Cycling UK’s Bike Week kicks off this Sunday

Cycling UK 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 30th May to 5th June and focuses on how cycling boosts our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

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 has welcomed 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.

On Sunday 30th May, the World’s Biggest Bike Ride, supported by Evans Cycles, aims to get as many people as possible across the UK cycling on one day. Everyone who signs up 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.

Throughout the week, people sharing their ride on social media using the hashtag #7DaysOfCycling can win prizes including a junior bike from Halfords, £100 vouchers from cycle clothing firm Rapha and more.

Sarah Mitchell, chief executive of Cycling UK, said: “Over the past year we have really seen the importance of staying active and getting outside on 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.”

Cycling Minister Chris Heaton-Harris added: “Cycling is a great way to boost both our physical and mental health, as well as improve air quality and cut congestion in our towns and cities. Bike Week celebrates all of this in a wonderful way, and I encourage as many people as possible to get involved.

“This Government will continue to invest to enable cycling and walking across the country. The £2 billion package of measures announced by the Prime Minister last year will help deliver our vision for half of all journeys in towns and cities to be walked or cycled by 2030.”

Read the May issue of BikeBiz below: