One in five adults in Wales have not ridden a bike in 10 years

One in five adults in Wales has not ridden a bike once in the last decade, according to research from a charity.

British Heart Foundation (BHF) Cymru found that things were even worse than that - one in seven people said they had forgotten how to turn the pedals as it had been so long.

A quarter of residents said it had been more then six years since they got astride a bike, and one in five said they were deterred by a fear of falling off or crashing.

Hannah Townsend from BHF Cymru, said: “It’s surprising to learn that whilst there is a clear appetite for cycling in Wales, there is still a vast amount of us who are not getting on our bikes often enough, or even at all. Cycling is a fantastic way of keeping your heart healthy.”

Earlier this year we reported how, across the UK, one in ten British people who say they wouldn’t know what to do if they got back in the saddle.

A further one in five of the 2,047 respondents to the survey by Censuswide, commissioned by the British Heart Foundation, said that they have not got on a bike in more than ten years.

The survey was commissioned to tie in with the launch of this year’s London-Brighton bike ride, and Elizabeth Tack from the charity said: “It’s surprising to learn that while there is a clear appetite for cycling in the UK, there is still a vast amount of us who are not getting on our bikes often enough, or even at all.

“Cycling is a fantastic way of keeping your heart healthy, which is why we’re encouraging everyone to dust off their bikes this year and challenge themselves to take on our London to Brighton Bike Ride to help support our vital research into heart disease.

 “We can provide all the support you need to get you back in the saddle this year, with free training guides and advice available for all registered cyclists in the run up to the big day.

She added: “It’s a fantastic day out for all the family and every pound you raise will help make a difference to millions.”

Many councils throughout the UK now provide free or subsidised cycle training to first-time adult cyclists or people who are returning to riding a bike after a break of several years.