Guest blogger Lucy Lynn-Evans from wwwbike2basics.com tells FAF how cycling got her through one of her darkest moments, and why she thinks bikes and festivals are a match made in heaven.

“My brothers and I organise free cycle tours to festivals. Initially bike2basics was simply the happy consequence of an unhappy accident. When I was 21, my knee and pelvis were crushed thanks to the efforts of a particularly large truck. From then on walking was frustrating and painful, but cycling was easy and freeing. So I took to my bike, first to work then further afield and eventually my brothers were accompanying me not just to Brixton but Barcelona and Berlin.

After a hard day on the road...

We travelled round Europe visiting friends and festivals, and noticed that whilst everyone else left a festival looking and feeling like they had been dragged backwards through a bush, we were feeling fit and ready to remount our bikes. We wondered why more people didn’t bike to festivals.

So we sat down and mulled over the idea of organising free, festival-bound bicycle tours. It definitely had potential. Cycling (especially to a festival) is an excellent way for people to get/keep fit in an enjoyable way, rather than slogging it out at the gym because they feel they should.

We also became interested in the idea that whilst many people are increasingly environmentally responsible in their every day travel, far fewer people contemplate the impact of their one-off journeys. As festivals are a great mixing pot of people from all walks of life, they are perfect places to let ideas and actions spread. If we encourage eco-friendly travel to and from them, hopefully we can give the green movement a tiny nudge in the right direction.

Secret Garden Party

This year we are organising free tours to our favourite festivals. For me, that is hands- down the Secret Garden party in Cambridgeshire. Sam, who loves all things German, is leading us to Melt, a techno festival in an old Quarry in Berlin, and Harry will be taking us to the eccentric and colourful Bestival on the Isle of White. Not to neglect our non-festival going friends, we are also organising tours to cities like Brighton, Paris and Amsterdam. We want everyone to get on their bikes!

I am so excited. My leg and I had a bad time, but now I have a good idea, backed by good principles, helped out by fantastic brothers.”

Follow Lucy on twitter @Girl_onBike or www.bike2basics.com

Related posts:

Related posts:

1. Make an appointment with ‘Dr Bike’
2. Rob Penn: ‘It’s all about the bike’ review
3. Davina Mccall to front UK’s biggest women only bike ride
4. Things to consider when buying a new bike
5. An inside look at the London to Paris bike ride