Cycle to Work Day celebrates the many benefits of getting around by bike. Thousands of cyclists across the UK will saddle up on 2 July to demonstrate – or discover – what a fantastic transport solution cycling is. Commuting by bike instead of driving or using public transport saves money, boosts mental and physical wellbeing, reduces traffic congestion and pollution, improves employee punctuality and results in fewer sick days. And it’s fun!

Cycle to Work Day was started by Cyclescheme in 2013. Its purpose is to promote cycling as a commuting option by showing how enjoyable and efficient it can be. Cycle to Work Day also spotlights the cycle to work scheme, which makes cycling more accessible to employees by enabling them to save up to 47% on bikes and equipment.

It’s free to take part in Cycle to Work Day and open to anyone. If you can’t cycle the whole way to work, going part way by public transport and riding the rest still counts. You can even join in if you work from home: just go for a ride in your lunch hour or run some errands by bike and make sure to log those rides.

If you’ve never cycled to work before, Cycle to Work Day is the ideal opportunity to get started because July means warmer weather and plenty of daylight. If every day is already a cycling-to-work day for you, take part anyway: your journeys will help show the groundswell of support for cycling to everyone from work colleagues to transport planners. Plus, there are great prizes to be won!

How to take part

Joining in with Cycle to Work Day is super easy. All you need is a bike and a Strava account. You can set that up here, where you’ll also find links to the Android and iOS versions of the free Strava smartphone app. Strava account all sorted? There are just two more things to do.

• Join the free Cyclescheme Strava Club. This will give the latest on Cycle to Work Day activities and upcoming prize draws.

• Log one or more rides between 29 June and 5 July 2026. You don’t need a bike computer to do this. You can log rides using the Strava app on your phone.

That’s it. You'll automatically be entered into the Cycle to Work Day prize draw* for the chance to win:

• 1 x Diamant Nhoma Plus RRP £1,525
• 1x GARMIN Forerunner Sports Watch, gifted by Currys (RRP £249.99)
• 1 x Virgin Experience half-day guided e-bike tour for two in the Peak District
• 5 x £50 Great British Pub eGifts
• x2 £250 One4All eGifts so you can shop with your favourite brands on us
• 3 x Brompton cycle accessory toolkit (RRP £190)

How to prepare

Don’t worry about not having the right gear. Assuming your commute will be a handful of miles or less, everyday clothes will be fine. Avoid trousers with a thick seam in the crotch like jeans; shorts, jogging bottoms or leggings will be more comfortable. Use footwear that will provide a good grip on the pedals, such as trainers. If you want a helmet for your ride to work, you can get a perfectly serviceable one for as little as a tenner.

1. Sort out your bike

You can skip this step if you’re a regular cycle commuter because you’ll already have a suitable bike. Otherwise, you’ll need to get hold of one.

Maybe you have a bike sitting in your garage or shed, or a friend will lend you one? If so, it might only need its tyres pumping up and its chain oiling. But any bike that hasn’t been ridden recently should be checked over before use. Alternatively, your local cycle shop will be happy to service your bike (for a fee) if you book it in.

Depending on where you live, you can simply hire a bike for Cycle to Work Day. You can save money on bike hire by doing it through Cyclescheme. If it’s just for a day, however, you may prefer to pay up front. It’s not expensive. You can hire a Santander bike for as little as £3.50 for 24 hours.

The other option if you don’t have access to a bike is to buy one. You can save up to 47% on a new bike and equipment by using Cyclescheme. Your employer must be registered with Cyclescheme and, if you specifically want your new bike for Cycle to Work Day, be able to turn around your application in time. Check with your HR department first to avoid potential disappointment.

2. Pack your commuter bag

If your bike doesn’t have a basket or a rack that you can fit or strap a bag onto, you’ll need a small backpack or shoulder bag. Take a bottle of water, a lock, and spare underwear in case you get sweaty. If there’s no shower at work and you think you’ll need one, take some wet wipes so you can spruce up in the loo (but don’t flush them!). Make sure you’ve got a few taxi numbers in your phone so that you can complete your journey in the unlikely event you break down. Pack your commuter bag the night before your ride so it’s ready to go in the morning.

3. Plan your route

Smartphone apps have taken the guesswork and legwork out of route planning. You can do this the night before or even as you’re eating breakfast. Just type in your start and end points into your preferred navigation app and it will generate a route for you. Good route apps for cyclists include Beeline, Citymapper, Cyclestreets and Komoot. Google Maps also works if you choose the cycling option.

If you’ll be using an app for on-the-go navigation, you’ll need a means of mounting your phone on your handlebar. Quad Lock is arguably the gold standard but you can find silicone phone holders for bikes from a few quid upwards online – and there’s lots of other phone mounts to choose from in between. See what your local bike shop has in stock.

4. Give yourself plenty of time

Your route-planning app will give you a predicted journey time but it might take longer. Build in a buffer of 10 minutes or so to allow time to deal with any unexpected issues or conditions.

And finally: enjoy it!

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