Last week the nation was urged to saddle up for the UK’s first National Cycle to Work day. The event, championed by Dame Sarah Storey aimed to increase the number of people who regularly cycle to work.

According to the latest census data, 760,000 people in the UK cycle to work regularly – this number keeps growing steadily, but the campaign wants to see those numbers skyrocket this year and beyond! By 2021, the ambitious aim is to see one million people regularly commuting to work by bike.

Many of us spend hours after work sweating it out at the gym until late in the evening, when cycling to work would provide exercise and our commute at the same time. It seems fairly obvious, to take to your bike, avoid the daily wrestle with unpredictable public transport as well as saving money too. So what exactly is stopping us?

If we assume that most of us own or have access to a bike, even if it has lived a happy dust-covered life in the garage for longer than you would care to admit, it is safety and security that are often cited as the main reasons that put people off the idea of regularly cycling to work.

After Team GB’s success at the 2012 Olympics and the fantastic weather we had this summer, the Canopies By Acer cycle shelter team have seen a marked increase in school and workplace cycle shelter installations, suggesting that employers are beginning to realise the benefits to be gained by meeting employees halfway on the need for secure cycling areas. The days of finding a lamp post for your bike should now be a thing of the past with our range of cycle storage solutions, that range from the affordable Carolina cycle shelter, that need not be a huge investment, to dedicated cycle compounds for forward thinking businesses and schools who are serious about cycle storage.

But what about safety?  First things first, the most important safety item that you cannot do without is a helmet. Any reputable shop can help you find a helmet within your budget that fits correctly. You also need a flashing red LED light for the rear and a flashing white LED light for the front. An additional, rechargeable front light is also a good idea if you intend to cycle at night, as is reflective clothing. There are many affordable lights and safety clothing products available now and the more you can be seen, the better.

But although the victory podium is in sight, you are not quite there yet. The key thing is to not give yourself a reason to cop out at the last minute, so make sure that you and your bike are ready to go. Pack your bag, lay your kit out the night before and make sure that your tyres are pumped up and you will be riding slingshot past your colleagues in no time.

Get your race- face on and get going, you are running out of excuses.