A 2004 survey by the Chartered Management Institute found that the most reliable way of getting to work is by bicycle. The CMI believes travel disruptions are delaying managers at a cost of more than 2 million working-hours per week. The CMI survey examined the levels of disruption experienced by managers travelling to work by car, bus, motorbike, train, the underground and bicycle and found that those travelling by cycle experienced the least amount of delay.

On February 17th 2003 London motorists had to start paying a £5 charge when entering the congestion charge zone. The number of people cycling in central London has soared following the introduction of the congestion charge and the promotion of cycling as a convenient and healthy mode of travel. Official figures from 2003 show that, at peak times, there were 73 percent more people entering the congestion charge zone on bikes than in the year before the congestion charge was introduced. During May and June 2003, an average of 18,131 cyclists entered the congestion zone each day between 7am and 6.30pm. This represents a 31 percent increase on the previous year - with one cyclist entering the congestion charge zone for every seven private cars. During the same period, an average of 8,686 cyclists entered the congestion zone during the morning rush hour from 7.30am to 9.30am. This represents a 73 percent increase on 2002. (Source: Transport for London). In fact, the number of cyclists is higher than official counts because the cyclists entering the congestion zone are only counted on shared routes with other traffic. It’’s estimated more than 3000 cyclists a day are not included in the official figures.

A 2003 study from the Bolton Institute showed that the London borough of Hackney is increasing the number of cycle commuters faster than anywhere else in the UK. Six other Inner London boroughs make it into the UK top 14. And this study didn't take into account the growth in cycle commuting thanks to the congestion charge introduced in February 2003. In 2001 the proportion ofjourneys to work by bike in Hackney was 6.83 percent - an increase of almost 70 percent from the proportion in 1991 (4.03 percent) and more than 150 percent from 1981 (2.56 percent). Cambridge remains the UK district with the greatest amount of cycling (28.34 percent of journeys to work), but in terms of growth it loses out to Hackney.

(Source: John Parkin, Bolton Institute Comparisons of cycle use for the journey to work from the ”81, ”91 and 2001 censuses. Traffic Engineering and Control, September 2003).

Approximately 252 working days a year (minus holidays), multiplied by 14 miles each day, equals ... 3,128 miles. This is the distance I commute, per year, from my house to work.

I wouldn't trade my bike commute for the world – and especially not for the London underground. But the number does seem high, especially considering that I am a relatively slow cyclist (it usually takes me around 40-45 minutes to get to work).

That's a lot of time to spend pushing pedals along the same route, day in, day out. And while I take pride in my carefully crafted journey, which took weeks to perfect (a shortcut here, a nicer street there), I can't deny it any longer: I am experiencing commute fatigue and I need a change in my routine. Here are a few things I have tried or am thinking about trying in order to fight my growing boredom on the road:

1. Change your route. This seems simple enough, and has a few definite perks in my eyes. I fear that overfamiliarity with a route may lead me to become less careful over time, as I presume to know every light, every turn and every roundabout by heart. Tinkering with my circuit might help to keep me alert – and, let's face it, it's always fun getting lost in London's backstreets. The downside is that the new journey is likely to waste precious minutes, which could have been spent in bed.

2. Listen to your MP3 player. I'd hesitate to blast Rage Against the Machine at full volume through my earphones, as I'd like to hear cars coming, but I won't settle for music on low volume that I can't hear. I have therefore plumped for podcasts – talk shows, ebooks and stories are good enough to entertain me, played with some volume but not so loud as to put my life at risk. Most podcasts are also the perfect commuting length, lasting just under an hour. I would personally recommend Good Food, This American Life, Radio Lab.

3. Become a bike-geek. Invest in a bike computer, and track your progress or set yourself goals. The cheapest ones on the market should still be able to crunch numbers and tell you your average, current and maximum speeds, and will also sport an odometer and a timer. I really enjoyed using mine – until it was stolen, along with my previous bike. In the same vein, you can download many iPhone applications, such as MapMyRide, which let you calculate elevation and show you street level views.

4. Contemplate. With such an emphasis placed on having to ride as fast as possible – while avoiding dangerous drivers and discourteous pedestrians – perhaps a deliberate attempt to slow down and enjoy the act of cycling could be in order, if only once or twice a week. Setting aside a few more minutes to arrive at work on time leaves you free to ride around town and contemplate the seasonal changes. Alternatively, count how many cats you can spot in one go, or take mental notes on new autumn fashion trends by people-watching. You'll be surprised at how many faces will quickly become familiar.

Article taken from the guardian.co.uk bike blog