The Tour de France has not long finished, this is the pinnacle of cycling for most people, writes Pete Richards.

It is certainly hard to imagine just how fit you need to be to complete it.

Luckily you do not need to be anywhere near as fit as Tadej Pogačar, who won this year, to enjoy cycling.

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Cycling is great to do if you are looking to do more exercise.

It will give you more cardiovascular benefit than swimming, build some leg strength and is also non-weight bearing – easier on the joints than running.

And it is a skill that we haven’t forgotten, it’s like riding a bike.

Most of us cycled when we were growing up.

This was a time of meeting up with friends and having fun and adventures.

And this is what exercise should be like when you are grown up; it shouldn’t feel like a chore but instead something to look forward to.

Most of my rides are with friends, having fun, exploring new roads and the mandatory stop at a cafe for a coffee, and yes, a piece of cake.

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We are lucky in Taunton as it is so easy to get started again on a bike if it has been a while since you last cycled.

We have the canal, running all the way to Bridgwater if you want, although you could just go as far as the tea rooms at Maunsel Lock.

If you haven’t got a bike then you could hire one from Parrett Trail Bikes in Langport, they even have e-bikes to make it even easier to get started again.

There is the added bonus that there is The Bakery cafe right next door so you can have your coffee afterwards.

On Your Bike in Taunton is another great place to hire bikes from.

There is such a variety of places to cycle around Taunton.

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The Levels are lovely if you want to avoid the hills.

For something hillier then we have the Quantocks, The Blackdown Hills or even Exmoor.

And in every direction, there are many bike-friendly cafes – I feel I should be able to write a guide to them.

If you want any advice on getting started with cycling, or routes or cafes then get in touch with me.

Summer is a perfect time to get back on your bike.

Do it on your own or with friends, but get out there, have fun, explore and perhaps treat yourself to a coffee at the end.