Abstract
The first part of this paper provides evidence of the risks of cycling. In Helsinki injury accidents is five times higher for cyclists than for travelling by car and ten times higher than for bus transport. It is also shown that, for Helsinki, it is safer to cycle on streets with car traffic than on the common two-way cycle paths along the roads. The second part of the paper begins with the statement that as a transport mode cycling competes with public transport. When promoting cycling as a transport mode for environmental or public health reasons the question is whether these reasons are strong enough to compensate for the serious safety problems of cycling. The author discusses this dilemma.