Reconnect with friends for Bike Week

Among the many things we have missed during lockdown, meeting up with friends in person has often been one of the hardest to go without.

Getting out on a bike with a friend or a group of mates is a great way to catch up, have a chat, get some exercise – and maybe find an excuse to stop for a drink or a bite to eat, now pub gardens and outdoor cafés are opening up again.

With Bike Week (30 May – 5 June) fast approaching, why not make a date to go for a sociable (but suitably socially distanced!) trip, whether it’s with long-standing riding buddies or introducing somebody new to the joys of cycling? Share your ride on social media during the week using the hashtag #7daysofcycling for the chance to win one of our great prizes, including:

• £100 Rapha vouchers,
• a child’s bike from Halfords,
• cycling sunglasses and mitts from Velochampion,
• vouchers to spend at your local bike shop.

If you want to be part of something even bigger, pledge to ride on Sunday 30 May as part of the World’s Biggest Bike Ride. It doesn’t matter where or how far you ride, as long as you ride!

The theme of Bike Week 2021 is health and wellbeing, with each of the seven days having a different focus:

• Sunday 30 May: Well connected: celebrate togetherness
• Monday 31 May: Well up for it: go on an adventure somewhere new
• Tuesday 1 June: Well skilled: Learn something new on two wheels
• Wednesday 2 June: Well fit: Feel the exercise benefits of cycling
• Thursday 3 June: Well grounded: Connect with the outdoors and clear some head space
• Friday 4 June: Well happy: Riding a bike is a joyful experience
• Saturday 5 June: Well for life: DIscover why cycling is a great activity for young and old

It’s not just about the physical and environmental benefits of cycling, but about mental and emotional wellness too. Lockdown has left many of us feeling isolated, so it’s more important than ever to get outside with friends, talk things over and reconnect both with each other and with the outside world.

If you need inspiration, check out our Bike Week challenges and routes: there’s something for cyclists of all levels, from total novice to old hands seeking new adventures. Or, if you live close to one of the 42 Church of England cathedrals, why not try one of the routes on the Cathedrals Cycle Route?

Whatever you do, spread the word about the joy of cycling – and most important of all, have fun!