After all, I am not a cyclist, but like the idea of Hereford’s Beryl bike hire scheme, where you can pick up a set of two wheels from dozens of bays around the city.
The last time I rode a bike was in September 2020 when the Hereford Times staged a Top Gear-style race across Hereford. These days, while I occasionally visit the gym, the swimming pool is much more my natural habitat.
But on Saturday lunchtime, with temperatures hovering around 25C, I decided to leave the car behind and see what all the fuss was about. While Beryl bikes have occasionally been set on fire or wedged in a tree , I think it is a good scheme to encourage people to be more active and take some cars off the roads.
I was heading into High Town to take some photographs and visit the excellent new Smoke Show coffee shop in Eign Gate, making it the perfect excuse to give Hereford’s Beryl bikes a proper try.
The process, including the smartphone app, couldn’t have been easier.
One bike stubbornly refused to unlock, but there were plenty available, so I simply chose another and was on my way.
Using cycle routes wherever possible kept interaction with traffic to a minimum, which was a relief because, as a driver, I hate sitting in traffic or at lights.
The 2.18-mile journey into town took 13 minutes and 48 seconds on a standard bike.
According to my Apple Watch, I averaged 9.4mph, reached 14.3mph and burned 88 active calories.
By the time I arrived, my legs were certainly aware they had done some work, reminding me that cycling and swimming use very different muscles.
For the return trip, in the interests of journalism rather than personal comfort, I upgraded to an e-bike. Frankly, it was a game changer.
The 2.28-mile ride back took 10 minutes and 37 seconds.
My average speed jumped to 12.9mph, I briefly hit 19.3mph and burned a further 96 active calories.
Apart from taking the turn from Hinton Road into Putson Avenue at a fair lick and slightly wider than planned and finding a Fiesta heading towards me, it was entirely stress-free.
The standard bike cost £1.75 and the e-bike £3.18. Driving may have been cheaper with £2 in parking and £1.20 in fuel, but you do have to factor in insurance, tax, MOT and wear and tear.
The only real downside wasn’t the bikes, or the routes, or even the cost. Having put in moderate rather than leisurely effort, I did arrive back at the office somewhat warmer than I would have liked.
On a 25C day, cycling is inevitably a sweatier experience than my air-conditioned car.
Will I be selling the car and embracing a life of Lycra? Absolutely not, but I would absolutely cycle from Rotherwas into town again.
It pains me slightly to admit it as a committed motorist, but for this particular journey the bike wasn’t just healthier and arguably cheaper. It may actually have been the better option.