It’s almost a year since the torch was lit and the London’s Olympics officially opened. British success at the Games was unprecedented; bettering Beijing to record an historic best ever medal haul.

At elite level we’re leading the way but arguably the success of London’s hosting of the Olympics should be judged by how British success will inspire a generation to take part in sport at whatever level.

I may be a little late to the party, but I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve caught the cycling bug; a sport which I, and I’m sure many others would agree, is one of our only genuine 2012 legacies.

Sitting out on Brighton seafront, watching thousands of keen cyclists complete the 60-mile journey from London to the coast for the annual London to Brighton bike ride was a pleasure to behold. Record numbers took part, whether just for fun or for charity, and it looks like a sign of things to come.

One can’t help but notice the boom in cycling; sales are up, cycle paths are chocked full at weekends and the presence of `bespoked’ commuters on the roads around Sussex and the South East is growing.

Not only are more of us gearing up for the roads but (perhaps more importantly) local authorities are beginning to take note too.

The Old Shoreham Road is slowly but surely becoming cycle-friendly, as roads through Hove and Brighton are widened to accommodate practical cycle paths. The recent introduction of the 20mph speed limit in the city should serve to make cycling on the roads easier, and certainly less dangerous, as the concept of ‘shared space’ become more widely accepted and adopted.

The introduction of government backed cycle-to-work schemes – which allow easier purchase for employees and incentives to employers – are being taken up in ever greater numbers and its evident from examples in the capital that larger employers are taking steps to ensure the right facilities are in place for those choosing to cycle to work; be it better cycle storage or onsite wash and shower facilities.

I have little doubt that more of those commuting a practical distance from home would swap the car for the bike in a heartbeat if they were able to safely store their bike then shower before starting their day. Hygiene aside, the health implications of a mass exodus to peddle-power would be dramatic.

The Olympics has certainly given UK folk the bug but to achieve the level of cycling seen on the continent, we need a multi-agency approach that welcomes better cycle paths, ensures the right facilities to store bikes are accessible and sees local authorities get passionate and willing to invest in transforming town and city centres into truly cycle-friendly hubs.

I for one would love to see the day when Brighton and Hove is a pedestrianised haven, where cyclists and pedestrians live in harmony, safe from the roar of engine noise and damaging carbon emissions. Lets face it, if Brighton can’t do it, no city can.

Until then, all we can do is mount our bikes and hit the road. If the popularity of cycling remains, it won’t just cement our place on the Olympic podium but could help reverse worrying trends in public health and ease the burden on our ailing roads, which are already overloaded and in an increasingly poor state of repair.