It has been called the greatest invention – a better piece of engineering than Concorde or the Bugatti Veyron. And in terms of simplicity, practicality and functionality it is hard to beat. Certainly the bicycle has enjoyed a surge in popularity over the past five years, with London alone seeing an 83% increase in the number of pedal pushers.

The figure is likely to rise as roads become more congested and the benefits in health and cost-saving of using a bike become harder to resist. Just as the number of cyclists has increased so has the number of websites that cater for them. From sites where riders can buy and sell bikes to chat rooms, tips on cycle routes and clarification on the laws of cycling, the web is teeming with advice.

WHY CYCLE?

There can be little argument about cycling being the healthiest way to get around. Bupa has a summary of the health benefits of pedal power at tinyurl.com/b56mm and you can also download the Cycling and Health report by Cycling England, available at tinyurl.com/33vzlb .

Making a few journeys by bike instead of car is a good way to reduce your carbon footprint and at the same time shed excess weight. For any journey, you can calculate the number of calories you’ll pedal away at www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php.

In cities, particularly, cycling is frequently the fastest way from A to B. For trips in the capital, Transport for London’s (tfl.gov.uk) online journey planner will give you a quick route between any two points and the estimated journey time. The site does not always suggest the quietest routes, however, but you can plan these using the excellent free cycle maps that can be ordered from the same website. These feature traffic-free and recommended quiet roads.

For longer journeys, the charity Sustrans (www.sustrans.org.uk) has a downloadable map of the 12,000-mile National Cycle Network, one-third of which is traffic free. Its website also has an interactive route planner showing the closest parts of the network to any given location.

CHOOSING SOME WHEELS

Before buying a bike, give some thought to what type would suit you best. The buying guide at Bike For All (tinyurl.com/39xe3q) can help you decide. For first timers, there is plenty of sensible advice on offer at www.whycycle.co.uk, including a jargon buster to prevent cycle-shop geeks throwing unfamiliar terminology at you.

Beware of buying online. Unless you know exactly what you want, it’s best to visit a dealer, where you will get expert advice and can handle the goods. To find your nearest bike shop or a manufacturer’s local dealer check www.cyclinglinks.co.uk.

You may have an unused bike sitting in a shed or garage that needs a bit of a spring clean. Basic maintenance demonstration videos can be found at www.weldtite.co.uk/podcasts. For in-depth repair guides, have a look at the American site www.parktool.com.

EASY RIDER

You can save up to 50% of the cost of a new bike and spread the outlay by buying it through the government’s cycle to work initiative, with the cost of the bike deducted from your salary over 18 monthly payments. The scheme is available through large retailers such as Halfords (www.halfordsb2b.com/ bikes4work-schemes.asp) and Evans Cycles (www.evanscycles.com/ride2work).

For long commutes, bike and train can be a great combination. You can check for carriage restrictions at www.atob.org.uk/bike_rail.html – a site that also gives a useful indication of how much space each rail company allows for cycles or whether they allow bikes at all.

Folding bicycles are a commuter favourite because they can be taken on trains and buses even at peak times. The London cycle shop Velorution (www.velorution.biz) has a rent-before-you-buy scheme so you can try one without committing to it.

If you desire the most exotic, cutting-edge technology and have got upwards of £3,000 to spare, the experts at www.poshbikes.com will custom make a road bike or mountain bike.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

To minimise the chance of theft, read the entertaining article “Lock it or lose it” by Carlton Reid, which has advice on how thieves operate and how to deter them (tinyurl.com/yplzou).

Far more important is keeping yourself safe when on your bike. Anyone riding in town should check out some of the videos at www.videojug.com/tag/cycling, particularly the six-minute film “How to ride safely in a city”. There is no substitute for accompanied training on real roads to fast-track your ability. The Bikeability scheme, developed by Cycling England, is available on three levels of difficulty (www.bikeability.org.uk).

It is well worth joining a cycle organisation. The best options are the London Cycle Campaign (www.lcc.org.uk) or the Cycle Touring Club (www.ctc.org.uk), which both have telephone information helplines on any aspect of cycling.

CYCLE NETWORKING

Cycling’s version of MySpace can be found at www.meandmybicycle.com where you can share photos and videos with other cyclists and talk about all manner of related topics. One of the liveliest mountain biking sites can be found at www.singletrackworld.com. If you want to get away from it all, visit www.cycleactive.co.uk, which offers cycling trips in the UK, Slovenia, Spain, Italy, the French Alps and Morocco.