Dragao Porto on Portuguese Pedal-Power

Feb. 24, 2012 - PRLog -- There have been concerns recently over the state of health of the average Portuguese citizen. Yet it seems worries over increased stress and a rise in the consumption of take-away meals and fast food may be unfounded as recent figures from the Portuguese Cycling Federation ( Federação Portuguesa de Ciclismo – FCP) seem to point to a growing number of cyclists in the country. In fact, the FCP claim their number of associated members has almost doubled in the last ten years – from just over four-and-- half thousand in 2001, to over eight-and-a-half thousand by the end of last year.
“This is good news,” said a source within local company Dragao Porto. “It should be a counter-balance to the growing fast food culture and a helping hand to the environment at the same time.”
The FCP believe their growth in membership is due, in part, to the competitions and sporting events which the Federation organises, but they also admit that people are becoming more aware of healthier pastimes, as pressure is put on everyone to adopt a better diet and take regular exercise. This is a rising trend which the Portuguese have picked up on from the UK, according to founder of the Algarve-based Algarve Activity Bike Rides Paul Beesley.
“It’s comforting to see the trend spreading,” says Dragao Porto, “If more people – not only in Portugal but across Europe – can adopt a healthier lifestyle and a more environmentally-friendly mode of transport, won’t the result mean a better world for us all?”
Luis Venacio manages ‘Loja das Bicycletas’, one of the largest bike retail outlets in Lisbon. He has been in his trade for sixteen years and has noticed the growing popularity of cycling, both as a pastime and an exercise regime. “It started with people abandoning road bikes for others,” he told The Portugal News. “Then the boom of mountain biking occurred, and has been gradually increasing.” Mr Venacio believes that cycling’s growing appeal is also due to people wanting to make use of the kilometres of dedicated cycle paths that are being created in cities such as Lisbon.
“That’s something we can be thankful to our government for,” said a source within Dragao Porto. “The addition of special cycling pathways to our roads shows that the government have recognised an increasing preference for the healthier option, and they are keen to encourage it.”
Yet although the sport has gained popularity, Luis Venacio says dedicated cycling retailers such as ‘Loja das Bicycletas’ are still feeling the pinch of the economic crisis and struggling under pressure to compete with supermarkets and sporting goods chain stores which also supply cycling goods. However, he remains optimistic: “Competition is also positive, though, because there are now more people cycling and needing technical assistance as well as bikes and accessories, so there is room for us in the market.”

Source: http://www.theportugalnews.com/cgi-bin/article.pl?id=1152-7