BIKE WEEK

From 5th - 11th June it’s time to celebrate the 100th annual Bike Week, marking a century of dedicating this week to help yourself, the community and the planet

What did we do before cars, motorbikes and buses? ride horses. no, no, after that? Walk. Yes, but something a little faster? Oh, that thing with peddles?? Yes, that! You mean a bike? Yes, that’s it! a bike! the second week of June brings us Bike Week with the sole focus to encourage as many people as possible to ditch their automobiles, hop on the two-wheeler and explore their community.

Notably, we have become more aware of our health in recent years. We’ve always known that having good health is of course, good for us but perhaps it’s not always at the forefront of our minds. Now more than ever, there’s been a big shift, and we are taking more action to improve what we eat, what we feed our minds and spending time exercising. This week is another opportunity to continue the cycle (pardon the pun), dust off that helmet and get ready for an adventure.

Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned pro, here are some things you can do for Bike Week;

Bike to Work

A great opportunity to clock in those miles, even if you are commuting, cycling to the train station is a perfect way to get involved where you can.

family day Out

A fun way to spend quality time with the family is a good old bike ride. Why not make a packed lunch, find a good location and lay out a blanket and enjoy a nice picnic. Perhaps to bring back some nostalgia, go blackberry picking and make a delicious pie when you get home.

Bike challenge

Cycling UK, a charitable membership organisation that supports and promotes bicycle use, have set up a series of challenges as part of Bike Week 100 with options for new, returning and experienced riders. These can be found on their website. cyclinguk.org

Bike ride

Why not organise a bike ride with your friends and other families, we have so many beautiful bike trails to choose from and it’s a great way to get other people involved too.

Of course, these are just some ideas to get you started, but there are so many other ways to get involved and swap your car keys for a bike helmet.

Now, let’s let talk about the health benefits.

It’s no secret that opting for the modern-day velocipede method of travel, not only tones muscles such as your calves, thighs and glutes just by pedalling but it’s an easy, fun and adventurous way of exercise. The low-impact nature of cycling causes less strain and injuries and you can choose the intensity of the ride. Proven to increase cardiovascular fitness, aids weight loss, lower the risk of other diseases such as type 2 diabetes and breast and bowel cancer, and reduces anxiety and depression, the list really does go on.