Ah, the joys of spring and being able to get out on your bike again. Doing the daily grind of cycling to work and back through wind, rain and snow means you can lose sight of the reason you took up cycling in the first place - because it's so much fun.

Easter weekend proved to be a perfect time to blow the cobwebs off your spokes and get out into the countryside. I managed to cycle to the Cotswolds and was really struck by how much I'd missed long-distance cycling. The hills can be a real bummer, but getting to the top never fails to feel like an enormous achievement. After that, the downhill feels well deserved.

There was a problem with this particular ride, though. I've got a creak. I know the cause and it shouldn't have any impact on the way I cycle, but it's just really irritating. My creak has gone from a tiny whisper to a grinding so loud that even fellow cyclists can hear it. I could tell it was bad when my husband commented on it - I didn't think he ever cycled close enough to hear me speak, never mind hear my squeak. Eventually, I'll replace my pedals and the creaky squeak will go but until then, I'm putting up with it. But the squeak did make me think about buying a new bike.

Luckily, my employer is soon to bring in a scheme to help people buy bikes. There is a Government tax break available to people buying a bike for commuting - what a very sensible idea. And what a shame the Government doesn't advertise this deal more.

This means that people get their bikes at a reduced cost. Fantastic news. Anyone thinking of commuting by bike can bite the bullet more easily. Most bike shops in Oxford are supporting the scheme - you just need to make sure your employer is.

Once the scheme is in place, it's possible to buy everything for a daily commute with a hefty discount, then pay the money back through monthly instalments from your salary. There are several different suppliers, the best known being Cyclescheme and Booost. If your employer hasn't brought it in yet, ask why not!

Once you've got a bike for commuting, it makes sense to explore your surroundings by bike. Cyclox, the cycling campaign for Oxford, is offering a free guided bike ride every Wednesday evening until the end of October.

The rides are a sociable introduction to pleasant routes in the Oxfordshire countryside. The rides aren't a slog, either. They involve a leisurely 45-minute cycle out and another 45 minutes back, a maximum of 15 miles. Cyclists of any age and ability can easily keep up and the pace of the group is that of its slowest member, so no-one is left behind.

The rides take a new route every week along short cuts, hidden cycle paths and parts of Sustrans' (www.sustrans.org.uk) national cycle routes, avoiding heavily-trafficked roads. All rides go to a country pub. Meet at Najar's Place, the sandwich kiosk near Martyrs' Memorial in St Giles), at 5.15pm as every ride leaves at 5.30 sharp. Take friends, waterproofs (you never know) and lights and enjoy the ride.

For further details, email OnYerBike@nqo.com or call 07901 668665 for further details.