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Every week is bike week at Bike Town but there is an annual extra-special celebration of cycling with the UK wide Bike Week, which this year takes place from 13th-19th June. Volunteering is also celebrated in June with Volunteer Week on from 1st to 12th June. Both weeks are important to Bike Town; read on to find how you can join us to celebrate both and more with all of our news, activities and events for June ...

Weekly adult guided rides

Easy-paced weekly rides for people new to or returning to cycling. We'll help you improve your skills and confidence on a bicycle, you'll get a warm welcome, meet new people and there are loan bikes available if you haven't got your own. These rides run every Wednesday, departing 10am and returning by 1pm:

• Wednesday 1st June
• Wednesday 8th June
• Wednesday 15th June
• Wednesday 22nd June
• Wednesday 29th June

Landemar Day Boundary Stones ride

To celebrate Landemar Day on 11th June Bike Town bring you a guided ride around the ancient boundary of Rutherglen, viewing the remaining Boundary Stones that previously marked the border.

Meet at 7pm at our Bike Shop in a Box on Friday 10th June. More information available on our Meetup page.

Pedal for Scotland training ride

Build your fitness and stamina in preparation for the Classic Challenge route. This month our training ride tackles 35 miles. 

You don't need to be signed up for the event to attend the ride; come along and see how you get on. The rides are on mixed terrain and include cycling on cycle paths and roads.

• Saturday 11th June, 35 miles; departs 10am

Please note that places are limited, please sign up via our online Meetup group. Loan bikes are not available for this ride.

Guided ride to The Wee Jaunt Glasgow, Glasgow Green

Our ride will guide families to the start point of The Wee Jaunt in Glasgow Green from the Bandstand in Overtoun Park in Rutherglen. We will be off-road, mostly traveling along a national cycle route. The distance is approximately three miles.

• Sunday 12th May, departing at 8am

This is ride is suitable for everyone. Loan bikes are unavailable for this ride. For more information and to sign up see our online Meetup group.

Go Further Friday ride

Celebrate Bike Week with our monthly faster-paced, longer distance ride to work your muscles that wee bit more, helping to improve your fitness and stamina:

• Friday 17th June, departs 10am

This ride is slightly more challenging than our weekly Wednesday rides. We usually manage between 20 and 30 miles, with an average pace of about 10mph. We aim to return by 3pm. 

Guided rides information

• Our rides are facilitated by friendly, experienced ride leaders and a warm welcome is given to all
• We include a rest stop and usually visit a cafe for tea/coffee/food/cake. Please bring money if you wish to do this too
• Unless otherwise stated all rides depart at 10am from our Bike Shop in a Box at 39 Downiebrae Road, Rutherglen, G73 1PW. Loan bikes are available to people living or working in Cambuslang and Rutherglen. Arrive for 9.30am if you wish to borrow a bike
• If bringing your own bike make sure it is in good working order and carry an essential repair kit, e.g. pump and puncture repairs. All participants are encouraged to dress for the weather and carry a mobile phone/money in case of an emergency
• More information is available on our online Meetup group pages

Two positions available:

Active Travel Officer - 21 hours per week
Recycling and Training Officer - 21 hours per week

Applications are invited from those with a track record which
clearly demonstrates an ability to work with people to make things happen! Excellent communication and organisational skills, a flexible approach and positive attitude and an understanding of how cycling benefits health and environment are essential for both posts. You should enjoy working with people and expect a varied role with opportunities to work on your own initiative as well as working with a close-knitted team.

You can find more detailed job descriptions for each position as well as the necessary application forms on our website - http://healthynhappy.org.uk/current-vacancies1

Deadline for all applications will be Monday 6th June with interviews scheduled for Thursday 16th June

• Do you want to cycle to work?
• Not sure about cycling on the road?
• Want to improve your confidence and skills?
• Bike Town can help!

We offer training and support to people living/working in Rutherglen/Cambuslang who are looking to start cycling to work. We offer a half day training session and follow-up support to help get you started.

Training dates:

• Saturday 25th June
• Saturday 2nd July
• Saturday 30th July
• Saturday 20th August
• Saturday 27th August

Improve your confidence and skills at one of the sessions and then we will help you to plan a route and accompany you on your first day cycling to and from work.

Get in touch for more information and to book a place on one of the dates.

Come and see us at your local gala day; Rutherglen's Landemar Day or Cambuslang's Summerfest, we'll be at both!

We'll be joined by our Healthy n Happy colleagues so you'll have the opportunity to find out about the work of the whole organisation, not just Bike Town!

We'll have cycling merchandise on offer for people we talk to, so come and say "hello" and meet the Bike Town team.

Dates:

• Landemar Day, Rutherglen, Saturday 11th June
• Summerfest, Cambuslang, Saturday 18th June

To celebrate Volunteers' Week Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire and Healthy n Happy bring you a Volunteer Fair at Number 18 Community Hub on Friday 10th June.  

This vibrant event will offer you the chance to learn more about the massive impact volunteers make in South Lanarkshire, learn more about the great work charities and community groups are doing locally, and find out how to get involved.

Bike Town will be there with information about the current and future volunteering opportunities on offer and we love to chat so please come along to find out more.

• Reconditioned bikes for sale; children and adult sizes available
• Affordable repairs and servicing
• Skillful, experienced bike mechanic
• Bike essentials for sale

Open Saturdays and Wednesdays 10am-2pm. 

Visit us at 39 Downiebrae Road, Rutherglen, G73 1PW

The Wee Jaunt Glasgow

The Wee Jaunt Glasgow from the organisers of Pedal for Scotland is a fun, family-friendly five mile ride starting and finishing at Glasgow Green. The route takes riders through Glasgow Green, along the picturesque Clydeside on a traffic free loop route suitable for all ages and abilities. 

You can sign up via the website and those keen for a little more challenge on the day can complete the route as many times as they like. Riders will receive a medal at the finish line back in Glasgow Green.

Bike Town will be in Glasgow Green so stop by and say hello. We are also guiding a ride to support families from Rutherglen and Cambuslang to travel by bike to the event; see information above and visit our online Meetup group for more details and to sign up.

Bikes and Scones from Glasgow Women's Library

Women's Heritage Bike Ride

Time to dust off your bike to check out the East End’s cycle paths and fuel your batteries with tales of cycling Suffragettes, pioneering athletes and Victorian attitudes to women cyclists.

Our tour guides on wheels will lead you along cycle paths through Glasgow Green, by the Clyde and past the Velodrome on this short, and flat, 5 km loop.

And to reward your effort tea and scones will be served at Glasgow Women's Library at the end of the ride.

Bikes and Scones on Friday 17th June from 11am to 1.30pm. This event is part of Bike Week 2016: 11th to 19th June. Bikes are available for hire (£1 per 30 minutes) from Next Bike at Bridgeton Cross.  Please visit the Next Bike website for more information.

If you are interested in finding out more about GWL Women’s Heritage Bike Ride or Walks and the Women Make History project please visit this page.

Edinburgh Festival of Cycling

Forget about the Fringe in August, the festival not to be missed in Edinburgh this summer is the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling. Born out of a shared passion for the pedal and cycling activism, Edinburgh’s Festival of Cycling is now in its fourth year and celebrates cycling and cycling culture in all its forms. This year’s festival runs from June 9th - 19th with events across the city and beyond.

Highlights this year include an evening with Scotland’s very own voice of the professional cycling scene, The Velocast, the opportunity to cycle through the night on quiet roads in East Lothian with The Edinburgh Night Ride, screenings of great cycling films including “Pantani”, Cycle Speed Dating and rides for the whole family such as the Bike Curious Family Workshop.

The organisers invite you to come and join them to celebrate their passion for cycling in their wonderful city; see the programme for information on all of the events.

We've loved hearing everyone's reasons for cycling for our #ICycleBecause campaign. You can let us know why you cycle, if you haven't already, via Twitter and Facebook, or in person if you meet us at one of our events. Include @BikeTown and #ICycleBecause in your answer. There is a cycling goody bag for the best entry each month.

Watch our #ICycleBecause film here.

We're still recruiting for our Cycling Ambassador scheme and hope to organise an information session and training soon. We want to hear from you if:

• You regularly commute by bicycle
• You already offer mechanical assistance to cyclists in need or wish you had the skills to be able to do this 

Our Cycling Ambassadors will be trained and supported to promote cycling and provide help when needed. In return you'll get:

• FREE bicycle maintenance training
• FREE bicycle tools and sapres
• FREE Cycle Ambassador Hi Viz
• A warm glow when you help out a fellow cyclist

Please get in touch with us to sign up or find out more by emailing biketown@healthynhappy.org.uk

Find us on: Twitter, Facebook, Meetup