Spring - Autumn 2017 STEVENAGE CYCLING FESTIVAL Fun and Friendly Cycling Activities for All

Spring - Autumn 2017 STEVENAGE CYCLING FESTIVAL Fun and friendly cycling activities for all

Stevenage Cycling Festival is here and there are a range of fun and friendly cycling activities for you and your family to get involved in and the best part is, many of them are free!

From led rides, to beginner cycling courses to family events; there really is something for everyone to enjoy.

The festival is brought to you by a dedicated team of volunteers and professionals from Herts Cycling, We Are Cycling UK (Stevenage branch), British Cycling Breeze Champions, Kinetic Cycles and Stevenage Borough Council.

Check out the website and social media for the most up to date information: www.stevenage.gov.uk/cyclingfestival www.twitter.com/stevenagebc www.facebook.com/stevenageboroughcouncil About the festival

Stevenage Cycling festival is a mix of all things cycling and is running between spring and autumn 2017.

There is a range of fun opportunities for all the family to enjoy. Most of the activities are aimed at beginners and families, but there are also opportunities for the budding cyclist.

The information on the next few page gives you details of the full programme, including:

• Led rides for beginners and families • Confidence building training for women • Breeze led rides for women • Social and themed rides • Fun skills course for kids • Come and try it days and events • Bike maintenance ‘made easy’ courses …and much more!

Check out the website and social media where we will be sharing the most up to date information.

page 2 Who’s involved

Hertfordshire Cycling Hertfordshire Cycling provide a variety of cycling initiatives from training courses for children, adults and workplaces, community cycling events Kinetic Cycles such as the Tour of Hertfordshire Series, information on Established in Welwyn Garden cycling safety and details of local routes. City in 2012, our fully qualified twitter.com/hertscycling workshops can look after any www.Hertsdirect.org/cycling bike related issues and create your dream Kinetic custom bicycle from some of the world’s We are Cycling UK Stevenage most prestigious brands. Our fully Stevenage and North Herts CTC stocked showrooms cater for (soon to be known as We are every level of cyclist; from first- Cycling UK Stevenage) is a local timers to semi-pro. cycling club run by a committed twitter.com/KineticBicycles group of volunteers who offer weekly led rides ranging www.kineticcycles.co.uk from introductory distances of 5 miles all the way up to endurance rides of over 100 miles! So whether you are new to cycling and looking to start with a few leisurely rides or a keen cyclist looking for a challenge, the club has something for everybody. twitter.com/StevenageCTC www.stevenagectc.org.uk www.stevenagectc.org.uk/rides.php Stevenage Borough Council Stevenage Borough Council British Cycling Breeze Leisure Service team deliver British Cycling Breeze programme is inspiring sports and health improvement women to ride for fun and fitness. Local projects across the town. They Breeze Champions (volunteers) are offering a have worked in partnership with range of led rides for women of all abilities, shapes and other organisations to coordinate sizes throughout the Cycling Festival to get you on two the first Stevenage Cycling wheels and enjoying the buzz of cycling in a friendly and Festival. social environment. twitter.com/stevenagebc twitter.com/BreezeNetwork facebook.com/ www.letsride.co.uk/breeze stevenageboroughcouncil

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page 4 Monday 29 May 2017 Stevenage Old Town 10am- 2pm – Stevenage Revolutions 3-9pm – The Tour series The Tour is coming... Did you know that Stevenage will host the final round of the 2017 Tour Series on Bank Holiday n Road Walker Monday, 29 May, building on the success of the town having hosted Basils Road the 2016 Tour Series and 2015 Bell Key: Lane Free Women’s Tour cycling events. Pr Bike Race Route

omotion Park z Cycle Way System one The Tour Series is a pro cycling event that will Great North Cycleway see Stevenage host men and women’s circuit Lytton Way Route 12 races and a team time trial event for the 13 Podium women’s teams, who will compete to be the fastest over two laps of the Stevenage circuit. Start / Highlights of all of the events will be shown on Drapers Finish Way Gantry

ITV4 on Tuesday 30 May. Primett Road

CYCLING FESTIVAL Ten men’s teams, headlined by defending High Str Church Lane champions JLT Condor, and including ONE Pro Cycling, who return to The Tour Series eet after a year away will race in Stevenage. 2015 Champions Madison Genesis return along with Team Raleigh GAC, Bike Channel Canyon, Metaltek Kuota and Series debutants Morvélo Pound Basso complete the line-up with three to be Avenue confirmed as guest teams. Among the thirteen women’s teams who will Sish Lane race in Stevenage are the Drops team, who won last year’s Stevenage event with Alice Barnes, and Team WNT who boast British Cycling track Map is subject to change. stars Katie Archibald and Emily Kay.

The Tour of Hertfordshire – Stevenage Revolutions If you want to be inspired, take part or just spend • All Ability bikes for time with your family or friends, come and get people with disabilities involved in Stevenage Revolutions. A series of • Fun races club and community cycling races that will take • Free service and place before the Tour Series. Head down to repairs Stevenage Old Town on 29 May 2017 from 10am • Free secure bike park to experience a range of community activities, Fairlands Way including: Thanks to Kinetic Cycles • The Community Zone (including challenges and Herts Cycling for and prizes to be won) organising Stevenage • Open course riding (just come along on your Revolutions. bike and ride the course, all welcome!)

page 5 Cycling Festival Programme Led Rides (organised by We are Cycling UK Stevenage) Important information Ride grading We want you to enjoy these D+ Short rides at a faster pace of 15 to 24 led rides, so to help us do that, miles (less suitable for beginners) please make sure that you are D Short ride at slower pace of 15 to 24 miles. fully prepared. Please check E Taster Ride mainly on Stevenage Cycle that your bike is safe and tracks at a slow pace of 4-6miles. roadworthy before leaving the house. It is recommended that you Meeting Points bring the following: Old Town: In Stevenage Old Town next to the • Emergency contact number war memorial (postcode -SG1 3EJ) • Spare innertube • Lights (Evening rides) Costello’s Café: Fairlands Valley Park. Meet • Pump inside or near the Café by the sailing centre • Tyre Levers (postcode - SG2 0BL). • Multi-tool (with allan keys) Saturday Starters are an ideal introduction to • Drink group riding. In the summer there are half day • Waterproof (Rainy weather) afternoon rides from Costello’s Café at 2pm every • Some Money (For the stops) week getting back about 4.30pm. May Date/Day Ability Time Meeting Route Level Point Wed 24 May D 19:15 Old Town Plume of Feathers, Tewin. Lights and warm layers essential Fri 26 May D+ 19:15 Old Town Friday Fling to The Boot, Kimpton. Lights and warm layers essential Sat 27 May D 14:00 Costello’s Saturday Starter to We R Cakes, Woolmer Green Wed 31 May D 19:15 Old Town Red Lion, Preston. Lights and warm layers essential

June Date/Day Ability Time Meeting Route Level Point Sat 03 June D 14:00 Costello’s Saturday Starter to Esquires, Letchworth Wed 07 June D 19:15 Old Town Three Horeshoes, Willian. Lights and warm layers essential Sat 10 June D 14:00 Costello’s BIKE WEEK - Saturday Starter to Datchworth (Annual Fete) Mon 12 June D 19:15 Old Town BIKE WEEK - Plume of Feathers, Little Wymondley. Lights and warm layers essential Tue 13 June D 19:15 Old Town BIKE WEEK - White Horse, Burnham Green. Lights and warm layers essential Wed 14 June D 19:15 Old Town BIKE WEEK - Pig and Whistle, Aston End. Lights and warm layers essential

BIKE WEEK Thu 15 June D 19:15 Old Town BIKE WEEK - Red Lion, Preston. Lights and warm layers essential Fri 16 June D+ 19:15 Costello’s BIKE WEEK - Friday Fling to Old George, Ickelford. Lights and warm layers essential Sat 17 June D 14:00 Costello’s BIKE WEEK – Saturday Starter to Teddy Bears in Great Ashby Wed 21 June D 19:15 Old Town Bicycle BBQ. Robin Hood and Little John, Rabley Heath. (advance bookings needed) Sat 24 June D 14:00 Costello’s Ride route TBC – please see Cycling UK website - www.stevenagectc.org.uk/ Wed 28 D 19:15 Old Town Ride route TBC – please see Cycling UK website - June www.stevenagectc.org.uk/ page 6 July, August and September Date/Day Ability Time Meeting Route Level Point Wednesday D 19:15 Old Town Rides will run throughout July, August and September. Please see Rides the Cycling UK website for further planned routes in the coming months - www.stevenagectc.org.uk Saturday D 14:00 Costello’s Saturday starter rides will run throughout July, August and Septem- Rides ber. Please see the Cycling UK website for further details - www.stevenagectc.org.uk

Beginner taster rides Date/ Ability Time Meeting Route Day Level Point Taster E Please see Please see Will be 4-6 miles long using the Stevenage Cycle Ways and lead Rides website website by CTC. Please see CTC website for more details - www.stevenagectc.org.uk The ride will be weather permitting.

Breeze Rides for Women Breeze is brought to you by British Cycling and HSBC and it is inspiring women to ride for fun and fitness. Check out these free bike rides that are running during the Cycling Festival that provide friendly support, and great people to ride with. All rides are delivered by a committed team of Breeze Champions who volunteer their time to make this programme happen. For more information, check out www.letsride.co.uk/breeze.

Ride Social Ride Social is another initiative brought to you by British Cycling. It’s aim is simple, to bring together people through cycling. A variety of Ride Social led rides will be running throughout the Cycling Festival covering varying distances and ability levels. Check out www.letsride.co.uk/social or www.stevenage.gov.uk/cyclingfestival for the latest information. Beginner Rides A series of beginner rides for Breeze and Ride Social will be running every Wednesday evening. If you are new to cycling and want to build confidence riding over short distances in a social, friendly atmosphere these are for you. To attend, please visit www.letsride.co.uk and book free of charge. Meeting point: Decathlon, Asda store, Monkswood Way Stevenage, SG1 1LA. Time: 6.45pm Distance: 6miles (Easy going on cycle ways) page 7 Courses and training

We have a fantastic range of courses that will be running throughout the festival , with many of them offered free or at a very low cost.

Coming soon… Over the next few months, in partnership with Herts Cycling, we will be offering the following courses at community venues across the town. • Beginner biking courses • Confidence building training for women • Fun skills courses for children • Come and try it days and events • Balance bike training for toddlers • 1:1 learn to ride tuition

Save the date… Get Active Day Friday 4th August On Friday 4th August there will be a Get Active Day held in the Town Square providing information, come and try it activities and fun for all the family. The event is free to attend.