Over half (53%) of UK cyclists have taken it up in the last 18 months, but two thirds say their friends and family worry about their safety on the road, according to new research.
Road confidence is also an issue, with one in five not feeling confident on the roads, according to a survey of 2,018 adults commissioned by Vodafone.
The way people commute is changing, with three in 10 (31%) saying they always choose to cycle over other forms of transport.
The trend is set to grow, with 61% of cyclists saying they will cycle more in the future.
Cities across the UK, including London, Brighton, Bristol and Exeter, are also redesigning streets to accommodate this ‘bike-boom’ and create safer cycling routes.
As the popularity of UK cycling continues, so does the importance of road safety.
The research by Vodafone found that 22% of cyclists are not confident on the roads when they cycle.
Furthermore, cyclists feel most unsafe when cycling on busy roads (44%), leading almost seven in 10 (68%) to say they are nervous about increased levels of road traffic as the pandemic begins to end.
Almost one fifth (19%) of UK cyclists also admitted to arguing with motorists over road-etiquette with 12% having been in a road accident and 39% having had a “near-miss”.
Just under four in 10 (38%) cyclists believe that rules for motorists should be enforced to keep cyclists safe and prevent accidents.
When asked about the most common altercation with motorists, three in 10 (30%) cyclists have witnessed motorists fail to signal when turning and a similar 30% have felt that a motorist has not given them enough space when overtaking.
Bike theft is also a concern - one in five (19%) cyclists say they have had their bike stolen in the past, leading to two-fifths (41%) saying they would like more places to safely lock their bike.
Vodafone carried out the research to help support the launch of its new Curve Bike light & GPS tracker, which has an intelligent rear brake light, impact detection feature, GPS tracker and movement alerts. It has been designed to help address cyclists' concerns about road safety and bike theft.
Max Taylor, Vodafone consumer director, sai: “This past year has seen the popularity of cycling surge across the UK. However, our research highlights that cyclists are worried about their safety on the roads and about whether their bike will get stolen.
"We’ve created a product that’s dedicated to helping cyclists feel confident when they commute to work."
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