Done any cycling today?

For 21 days in June, there was lots at stake – to be more precise every single kilometre. Mind you: not by car, but by bicycle.

What was all this in aid of? The trigger for this sporting initiative was a nationwide campaign called “City-Cycling”. It was inaugurated in 2008 and ha since then been motivating people to do more cycling again – and thus at the same time make a contribution towards climate protection. In addition ton some health benefits, of course: more exercise to offset a sedentary workplace keeps you lastingly fit and healthy.

The proud total: 5,100 kilometres

Besides all of Regensburg’s schools and companies, two of our own teams were also represented: Team Krones entered ten participants, and from Syskron came no fewer than 18 cyclists. But no matter whether it’s on the way to work or privately, whether it was every day or on lengthy weekend tours, the results of the two teams after 21 days are highly impressive: they totalled almost 5,100 kilometres, thus saving our natural environment around 730 kilograms of CO₂. Besides this outstanding success, one thing was paramount: the sheer enjoyment of cycling. And if during the summer it was simply too hot for cycling, you can take advantage of the pleasant temperatures and cycle through the blazing colours of the autumnal forests.

What exactly is the city cyclists’ verdict?

Sebastian Stuber was part of the Krones team. And despite his youth is already an old hand. “I took part in the City-Cycling Initiative because for a long time now I’ve been using my bicycle for as many of my journeys as possible. That’s why this year isn’t the first time I’ve been involved in the initiative: I did a lot of cycling for it in the last two years as well. And because I think this is a really great initiative, I shall be taking part next year as well.”

The Syskron Cycling Team was founded by Kirsten Probst: “Since I cycle to work most of the time anyway, the campaign wasn’t really much of a change for me. Nor was it at all difficult to motivate so many of my colleagues to join the City Cycling Initiative – some of them even clocked up far more kilometres than me. We all thought it was really brilliant that together as a team we could officially make a contribution towards climate protection.”

Team Syskron’s commitment even went so far that one evening they met up for a joint cycling tour, since after all: when you’ve already registered as a team, you should go cycling together at least once, shouldn’t you?