The Couch Bike

Take the ‘Couchbike’ – the design format has been around now for nearly a decade, but it has just begun to be seen in use on public roads. Popularised in Britain after a 2004 FHM photo-shoot, the couchbike is the ultimate in pedal bike comfort. It has an expandable frame which can fit almost any sofa; although it should be noted that the larger the sofa is, the less likely the bike is to pass legal size requirements for riding on public highways. Designed as a two person bike, this machine lets riders pedal from the comfort of their own sofa – perfect for those lazy days when you have to get from A to B.

Soul Cycle

Paul Freedman has developed what he calls the ‘Soul Cycle’. This has a built in sub-woofer and speaker cabinet, an onboard mixer and wireless mics, and in multi-coloured neon hues, it’s pretty eye-catching too. It also boasts a passenger seat with mic, so you can get a friend to mc for you as you ride around pumping out awesome tunes. Although it took around two years to complete, the cool factor means it was totally worth it.

Guitar Bike

In Germany, a famous bicycle fanatic named Didi Senft is well known for creating spectacular and unique bikes – as well as for running around race tracks and other bicycle events dressed as the devil, that is! One of his more recent innovations is the ‘Guitarbike’. This 5 metre by 12 metre half ton structure is pretty tough to keep upright whilst riding, and because of its size is barred form being used on public roads, but it stands proudly outside Senft’s bicycle museum. It is featured in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest ever mobile guitar.

Rocket Bike

Tim Pickens, the president of Orion Propulsion, a company that design rockets, has himself designed a bike powered by, well, rockets of course. His latest effort utilises a 200 pound thrust engine, and can get from 0 – 60mph in 5 seconds flat. It claims to be capable of beating a Porsche in a drag race, and with those speeds, I guess the race is on - all he needs are some Chris King hubs to give the precision engineering required to win.

Bling Bike

However, the ultimate in bling when it comes to push bikes has to be the Barrio Dreams Low-rider. Created by Dzine, a Puerto Rican designer, specifically for the Art Basel Miami Beach 2007, this is a riot of blue and gold that most definitely draws attention. Set with Swarovski crystals and incorporating 22 karat gold plating in the trim, this ostentatious bike has definitely been ‘well pimped’!

This post was brought to you by StradaWheels

Congested Cities?

While many people think that driving a large SUV or 4x4 is a status symbol, the fact is they are terrible in cities and you look silly driving a ‘tank’ when scooters and mopeds can sythe through traffic without having to get stressed about missing the traffic lights or getting stuck behind slow moving traffic.

Millions of people need to get to work each day and that means that the roads, particularly in large cities, get clogged up. Even a few miles can take an hour to clear, but if you have a scooter you can zip past stopped traffic and get to the front of the queue. It’s no wonder that pizza delivery people and couriers use motorcycles to get places quickly.

Parking Worries?

With more and more people riding scooters, mopeds and motorbikes these days, councils around the country and making more room for parking spots. Will you ever see a motorcyclist riding round and round a car park looking for a space? No, of course not. They can be stacked closely together and in one space that a large 4x4 vehicle takes up, you could fit around 10 scooters or more!

Too many car park scrapes happen as people are more focused on looking for a space rather than which car is reversing out in front of them. This again doesn’t happen for bikers. In many cases, it’s cheaper or even free to park a moped which combined with the savings of fuel usage, insurance and road tax adds yet another reason why mopeds are far more popular these days.

Bumps & Scrapes?

Many people that drive large cars or even city-type cars find themselves having to replace wing mirrors and getting scrapes down their expensive paintwork. This is incredibly expensive to fix, particularly if you have heated and electrically-operated mirrors. Having to pay a few hundred pounds out every time someone clips your mirror or a few thousand for paintwork if you want to save your no claims bonus will make your blood boil.

Guess what? It’s not really an occurrence for moped riders. If you do need to replace anything, it’s normally so cheap that it’s not really an expense to worry about. Also, with the panels, mirrors and extremities being so accessible you can replace them yourself in an hour rather than having to spend yet more money on a mechanic to do it for you.

Stacy Smith has been riding her 125cc motor scooter around London for many years and loves the cost savings it allows her, as well as the stress-free style of motoring.

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Drivers need to anticipate that there will be more vehicles on the road and therefore the traffic will be travelling slower than usual, which raises the chances of accidents occurring and tempers rising. By planning for the worst-case scenarios, you can make sure that your journey goes as smoothly as possible, covering yourself for all eventualities, whether that involves sitting in a queue of traffic on the motorway, breaking down or, worst of all for anyone travelling by bike whether man or engine-powered, harsh weather conditions – something we’ve all had about enough of now, (what drought incidentally?)

Plan Ahead

By planning each stage of your journey before you set off, you can ensure that you can work around any problems, and also make sure that you get regular stops. Nobody wants to arrive at their destination late, so by working out how long your journey will take, factoring in traffic and breaks, you can work out when you need to leave and your estimated arrival time.

Check, Check and Check Again

Ensure that all of your essential maintenance checks are performed before setting off on a long journey. Checking the likes of the tyre pressure, water, fuel and oil levels before leaving will reduce the chances of a breakdown, something which is highly likely if your car is sat in traffic and poorly maintained. For instance, you could find your bike overheating if it’s sitting still and low on water, or requiring a whole new engine if you run it low on oil.

Stay Refreshed

If you’re going a significant distance, it will make sense to pack plenty of supplies including food and drink, just in case you suffer a breakdown and are forced to wait by the road. In this case it’s vital that you have enough to keep your energy levels topped up and that you stay hydrated, the last thing you want to be doing is riding a motorbike with low blood sugar levels as it will decrease your attention on the road.

Stay in Touch

Charge your mobile phone before you leave home so that you know you’ll have plenty of battery left to call in the case of emergency, or even just to let the people you’re meeting know you’re on the way, and so you can tell those back at home that you’ve arrived safely. You definitely don’t want to suffer a problem on the road only to realize that you can’t call for help.

Maybe most importantly, you need to stay calm and focused on the road ahead. With the increased traffic on the road and inevitable poor UK bank holiday weather, other drivers will be getting frustrated and anxious to reach their destinations, losing their focus. By keeping your concentration you can react to the road conditions and the actions of other road users, making your journey significantly safer.

This article was written by Chris White, an experienced motorcyclist and motorbike blogger currently working on behalf of uShip – the expert couriers who also provide house removal and man with a van services.

Measuring about 14 miles long, the Great Glen Cycle Route that runs from Fort William to Inverness is perhaps the easiest route of them all. Much of it is on the traffic-free Caledonian Canal Towpath; only later do you start to experience some hilly climbs and steep descents. The final section of the ride runs close to the loch shore most of the time and it's not flat like the canal towpath, so you get breathtaking views of the loch and the hills behind.

Balblair is often referred to as a "proper black route". Around 17kms in length, the trail provides two to three hours of riding at the very least least and is aimed directly at experienced mountain bike riders. Balblair Trails is packed of high quality earth and rock, hard dirt and wooden boards, bridges and causeways. The wooden sections are coated with a special rubber/sand paint for extra strong grip, even in the wet. The rock has the same strengthened grip, probably the firmest grip out of all trails to make the ride easier and smoother. From its timber trails to its exhausting up hill sections, Balblair has something to offer everyone, no matter what level of mountain biking they're on. However, there are some highly technical rock features including difficult rock slabs and stretches of rock 'shoulder'. Although the views across the Kyle of Sutherland to Carbisdale Castle in the west are truly rewarding, be prepared for a tough physical ride.

The Far North West Route runs for 12 miles and is more of a peaceful ride - a gentle climb accompanied with lots of beautiful scenery. The route overlaps with the National Cycle Network at the start, and then begins to branch off to the west, towards the mountains. The scenery along the west coast is more dramatic and really is worth all the pedalling. It is a gradual, steady climb upwards, with a river running alongside. After another couple of miles, the road parts with the river and rises fairly steeply towards Loch Craggie. From here, you get a distant view of the mountains of Assynt and in particular, the plateau of gneiss, Suilven. It may look just about impossible to go any further, but the forest opens out again into a clear hillside.

The Fife Route runs through the East Neuk, an area of land that surrounds the Eastern peninsula of Fife. The East Neuk villages keep the heritage of sea-fishing that is displayed in the Kingdom of Fife and many cyclists love nothing more than riding through a bustling fishing village with quiet back roads and gorgeous sea views. The Fife Route is an easy route (about 37 miles) that passes strawberry fields, dirt tracks and a World War II airfield. Along the way there are plenty of nice food stops, especially at the Crail harbour. The harbour in Crail is probably the prettiest harbour in East Neuk. Although some of the cobbled streets are a bit bumpy for the bike, the experience is overall lovely.

The Snowdonia region can be found in North Wales and is the perfect place to explore by bicycle. Most of Snowdonia is covered by a large and lovely national park, which is marked with winding cycle paths. In addition to wildlife spotting, cyclists in Snowdonia will have the chance to cycle to the six ancient castles that can be found there. One of the most impressive cycle routes in Snowdonia leads cyclists from Tywyn to Abergynolwyn via Bryncrug. Covering 22 miles, this route takes cyclists through the enchanting Dysynni Valley, and highlights of the trip include the magnificent ruins of the 13th century Castell y Bere as well as Llyn Tal-y-Llyn Lake and the 760 foot high cliff known as Bird Rock.

Keen cyclists will want to take the time to explore the Vale of Glamorgan, which can be found at the very southern tip of Wales. This region of Wales boasts large areas of rolling countryside and is home to attractions such as Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, St Donat's Castle and Cosmeston Medieval Village. Most of the cycle routes that run through the Vale of Glamorgan tend to be rather challenging, but are certainly worth the effort. Covering a distance of just under 80 miles, the Fnrttc Cardiff route runs from the Wales Millennium Centre all the way to Mumbles Pier. This enchanting route takes cyclists along Cardiff Bay and is not to be missed.

The pretty county of Powys is situated in the east and central regions of Wales and is by far the largest county in Wales. This fascinating county is extremely mountainous, which makes it the perfect place for mountain biking. The county of Powys features the highest waterfall in the whole of Wales, namely Pistyll Rhaeadr, as well as six ancient castles and four cave systems. Finding cycle routes in the county of Powys is simple, as there are plenty of planned routes for visitors to follow. However, this is also a great place to go off the beaten track a little and explore independently.

Located in the south east region of Wales, Monmouthshire is famed for its intense natural beauty and rich history. Cyclists will want to plan their routes through Monmouthshire so that they cover some of the area’s most impressive attractions, which include the Monnow Bridge, which is only one of three bridges of this type that remain standing in Europe. The area is also famous for its ancient castles and underground rock cathedrals.

The Isle of Anglesey can be found just off the northwest coast of Wales and is the fifth largest island in the whole of the United Kingdom. Cycle routes on this enchanting island take cyclists along the sandy coastline and run past a wide range of interesting attractions such as a working windmill, two lighthouses and the castle of Beaumaris.

There are however, a few safety elements that as a cyclist you must be both aware and in possession of.

A helmet is probably the most important product that you need as a cyclist. So many areas now have cycle lanes, but on occasion you may find that a larger vehicle needs to use your lane, for example if oncoming vehicles are overtaking parked cars. If you need any more encouragement to wear a helmet, how about this statistic: wearing a helmet reduces serious brain injuries by 75%.

It is actually the law for your cycle to have white front and red rear lights, as well as amber reflectors on the pedals and a red rear reflector. Lights that flicker on and off are permitted for use, but it is recommended that you use a constant white light for the front of your cycle. As always with regulations, there are exceptions to the rule, for instance if your cycle was manufactured before a certain date there may be exemptions. However, the lighting on your cycle is there to keep you safe, so it is worth taking note of this particular law.

You wouldn’t drive your car to work without having a spare tyre in the boot, and a cycle is no different, except unlike a car tyre a cycle wheel is usually a lot easier to repair. Secure a pump to your bike’s frame, and carry an emergency puncture repair kit. The kits can be as simple as temporary stick on patches, to full on inner tube repairs.

Our weather can be unpredictable and seasoned Brit’s will know that it can be a glorious, sunny day which can decline into rain showers within minutes. Don’t get caught short in a downpour, take a waterproof jacket and even trousers if you are cycling in the rainy season. For extra protection, make sure the waterproofs are manufactured from high visibility material.

After all of the effort that you’ve gone through commuting to and from work on your cycle, make sure it's securely locked up once you reach your journey’s end.

There are many varieties of locks available, don’t get caught out however, lock your bike up no matter how little time you intend to leave it, it only take a second for a bike to be stolen, and as statistics show, with 1200 bicycles being stolen every day in the UK, it pays to spend those extra few seconds locking up your cycle.

Taking all of the above into consideration, you can enjoy a healthy and cost effective way to commute to and from work. Just remember the three rules; be secure, be seen and be safe.

The Isle of Sheppey is situated just off the coast of Kent. This picturesque island boasts several Blue Flag beaches as well as nature reserves and large areas of farmland and is an excellent place to cycle. There are plenty of cycle paths for cyclists to follow, while people who have a strong sense of adventure and a love for the Great Outdoors can also stray from the beaten track for a while and cycle through forests and alongside the marshes that can be found in the farthest corner of the island.

The seaside city of Brighton also features numerous cycle paths, which cover all areas of the city centre as well as the outskirts. Following the cycling path along the edge of Brighton’s pretty pebble beach is an uplifting experience, while cycle paths also lead visitors to areas of natural beauty such as the Seven Dials.

While there are plenty of different ways to explore the Isle of Wight, by far the most fun is to hop onto a bicycle and cycle around the island. The Island of Wight boasts 57 kilometres of coastline, and there are more than 200 paths of cycle paths and routes to explore. Nature lovers will really be in there element here, and among the wildlife that can be spotted while exploring the island by bike are red squirrels, rare bats and dormice. The Isle Wight also features pretty towns to take a break in along the way, including Cowes, Newport and Ryde.

The county of Bedfordshire is also famous for its intense natural beauty, and there is certainly no shortage of cycle paths to be found here. One of the most interesting cycle routes in Bedfordshire leads cyclists on a 22 mile ride from Biggleswade High Street to the Ashwell Loop. This cycle route is particularly easy to navigate as it is mostly flat and covers a rural area of the county, meaning that there is generally low traffic.

Wiltshire is home to the ancient standing stones of Stonehenge, which are among the most popular attractions in the whole of England. Aside from this magnificent monument, Wiltshire also features an excellent range of other attractions, such as stately homes, churches and abbeys. All of these attractions are connected by cycle paths, and most of the main cycle routes in the county of Wiltshire cover enchanting areas of countryside.

Cycling enthusiasts will want to make sure they take the time to check out the Avon Cycleway, which covers an impressive 85 miles. This circular route covers some of the most charming areas of the county, including sections of the River Avon. Avon also boasts the Bristol and Bath Railway Path, and following this cycling path is an excellent way to spend a sunny afternoon.