This year National Ride2Work Day is on Wednesday, the 12th October. And all you have to do to participate is register here, get ready and ride to work on the day. Easy!
It's that time of year again - Spring has sprung, the weather is getting better and people are starting to dust of their bikes and ride to work again. After all, it's one of the cheapest and best ways to commute. Every year Bicycle Network holds National Ride2Work Day to celebrate riding to work and help make it an accessible commuting option for all Australians. It's one day to encourage the nation to jump on their bikes and give it go. Who knows? You might discover a new, better way to get to work!
But why ride to work?
There are so many benefits of riding to work - it's cheaper, sometimes faster and definitely better for the environment. Plus it's a great way to include exercise into your daily routine and can help you lead a more healthy, active lifestyle. Anyone can do it as riding is low impact exercise and less stressful on your body than running.
It's easy to get started and Ride2Work Day is a great motivation to have a go. Get your whole office involved and celebrate with a Ride2Work breakfast in your office or find an official one in your city.
If you're as passionate as us about making commuting by bike better for everyone, then take 5 minutes to complete the Bicycle Network National Commuter Survey here.
Getting ready to ride to work
If you've already got a bike and have ridden to work in the past, dust of your bike 1 or 2 weeks before the day and head in store to get it serviced. You'll need to book it in and it usually takes around a week, but it's imperative you have your bike looked over if you haven't ridden in a while.
Just like your car, you bike needs to be roadworthy. Any worn out parts will need to be replaced, and it's a good opportunity to tune the brakes and gears so you'll be ride-ready on the day. You'll be amazed at the difference a good service makes.
If you've never ridden to work or don't have a bike yet you can check out our awesome range of commuter bikes here or read our Commuter Bike Buying Guide to get started. There's also a few essentials you'll need like a helmet and bike lock. Check out our Cycling Essentials Guide for a checklist.
The right kind of bike to ride to work
The best bike to ride to work depends on how versatile you'd like your bike to be, your riding style and experience and if you need to carry luggage to store your laptop or clothes. The Commuter Bike Buying Guide breaks down exactly what you should be looking for in a commuter bike to suit your riding to work needs.
Here are our top picks for Ride2Work Day:
Reid Harrier: For the stylish commuter, the Harrier offers comfort and quality. Perfect for a shorter distance commute and hitting up local cafes (or pubs) on the weekend. Comes in a fixed-gear and 3-speed version for those with a few more hills.
Urban X2: The ultimate commuting machine, built for the longer commute and ideal in all conditions thanks to reliable disc-brakes. This mountain bike style commuter bike is great for longer weekend adventures with comfortable relaxed geometry.
Osprey Flat Bar Road Bike: For the more experienced weekend warrior looking for a weekday workhorse, the Osprey Flat Bar is a commuter/road bike hybrid with familiar road style geometry and easy-to-use commuter flat bars. If you like to get to work quick, this is the bike for you.
So on October 12th gear up, get on your bike and Ride to Work!
If you'd like to find out more about getting ready to ride to work check out our resources below.