I’m now a cyclist. The Wandsworth one-way my time trial. Lavender Hill my mountain stage.

What surprised me was the transition and how easy it was. I have referred to why I have found myself making it before.

I spent a couple of hours last Saturday being trained by Cycle Training UK courtesy of the Wandsworth Cycling Campaign (WCC). It was certainly an eye-opener. Having avoided cycling for the best part of 20 years I had no real confidence on a bike (especially in London traffic) and little understanding of the needs of cycling.

But, of course, part of the point of WCC’s ‘Movers and Shakers’ (opens a PDF) campaign is to increase awareness of cycling issues. So while before I thought it was all about cycle lanes I would personally say that facilities (like places to secure a bike) at destinations are far more important in encouraging people to cycle.

It’s obviously early days: since my training session I’ve only managed one cycling commute (to and from the Town Hall for last night’s Local Strategic Partnership meeting) but I’m intending to keep it up – at least until my savings in bus fares cover the cost of lights and helmet for my borrowed bike!

I will post on my experiences from time to time, but it seems to me that the hardest bit is over, and was remarkably easy. What should the next challenge be, the London Marathon?