The Brighton & Hove Cycle Challenge will run from 1-31 March. To launch the Challenge, Mayor Pete West will do a short ride along the sea front today. There are already 61 organisations and 450 people signed up and the aim is to get as many people as possible to try riding a bike during March.
The Challenge is a friendly competition between workplaces run by Love to Ride, Sustrans and Brighton & Hove City Council. Local organisations that have already signed up include Brighton & Hove Albion, American Express, the NHS Trust and both Universities. There are six size categories so workplaces of any size can join in and there will be prizes for the winning teams.
Individuals can also win prizes just for riding and encouraging others. There are two bikes from Cycle Brighton up for grabs, plus an Amex Stadium tour, meals out, movie tickets and bike services. All participants will also be eligible to win a cycling holiday in Cuba or a trip to Canada or Croatia.
Everyone can take part, it doesn’t matter if you ride every day or haven’t been on a bike in years. The aim of the Challenge is to help people discover the joys and benefits of riding a bike. Cycling to work is a great way to get the recommended weekly 150 minutes of physical activity: it burns fat and builds muscle without putting too much strain on joints. People who ride to work are more alert and productive and take fewer sick days than colleagues who drive or take public transport.
Love to Ride is a behaviour change programme that specialises in getting more people cycling more often. Between 2008 and 2016, they managed to engage 247,000 people from 14,500 organisations worldwide.
To find out more about the Brighton & Hove Cycle Challenge and to register, visit Love to Ride's Website