Power is back in lockdown, so... On yer bike!

So give the wasters a boot up the backside. It’s time they were called to account for their costly errors.

BIKE sales have been booming during the coronavirus crisis – up 40%, according to some estimates, as people use them more for leisure and getting to work during lockdown.

It’s currently Bike Week, when we’re all being encouraged to use two wheels for the sake of our health and the planet. Here, reveals 15 fascinating facts about cycling…

The first machine to look like a bicycle was invented by German Karl Drais. His Laufmaschine, also known as the “dandy horse”, was patented in 1817. It had handlebars and two wheels but no pedals. They were added by Scottish blacksmith Kirkpatrick Macmillan to an 1839 design. them much more comfortable and triggered a cycling craze. Bicycle polo was one of the demonstration sports at the 1908 London Olympics.

By World War One the British Army had bicycle units, and in 1937 the Japanese used 50,000 of them during its invasion of China.

We spend £1.4billion a year on them and UK cyclists travel an average of more than 1,000 miles annually on their two-wheeled steeds.

Famous designs have included the Raleigh Chopper, below. Damien Hirst’s Butterfly Bike fetched half a million dollars when it went to auction. 600 calories an hour – that’s the equivalent of a burger.

A study by the University of California found that the more miles women cycle, the better they report their sex lives. Studies suggest it’s a myth that being in the saddle can make men impotent. Celeb cycling fans include Towie’s Lucy Mecklenburgh and Davina McCall. Top Tory politician Norman Tebbit made headlines in the 1980s by telling how his jobless dad “got on his bike” to look for work. The world’s most famous cycling race, the Tour de France, began in 1903. Six winners since 2012 have been Brits, with Geraint Thomas (below right) victorious in 2018.

Britain’s cyclists, including Sir Bradley Wiggins and Victoria Pendleton, won eight Olympic golds at London 2012. Six-time gold medal winner Sir Chris Hoy says: “The great thing about cycling is it offers something for everyone, however you want to ride.”