Five out of 10 respondents did not know how to cycle and a large number (62 percent) admitted they had not thought about using a bike for daily activities.

A substantial number (28 percent) of 18- to 44-year-olds said they would be willing to use a bike as an alternative means of transport, women in particular (30 percent).

Greeks may not yet realize that bikes can be used as a cheap and versatile means of transport but they have tried cycling at some time in their lives. Well-educated people aged 18-24 scored the highest (95 percent). These figures are promising. Apart from the Athens metro, only old and busy subway systems (Paris and London) forbid bikes on trains.

Cyclists' associations in Greece have complained and the Attiko Metro company is examining the issue. However, there are quite a few Greek metro users who are against passengers taking their bikes on the underground (23 percent).

Thousands of bikes are left to gather dust on balconies and in yards. Thirty-seven out of 100 respondents own a bike and the figure is even higher for the 18-24 age group (39 percent). So why are these bikes not on the streets?

The majority of respondents (29 percent) declared that they last used their bike on the islands over the summer, on family trips in the countryside, on unbuilt spaces or at a playground. Very few continued to use their two-wheelers in adulthood. Only 5 percent of the respondents said they had used their bike the previous day and most of these were women.