Hundreds of Canberrans faced the frost yesterday and rode bicycles to work as a part of national Ride To Work Day.
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Pedal Power treated cyclists to a free breakfast sausage sizzle in Glebe Park, after riding the proposed Civic Cycle Loop.
The loop is intended to link current cycle paths to make the city more accessible, and safer, for cyclists.
Canberra has a strong cycling community, with sporting riders either racing or undertaking 100km training rides early on weekend mornings in their uniform of aerodynamic Lycra clothing.
However, yesterday's event at Glebe Park saw many of the riders attend in business attire and casual clothing.
One such rider, employed by the Department of Climate Change, was Libby Oakes-Ash. She has been riding for 10 years and now owns seven bikes.
''I live in Belconnen, so that's a bit too far to ride, so I drive to Lyneham and park where it's free, then ride from Lyneham to work [in Civic],'' Ms Oakes-Ash said. She said that she became addicted to cycling after she started when she turned 40. She now rides a restored vintage bike to work every morning.
''I've done the whole Lycra thing, but now it's only about 6km to work, so that means I can wear my work clothes. I keep a hair dryer and straightener in my bag for touch ups.''
Although Ms Oakes-Ash loves to ride to work, and is able to do it Lycra-free, she said there are improvements to be made for cyclists in the ACT.
''I think we still need better bike paths down Northbourne, [because] I see accidents weekly,'' she said. ''Wearing helmets should be enforced, I know that there are conflicting views on their safety in the cycling community and in the research, but wearing a helmet has saved my life.''
Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change, Mark Dreyfus QC, was at the breakfast and said that although he was unable to ride to work in his electorate in Melbourne, he rode to work whenever he is in Canberra. ''Canberra is a great city for riding a bike,'' he said. ''This is the sixth annual Ride To Work Day, it's great because it shows others that it is possible.''
ANU law student, and Isaacs resident David Rowe said that there were economic advantages to riding instead of driving. ''A few years ago I rode more because it was cheaper, but now I can afford to drive most days,'' he explained. He said that although it was quicker to ride on Adelaide Avenue, he preferred cycle paths so he could avoid roads entirely.