Compared to motor vehicles , bicycles provide what benefits ?
Among the disadvantages of cycling are the inherent instability of the bicycle , the immensely reduced protection in crashes ( especially in collisions with motor vehicles ) , longer travel time ( except in densely populated areas ) , vulnerability to weather conditions , difficulty in transporting passengers , competition ( and interference ) with socially beneficial forms of mass public transit , a persistent tendency for cyclists to intrude into pedestrian areas , and the particular levels of skill and fitness required by cycling .