Taking up cycling has changed our lives—3 women share their stories

Cycling has boomed in popularity in recent years, and e-bikes are making it more accessible than ever. 

So what makes bikes so special? From mental health and environmental benefits to discovering a new sense of freedom, three women tell us how cycling has transformed their lives recently.

‘Bike rides are like therapy’

Stephanie Briggs, 52, runs PR and marketing agency Spring PR. She lives in Wiltshire with her husband Richard and son Harry, 17, while daughter Hannah, 20, is away at uni. 

“Take it to the bike” has become my little mantra. If I have a problem to deal with or something is making me anxious, I hop on the bike and talk myself through it as I’m whizzing along. By the time I get to my destination, I’ve usually sorted it out. You could say bike rides are a bit like therapy sessions. 

"Cycling has certainly helped improve my mental health. As well as giving me that thinking space, when you’re on a bike, all you have to do is focus on pedaling. And you’re outdoors in the fresh air. 

"I didn’t actually learn to ride a bike until I was 27. There was a PR job I desperately wanted, which involved bikes. At the interview, I was asked if I could cycle and I lied and said yes! I soon got found out, when I was required to ride in front of my boss for a photoshoot—and promptly fell off! Thankfully, my boss was really good about it and ended up helping me learn."

"After that, I started cycling more, thinking it would be good for fitness and losing weight. As time went on though, I started appreciating all the other benefits. Now, I don’t care about losing weight. Cycling is about so much more than that. 

"My husband loves bikes too, and being able to join him on weekend rides has been lovely. He got himself an e-bike a few years back, and then got me one for my 50th birthday. I didn’t think I had the confidence to cycle the hour-long commute to work, but during lockdown when roads were quiet, I gave it a go. Now I’m a huge fan.

E-bikes are great for commuting—you can crank up the battery and rocket up the hills. Plus, after a long day at work, the idea of getting on a push-bike to ride home when I’m tired can feel like too much. Knowing I have the motor if I need it is so reassuring, even if I don’t end up using it.

"My husband and I spent a week cycling from one end of Wales to the other this summer, covering over 200 miles. There’s no way I’d have been able to do that without the e-bike – it was amazing. The bike’s opened up so many opportunities. He wants us to ride to Morocco next... We’ll see!"

‘I’ve ditched the car and cycle everywhere now’

Artist, author and podcaster Lou Hamilton, 57, lives in Brentford with her partner Paul. She has two grown-up children, Sol and Ruby, and hosts a podcast called Brave New Girl alongside running podcast guest agency Silk-Studios. 

"Bikes have always been part of my life. I loved cycling as a kid and when my own children were little, we all had mountain bikes. Those got switched for city bikes when we moved to London; we’d cycle around parks and along the river at weekends. 

"But back then, cycling was just something I did for leisure and exercise - until earlier this year when my car broke down. Now it’s a whole way of life.

"I’d been thinking a lot about sustainability and the climate. So when I was considering getting my car fixed, I thought, ‘Let’s see how I do just cycling over the summer.’ I soon realized that actually I’m quite happy not using the car—and I’ve never looked back. It’s been fantastic."

"I used to think e-bikes were just for older people if I’m honest, not for me. But since becoming fully committed to using my bike to get around, getting one started to make more sense, so I made the switch.

"With the e-bike, I can definitely get places quicker and go further, so not only am I not using the car, I’m using public transport less. I just jump on my bike and off I go. It’s a brilliant feeling, being out with the wind in my hair, and I love that I’m doing my bit for the environment. 

"You don’t need to be super fit with an e-bike, because you can crank the motor up to the top level, but you can still get a good workout if you want. I often have mine on the lower settings, so I am really feeling the fitness benefits too—I can just get a boost if I go up hills!

"Sometimes when I finish work, I jump on my bike and immediately feel a sense of elation, lifted and happy. I still like to ride through parks and along the river. It’s really hard to feel down in the dumps when you’re cycling along, and it gets my creative juices flowing too. I come up with some of my best ideas when I’m cycling." 

‘After recovering from cancer, cycling has changed my life’

Susan Children, 62, lives near Reading with her husband Phil. She has two grown-up children and worked in marketing for many years but retired after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. 

"Exercise was a real life-saver for me while recovering from breast cancer. I had a year of treatment, but it took another year to really feel well again. You do come out of it pretty battered. Getting to the gym, lots of yoga, and swimming really helped. But then 2020 came around. Lockdown started and the gym closed. 

"We had a couple of bikes in the shed, getting rusty. Since we were allowed out for an hour a day, my husband and I thought, let’s get the bikes out. The roads were lovely and quiet. It was fantastic. We discovered so much more about the places on our doorstep than we ever had in a car. 

"I started off gradually and didn’t push myself too hard. A few months on though, we were hooked. We bought some panniers and a lightweight tent and started heading off on adventures. We even cycled down to Andover and camped for two nights. It was so exciting and eye-opening that we could have that sort of adventure, just setting off from home."

"On our road, there’s a little group of us who go out together. I love the sense of community you get with cycling. One of the other women had an e-bike and I must confess I thought it sounded like cheating at first. Until she gracefully overtook me on a hill! Another friend has a mountain e-bike and flies up the hills. It’s been really fun to try one. My next investment might have to be a mountain e-bike. I love getting out in the countryside and going off-road a bit. You get to see so much wildlife.

"I cycle quite slowly and everybody overtakes me, but that's fine. Everybody in the cycling world is so friendly. And when you get to the café and have your cake, nobody's bothered how long it took you to get there. 

"It’s no exaggeration to say cycling has changed my life. The love of being out in the open air is what drives me forward. The miles just disappear. You appreciate the present moment when you’re on the bike.

"I’ve kept a record of all the rides I’ve done locally—it looks like a mass of spaghetti! I’m looking into going up to Scotland next year. I still struggle a bit with my fitness levels, but who knows, with an e-bike I’d have that little bit of extra support to go further. That would be fantastic."

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