A review of the effectiveness of adult cycle training in Tower Hamlets, London

This study provides an evaluation of the effectiveness of adult cycle training in delivering changes in cycling and physical activity levels in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Evaluation of the programme was conducted using self-administered questionnaires completed pre-intervention (before the first training session) and again 3 months after the first training session. Just under half of those responding to both surveys (47%) reported cycling more frequently after the training than beforehand. Statistically significant increases in the mean number of days in the last week spent cycling for at least 30 min, and in the mean number of days cycled to work in the last 7 days were observed. After the training, participants cycled for longer on days on which they rode a bike than beforehand and there was a significant increase in overall physical activity levels amongst participants post-intervention. In conclusion, cycle training can be seen to be a useful strategy in encouraging people to cycle more often, and for longer, however more work is necessary to establish the longevity of this and the effect of other factors.