Page 24 - link magazine

Sport and Leisure

200 years of getting on your bike

On Two Wheels by Rob Derry of Swindon Bicycle Users Group (BUG)
It is 200 years since the bicycle
was invented by Baron Karl von
Drais of Mannheim, Germany. The
bike has been credited for many
things and it is nothing short of
amazing that 200 years on, it is still
a massively important invention all the country, there are hotspots
around the world. How many things within the UK. Around 25% of
invented in the last 200 years are vehicles on London’s streets at rush Busy month ahead for The Wildcats
now consigned to the past? Even hour are bicycles. And if we look
in the last 40 years we’ve had the to our European neighbours, the
VCR and many other things come Dutch, Danish and Finnish cycle The Wildcats ice hockey column with The 27-year old who has been off
and go. a lot more than we do. Bikes are Mike Wray the ice since picking up a shoulder
The bicycle was hailed as an used widely in India, China and all injury at the end of October, is
amazing invention that allowed across Africa. It is no coincidence Aaron Nell believes February will be currently viewing his off-ice spell as
people to move around quicker that countries that have low levels Swindon Wildcats most challenging a “positive experience” - and says
than before without having to feed, of cycle use have high levels of month so far. he’s learning a lot from it.
stable and look after a horse (not obesity. The mayor of Paris has With January throwing up nine “It’s obviously frustrating being
to mention you could go further in declared 2017 to be “The Year of games, the shorter month of off the ice, but if I didn’t feel I had
a day). the Bicycle” with aims to double the February quickly follows suit and the skills to be able to coach from
It allowed people to move amount of cycle paths and increase with five of those coming at home, the bench, then I wouldn’t do it,”
between villages and towns and it the amount of areas and time the Wildcats coach doesn’t think he said.
is thought that this widened the that motor vehicles are prohibited. the upcoming fixtures will be any “You can learn different things
gene pool in many rural areas by People in power are starting to easier. from the rink side so I think about
allowing people to meet potential realise that cycling has enormous Looking at the month, Nell said: it as a positive experience. I’ve
partners from other towns and benefits in terms of public health, “This will be our most challenging learned a lot of things already, but
villages. In the early 20th century it pollution levels, movement of month so far. it’s a whole other way of seeing
gave freedoms to women that had people and for the economy. “We have tough games and with the game than from on the ice so
not previously been enjoyed. Not bad for a 200 year old the injury list we’ve got, we’ll really there’s so much more that I can
Despite only around 2% of invention, heh? Happy 200th have to dig deep, find solutions and pick up and it’s helping to develop
journeys in Swindon being made by birthday to the good old bicycle! find ways to win.” me as a coach.”
bicycle with a similar ratio around www.swindonbug.co.uk www.swindonwildcats.com

24 swindonlink.com n February 2017

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