Bradley Wiggins could save £11 a year running his washing machine with pedal power

Using the energy generated by pedalling a bike is nothing new - we've had the dynamo bike light since about 1895. But this rather cute infographic from MoneySupermarket shows just how much power a cyclist could put out, and put to good use, around the home.

An average cyclist could power a desktop PC, small television, or desklamp, it says, and Bradley Wiggins is (possibly uniquely) capable of running a washing machine at 500 watts per hour. Unfortunately it's beyond even the most powerful pedaller to run a fridge, which requres a whopping 700 watts per hour.

What's more, at that rate of cycling, Brad could be saving £11.67 a year by cycling for an hour a day. Look away now, sponsors. At that rate he could be paying off the cost of a bicycle powered generator (£260) in just 147 years.

The rest of the graphic makes for rather smug reading for those of us who are regular cyclists. The most energy efficient mode of transport in general use? Check. Oh yes, and you're one in a billion. A billion cyclists worldwide that is. Congratulations!

Image source: MoneySupermarket