When Maria's car failed its test last spring, she was reluctant to spend money on a new one. Her colleague Tom, who cycled to the office every day, suggested that she try the bike instead. She laughed at first, because the journey was eleven miles and she hadn't ridden since university. However, Tom managed to persuade her, and he even lent her an old helmet and a pair of waterproof trousers. The first week was exhausting. Her legs ached, and she arrived at work so sweaty that she needed a shower before every meeting. She told Tom that she would give up if it didn't get easier. He tried to reassure her by explaining that the route would feel shorter once her body adjusted. If she had quit then, she would never have discovered the quiet canal path, which is shaded by tall trees and almost empty before eight o'clock. Now, six months later, Maria is far fitter and she has saved a surprising amount of money. She says the ride clears her mind, so she is much less anxious about her workload than she used to be. Her doctor was amazed by how much her blood pressure had improved. Maria admits that cycling in heavy rain is still miserable, but she would never go back to sitting in traffic. Last week she even encouraged another colleague to consider buying a bike, and she offered to ride beside her for the first few mornings, so that nobody would feel nervous alone.