In the saddle for Bike week 2014

Fancy le Parc Spoketecular, a Midsomer Madness MTB ride, a Yew tree Way ride, a Cyclists’ Breakfast or a Bike and Brunch? These are just a few of the hundreds of events taking places as part of Bike Week 2014 in the UK. Bike Week this year runs until this Sunday, June 22. It is an annual opportunity to promote cycling – and show how cycling can easily be part of everyday life. It’s all about everyday cycling for everyone.

Benefits of cycling

Many people are already aware of the benefits of regular cycling but it doesn’t do any harm to repeat them here. Cycling is good for the environment, your cardiovascular health and for socialising. Cycling is easily accessed and once you have a bike – a recycled second-hand bike could be a great choice – it means you can cycle to all kinds of places including work, your child’s school and the shops. During Bike Week more than half a million people are encouraged to join in events, rethink their everyday journeys and switch to cycling as the most convenient way to get around.

10 top Bike Week events

The Comedy of Errors (The Handle Bards) Tue, June 17, 7:30pm – 9:30pm The Guildhall, Guildhall Lane, Leicester 4 men, 4 bikes and a 2000-mile adventure: After a successful inaugural tour in 2013, the four-strong, all-male HandleBards company are back on their bikes and cycling the UK in May, June, July and August 2014, before setting out across Europe. They carry carry all the set, props, costumes and camping equipment to perform two of Shakespeare's greatest plays, Macbeth and The Comedy Of Errors. See Handle Bards Edinburgh Festival of Cycling Thu, June 12 to 22 Venues across Edinburgh Listed as one of the UK’s best cycling festivals by The Guardian and Total Women’s Cycling, the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling offers a host of events and entertainments. Allerdale Bike Challenge Cumbria Wed, June 18, registration opens at 5pm A British Mountain Bike Orienteering (BMBO) Cycle ride organised by the West Coast MTB Club. See Allerdale Bike Challenge. Cycle up to Devil's Dyke Wed, June 18, 2pm – 4pm New England House, New England Street, Brighton A lunchtime bike ride up the Devil's Dyke, a 100m deep V-shaped valley on the South Downs Way. Glasgow Mountain Bike Club Intro Ride Wed, June 18, 7pm – 9pm Milngavie & Bearsden Sports Club, Auchenhowie Road, Milngavie An easy paced ride that is ideal for riders new to the sport. York Bike Belles social event Thu, June 19, 6:30pm – 8:30pm Fulford Cycles, 98 Main Street, Fulford, York Have you ever wanted to learn more about or try mountain biking? If so, join the Bike Belles and Fulford Cycles in York for an Introduction to Mountain Biking evening. Tandem Festival Fri, June 20 to 22 Hill End Centre Eynsham Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire Music, cycling, camping and a lot more besides over one weekend of celebrating all things two wheels at the Tandem Festival. World Naked Bike Ride in York Fri, June 20, 12am – Sat, June 21, 12am Starts at Millennium Bridge, York. Right, well, aherm, it’s up to you whether you enjoy a naked bike ride, or not! Let’s hope the sun shines on this event. On Your Bike - A Better Way to Work? Fri, June 20, 1pm – 2pm The Lighthouse 11 Mitchell Lane Glasgow G1 3NU How can you encourage people to stop driving to work and start travelling sustainably? Glasgow Bike Station is the city’s largest bike recycling organisation. In addition to reconditioning and selling unwanted bicycles, they work hard to encourage more people to travel around Glasgow by bike. Find out more at this special evening of information. Sixth Warminster Wobble Festival of Cycling Sat, June 21/22 Warminster Town Park Weymouth Street Warminster BA12 9NR We love the name of this cycling festival. Wiltshire’s most popular cycling festival is entirely free and this year the programme is full of inspiration and local brilliance reflecting the festival’s growing popularity. Great Inverurie Bike Ride Sun, June 22, 10am Kellands Park, Kellands Road, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire Open to all and back by popular demand, the 13-mile is aimed at families with younger children. This is in addition to the usual 25-mile route. See the Great Inverurie Bike Ride. Tell us about your Bike Week event.