time alone. You might see me whooshing up Senghennydd road and think I must be a very active and organised sort of person, but the reality is that I simply couldnÔÇÖt face the ten-minute walk to Lidl for a frozen pizza and instead opted for the two-minute cycle lane route. Cycling is simply faster and easier than walking ÔÇô so by lazy logic itÔÇÖs a no brainer.
Beyond the practicalities of cycling, it also gives me more independence. Knowing my way around the city ÔÇô shortcuts and backroads included ÔÇô and having the means to get around it quickly has given me endless freedom. Drinks in the city centre in fifteen? IÔÇÖm there. Woke up with only ten minutes to go before my lecture? IÔÇÖll make it with time to spare. The cycle lanes in Cardiff really are one of the cityÔÇÖs best treasures. Miles of smooth tarmac which can take you from views of the M4 down to Cardiff bay without fear of being hit by a lorry once. The cycle lanes even get you around quicker than cars, with no traffic, parking or ÔÇÿtwenty is plentyÔÇÖ signs to think about.
Cycling has also given me the freedom to escape the claustrophobia of day to day student living. When youÔÇÖre spending all of your waking hours in student accommodation, the Cathays campus or the same spots in the city centre you always go to the city begins to feel very small. Being able to jump on my bike and cycle up the river Taff until the city starts to morph into countryside after a long day of claustrophobic flat politics or last-minute essay struggles has proved to be my favourite escape. No small talk, no keeping up appearances, just me and my bike.
For any sceptics who still think of cycling as a hobby for lycra-wearing, Strava-obsessive sporty types, IÔÇÖd like to reveal that I am (sadly) not a sporty person in any respect, spending all of secondary school in bottom set PE and being filled with dread at the sight of an upcoming hill, but the joy of Cardiff is that itÔÇÖs miraculously flat, which is quite astounding when you consider that its major landmark is a castle. Although if youÔÇÖre still not sure whether cycling is for you, why not hire a nextbike and give it a go? Students can get thirty minutes of free bike hire a day, so itÔÇÖs incredibly easy for anyone to get pedalling.
Charlotte Harris
