IT’S BIKE WEEK: ENJOY THE RIDE!

Cycling UK, the national cycling charity, is preparing for the launch of Bike Week, the annual celebration of all things bike-related. The event, which has been running since 1923, will run from 30 May to 5 June and focuses on how cycling boosts our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

The restrictions placed on our daily lives by the coronavirus pandemic caused many people’s physical and mental health to suffer. Cycling helps to tackle both these problems, by providing physical exercise and also connecting people with nature, while offering a safe alternative to public transport or cars for essential journeys.

The past year has seen a bike boom: figures from the Bicycle Association show that 3.1 million bicycles were purchased in the UK in 2020, and the value of the UK cycle sector soared by 45% compared with 2019, to £2.31 billion. Cycling UK welcomes this trend and wants the increase in bike journeys to become part of the “new normal” as restrictions continue to ease. Anybody can participate in Bike Week by pledging to ride and logging their journeys at bikeweek.org.uk.

As part of the celebrations, Cycling UK is opening a pop-up shop in Cardiff city centre for the week; anyone is welcome to drop in and say hello. The shop, at 2/4 Morgan Arcade, CF10 1AF, facing St Mary Street, will be open from Tuesday 1 June to Friday 4 June and visitors will be able to find out more about Cycling UK’s activities in Wales, collect children’s Bike Week activity packs, pick up free gifts and get their bikes checked free of charge. For a full timetable of events, see https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/bike-week-cardiff-and-beyond.

Gwenda Owen, Cycling UK engagement officer for Wales, said: “Bike Week is always great but this year in Wales it’s going to be even better!  Creating a cycling hub in the centre of Cardiff is a fantastic opportunity to let many more people know about the great things that are happening for cycling and how they can get involved.”

On Sunday 30 May, the World’s Biggest Bike Ride, supported by leading bike retailer Evans Cycles, aims to get as many people as possible across the UK, cycling on one day. Everyone who signs up at bikeweek.org.uk will receive a free region mapping bundle worth £8.99 from the ride sharing and planning app Komoot.

With Bike Week coinciding with half term in much of the country, Cycling UK has also teamed up with Komoot to offer a collection of 21 family-friendly bike rides across the UK: https://www.komoot.com/collection/1164753/21-family-friendly-bike-rides-in-the-uk.

Throughout the week, people sharing their ride on social media using the hashtag #7DaysOfCycling can win great prizes, including a junior bike from Halfords, £100 vouchers from cycle clothing firm Rapha, and much more. The bikeweek.org.uk website has lots of challenges, routes and activities to inspire cyclists of all ages, whether they are experienced or novices, as well as virtual events including online advice sessions and yoga classes for cyclists.

Sarah Mitchell, chief executive of Cycling UK, commented: “Over the past year we have really seen the importance of staying active and getting outside for our wellbeing, both physical and mental. We estimate that one in three people in the UK either owns or has access to a bike – that’s about 25 million people. This Bike Week we want to see as many of them as possible sharing the benefits and joy of cycling and showing the possibilities of a better world by bike.”