Why are there more men than women on Britain's bikes?

Yet in her lifetime, the average woman will spend a staggering £150,164 in her bid to lose weight, so why are we so reluctant to try out one of the cheapest and easiest ways of exercising?

Despite a spree of high profile women turning to the cycle revolution – Duffy, Hannah Montana and Madonna, to name but a few – British women at large aren’t following their lead.  Safety concerns rank highly amongst women’s reasons, as does age, with 17 per cent of women considering themselves too old to cycle.

Melissa Henry, spokesperson for Sustrans, a leading sustainable transport charity which commissioned the report, highlights the best reasons for cycling: “Getting on a bike brings many benefits.  Cycling raises your metabolic rate, helping the weight stay off; it costs a fraction of keeping a car or even a gym membership, and regular cyclists are as fit as an average person ten years younger.”

If you would like to get out on two wheels try visiting www.bikebelles.org.uk for practical help and advice on getting started.