British Cycling and Lloyds have launched Sofa to Saddle, a free app-based programme designed to help more people start cycling and build confidence on the bike.
The eight-week programme, described by the partners as cycling’s answer to Couch to 5K, has been created to support beginners and returning riders with structured guidance, confidence-building milestones, route support and basic bike care advice.
The launch comes as new research commissioned by British Cycling found that nearly half of the British public spend more than 18 hours a week on the sofa, while 70% say they want to be more active.
Sofa to Saddle is intended to address common barriers to cycling, including safety concerns, intimidation, access to bikes and uncertainty about how to begin. The programme includes milestone rewards, off-bike activities, check-ins and advice from health professionals and Great Britain Cycling Team specialists.
British Cycling said the app forms part of an ambition to get one million more people pedalling by 2028. The organisation’s research also found that 30 million people in the UK cycled at least once in the past year, four million more than in 2022.
The launch builds on the partnership between Lloyds and British Cycling, now in its third year, which aims to improve access to cycling and inspire a healthier Britain.
To mark the campaign launch, former England rugby union player Joe Marler rode a custom “sofa bike” around Manchester, the home of British Cycling.
Marler said: “I’ll be the first to admit that my sofa is my absolute happy place, but spending over 18 hours a week on it is a lot, even for me. We aren’t asking people to change their lives overnight or take on some gruelling fitness regime. Sofa to Saddle is about lowering the stakes and simply trading just one or two of those weekly sofa hours for a bike ride.”
He added: “I’ve always used riding as a way to clear my head when the noise gets a bit too much, or just to have a proper laugh going on weekend rides with the family. Taking the custom sofa bike for a spin around Manchester was fun, but the message behind it is serious: getting out on two wheels is one of the simplest ways to make your day better.”
Tracy Power, managing director of the British Cycling Foundation, said: “We are delighted to launch Sofa to Saddle as we hope to see real-time change in not only the perception of cycling, but the numbers of people regularly cycling in Britain.”
Power added: “Our research highlights that the appetite to get on a bike is there, and it’s proven to make people feel better about themselves. Now, we have a way to support and enable people to take those first steps in ways which work for them.”
Jon Lane, head of brand partnerships at Lloyds, said: “We are deeply passionate about our work with British Cycling, which allows us to champion everyone from absolute beginners finding their confidence to the future Olympians of tomorrow.”
“Sofa to Saddle is all about celebrating those everyday journeys. We know that getting on a bike can work wonders for both physical and mental wellbeing, and this app is designed to dismantle the common hurdles that keep people from giving it a go.”
The Sofa to Saddle app is available on Android and iOS.
