It’s the National Bike Week on 18-26 June, a chance for everybody to celebrate cycling and get more people into cycling. Last year almost half a million people took part in events hosted right across the country, but let’s see if we can go bigger than that this year.
Here’s a roundup of some of the events taking place next week. Have we missed any? Let us know in the forum below.
Chris Boardman launches Bike Week
Chris Boardman and Ed Clancy earlier this week launched Team Green Britain Bike Week at the London Eye with the first of hundreds of ‘Bike Fixes’ which will take place between June 18-26.
“When EDF Energy asked me to get involved with Team Green Britain Bike Week I was really keen,” said Clancy. “Let’s hope we can get plenty of bikes out of sheds and back on the roads. Bikes aren’t just for racing – for short journeys they are a really practical way to get around.”
Britain’s Biggest Bike Fix – get a free bike check
Britain’s Biggest Bike Fix is an ambitious attempt to repair as many bikes as possible during Team Green Britain Bike Week. The initiative aims to liberate 10,000 unused bikes from sheds and garages by encouraging their owners to dig them out, get punctures fixed, brakes adjusted and gears tuned at events across the country.
Bicycle Association chairman Phillip Darnton said: “We know that 77 per cent of people in the UK own a bike, but only 14 per cent use them regularly and a major barrier to people getting back on two wheels is often something as simple to fix as a dodgy brake or puncture.
TFL London Cycle Challenge
For all London-based cyclists, the TFL Cycle Challenge rewards your pedalling with prizes. Any miles you ride are logged on the website, organised by teams, and the team with the most collected miles at the end of the competition win some great prizes. Oh and it’s free to enter.
https://cyclechallenge.tfl.gov.uk/overview
Get on your bike – organised rides
There are organised rides across the country, the perfect opportunity to get out on your bike and share the roads with other cyclists.
In Scotland Deaf Connections are running two events, and a BSL (British Sign Language) version of the event listing, which can be viewed through both the Deaf Connections, and the Team Green Britain Bike Week
Cyclescheme making bike ownership easier
Cyclescheme are hosting roadshow events. At these events it doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner or an experienced cyclist, enjoy cycling to work or just cycle for fun, there’s something for everyone.
Cyclescheme is the UK’s No. 1 provider of tax-free bikes under the Government’s Cycle to Work initiative and has the largest network of independent bike shops in the UK. With over 1700 shops to choose from, a quick and simple online application and dedicated service, choosing a bike couldn’t be easier.
www.bikeweek.org.uk/news.php?read=11&pageNum=1
Vicky’s top bike tips
If you’re looking to get your bike out of the shed or garage this weekend in readiness for the Bike Week, it might need a bit of work to get it ready. Olympic gold medallist Victoria Pendleton offers here five top tips to getting your bike ready to ride in this video.
www.youtube.com/user/TGBBikeWeek#p/a/u/0/MoTaR7pgWQM
Shipley Country Park cycle ride
A 10 mile bike ride from Shipley Country Park along the Nutbrook Trail will take place on June 19 as part of National Bike Week. The gentle two-hour ride starts with a talk about the National Cycle Network from 1pm to 3pm and sets off from 3pm.
UK Healthcare offering 15% bike discounts
If you’re a UK Healthcare policyholder you’re in luck, you’re entitled to a 15% discount of a Halfords bike as a benefit of their Everyday health cash plan.
The UK Healthcare cash plan provides cash back on everyday healthcare expenses like visiting the dentist and optician or even paying for prescriptions, within set policy limits. You can also claim towards health and wellbeing treatment expenses such as physiotherapy, chiropractic and osteopathy and you can even claim for overnight hospital stays, whether in a private or NHS facility.
Liverpool offers packed schedule of events
Liverpool City Council’s cycling team has worked with partners to deliver a programme which ties in with the national celebrations and there’s plenty on offer for Liverpool cyclists of all ages and abilities.
The fun kicks off on Saturday 18 June (11am-3pm) with a ‘Bike SAS’ session at the Harry Moncrief Community Centre, L17. Organised by Cycle Aigburth, the event will see Merseyside Police marking bikes with tamper-proof numbers, which will be added to the national Ultimate Bicycle Security register.
Visitors will also be able to get information about cycling around the city and take advantage of a free ‘Dr Bike’ session – with a qualified mechanic carrying out bike checks.
And the week ends in style on Sunday 26 June, with another Cycle Aigburth event, a leisurely-paced bike ride around the city, taking in some of the city’s beautiful green spaces. Leaving Sefton Park at 11am, the two-and-a-half hour ride takes in Princes Park, Everton Park, Stanley Park, Edinburgh Park and Newsham Park, before heading back to Sefton Park.
www.liverpool.gov.uk/news/details.aspx?id=198531
Dublin aims to get more bums on saddles
Ireland’s National Bike Week kicks off this weekend too. Capital lord mayor, Gerry Breen, officially launched activities at St. Stephen’s Green.
The mayor said he hoped people would take advantage of the activities, running until June 26, to get into cycling and join the dublinbikes rental scheme.
Mr Breen said: “Dublin Bike Week is a great opportunity for anyone who cycles or who wants to start to get together and enjoy some great events, Dublin is now a very bike-friendly city.
www.edie.net/news/news_story.asp?id=20148&channel=0&title=Dublin+gears+up+for+Bike+Week+
Galway gets in on the fun
The Galway Bike Festival 2011, as part of National Bike Week, will commence on Saturday. Now in its third year, the Galway Bike Festival promotes cycling for everyone, aims to increase the number of cyclists in Galway and supports a dynamic cycling culture in the city and county.
The festival kicks off on Saturday on Eyre Square, with the national opening event of Bike Week. The event runs from 11.30am to 5.00pm and is a family friendly celebration of cycling. It promises a day of festivities including a bicycle village here in Eyre Square, Live Music from the Black Magic Band, BMX Stunt Displays from Ramprage , face painters, balloon modellers, drumming workshops, and a mass, non competitive cycle to Salthill and back, departing Eyre Square at 2.00pm. It promises fun for all the family.
www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/40772/get-on-yer-bike-for-bike-week
Loads more Bike Week events
See what events are happening in your area here www.bikeweek.org.uk/event_search.php
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