The Greenacre Bicycle Rally

Sunday 12th June 2011 10am-4pm

Everyone is agreed that we must now reduce our use of motor cars and move towards more sustainable forms of transport. Much is being done to promote public transport and walking short distances is also important. Another key solution is CYCLING.

Cycling has much to commend it: apart from the sustainability issue it can be great fun and a great way to get fit. It is very low cost and low maintenance, very practical, especially for short journeys and fully compatible with other forms of transport – especially RAILWAYS. The GLA, TfL and other groups are doing much to promote the use of cycles and whilst cycle use is visibly going up in central London there is less evidence of this in the suburbs. Something needs to be done to raise use and aware- ness of the bicycle in our area. Thus were sown the seeds of the Greenacre Bicycle Rally.

The first ever Greenacre Bicycle Rally took place on June 15th 2008 and when we set out to stage this event we had no idea what the outcome would be. However we need not have worried - 138 cyclists turned up on the day. We repeated the event in 2009 and 2010, live musical entertainment was added and the number of cyclists went up to 169. This year, with your help, we hope to do even better. The Greenacre Bicycle Rally is the first event of its kind to be held in the Borough of Barnet and is now becoming an annual mid-June fixture. The colourful massed cycles will still be seen in the streets of North Finchley, Friern Barnet and Whetstone and once again there will be the popular more traditional green ride to Barnet with a grand finale at the Byng Road Countryside Centre to coincide with their annual Environment Fayre.

Cyclists will assemble on the paved area outside artsdepot from 10am for a 12 o’clock start. Please note: cyclists must register for the rally, please allow time for registration – the registration table will shut at 11.30am – better still pre-register: Greenacrebicyclerally@gmail.com

There will be a Dr Bike stand giving free bike safety checks from 10am-11.30am. This will be for minor or routine repairs/adjustments. If you have a non-minor problem with your bike, please get in touch beforehand and we can help/advise.

There will be an area set aside to help decorate children’s bikes with flags, balloons, windmills etc. Again, please turn up early if you want your bike decorated.
At 12.00pm we will set out on a triangular 3.5 mile circuit from artsdepot N12 0GA to Friern Barnet, past Friary Park, up to Whetstone and back down the High Road to artsdepot. The pace will be leisurely, and the rally will be suitable for cyclists of all ages and abilities.

The rally will be accompanied by trained stewards, police cyclists, mobile Dr Bike and a St John Ambulance cyclist. There will be prizes for fancy dress, ‘bling your bike’, and the best turned out troop or group. We will be encouraging flags, banners, & musical instruments. The emphasis will be on a fun day out and we hope to see many unusual cycles.

On reaching Friary Park for the second time, we will make our lunchtime ‘pit stop’. Tasty home-made snacks and drinks will be available and after a leisurely stop we will set out on the second part of the rally at approximately 2pm. This will take the form of a more traditional green ride to Byng Road Countryside Centre. We will follow a very pleasant route along the Dollis Valley Greenway. This final leg is 4.25 miles and again the pace will be leisurely. The whole event will be very visual and will include many fancy, decorated and unusual cycles. It will be a fun spectacle for shoppers and passers-by as well. It never ceases to amaze us the effect that massed bicycles have on the casual observer.

WHAT WILL THE BICYCLE RALLY ACHIEVE?

● Massed cyclists having a fun time
● A fun spectacle for all passers by
● A demonstration that cycling is a
viable form of transport
● Greater Barnet Council involvement
in cycling issues

E-mail: greenacrebicyclerally@gmail.com