DLR Celebrates National Bike Week with free events and activities for all the family
10/06/2011
PRESS RELEASE
10th June 2011
List of Events for Bike Week 2011 (pdf -26kb) 
National Bike Week takes place between June 18th and 26th with many fun cycling events taking place all over Dublin and nationwide. This is Ireland’s largest annual promotion of cycling and provides a national umbrella for locally organised cycling events. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is playing its part by hosting a number of free events and activities during the week in conjunction with DLR Sports Parnership and Orwell Wheelers Bike Club.
The week opens with the free Active 8 Family Cycling Event in Shanganagh Park in Shankill on Sunday June 19th between 1pm and 5pm. This day of cycling fun includes activities such as cycle skills training, treasure hunt, bike checks, unicycles and bike trails. On Saturday June 25th, a leisurely 5km family cycle will be held in Dún Laoghaire leaving from the Peoples Park at 2pm along the historic car-free Metals Route from Dún Laoghaire to Dalkey (pre-registration required). The Council’s Bike Week programme will also include a cycling exhibition, lunchtime talks and a bike maintenance class, all in County Hall. Free bike maintenance checks will be available in most bike shops in the County for the duration of Bike Week. A detailed list of events can be found on www.dlrcoco.ie and www.dlrsportspartnership.ie.
List of Events for Bike Week 2011 (pdf -26kb)
According to Cllr Gerry Horkan, the Council’s Cycle Champion, “Bike Week 2011 aims to promote cycling as a healthy, sustainable and fun mode of travel for school, commuting or leisure. National Bike Week is an ideal opportunity for kids and adults to rediscover the bicycle and find out how convenient and healthy cycling can be for local trips while at the same time finding out more about the local environment.
More information on Bike Week in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown available from Gerry Flaherty, Sustainable Travel Officer with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council on 01-204 7945 / or visit www.bikeweek.ie for a full list of Dublin and national events and tips and information on cycling.
ENDS.
Facts
- National Bike Week began in 2009 and is coordinated by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.
- In a hurry? During rush-hour, a bicycle is twice as fast as a car - good if you hate traffic jams! Even better, you won’t spend a penny on parking
- Over half of our car journeys are less than 5 miles – swapping them for an easy 30 minute bike ride can save you a small fortune in fuel costs
- Cyclists live on average at least two years longer than non-cyclists and their fitness levels are equivalent to being ten years younger – so forget nip and tuck, think pedal and push
- Cycling is the ultimate family activity; it’s free, healthy, fun and encourages children to be independent
- Cycling gets you out and about and you’re more likely to find a new cafe or beautiful park you never knew existed than when you’re cooped up in a car.
