JOY RIDES

A long, long time ago, when cars incredibly still ruled the world (or thought they did, ahem!), when people scarcely knew their neighbourhood, not least their neighbours and when unimaginably afternoon tea wasn’t quite as ‘de rigeur’ as it is now, us folks at BEG had a vision. Our wildest dreams, that bordered on feverish fantasies, involved not only supplying the world with stunning bicycles but also gathering friends and soon-to-be friends together, hopping on our bikes and heading out to somewhere, anywhere, exercising our minds and bodies and feeling the breeze!

With this is mind, we are delighted to be launching Joy Rides – genteel, easy-paced bike rides in Cambridge and the surrounding area for local folk and their trusty wheels. Knowing that many people would like to go for bike rides more often, but either don’t have anyone to cycle with, are concerned about safety or simply don’t know where to go, Joy Rides are for anyone of any age who has a bike of any description! The free rides will be held monthly initially, require no special ‘gear’ whatsoever (just a bike) and will always involve the pre-requisite tea room or pub garden pit-stop along the way!

We’d like to encourage more women in particular to ride with confidence and with company! Cycling has so many positive benefits from feeling more in touch with your local community, being great for your mind and body and being completely accessible to all. We hail from just outside Cambridge so our first foray into organising our Joy Rides is on our home turf (but watch this space!). Cambridge has always been one of Britain’s most cycled cities, with 21% of the city’s population riding bikes, and its cycle-friendly infrastructure, gorgeous city centre and stunning countryside and villages make it ideal for a jolly good bike ride!

Want to come and join us?

Joy Rides’ inaugural (and gentle!) bike ride will be at 10.30am on Sunday 21st August 2011 and will be a gentle amble from the city centre along the towpath to Grantchester for coffee and cake at the delightful Orchard Cafe and then back again. The meeting spot for the start of the ride will be in front of the Fitzwilliam Musuem on Trumpington Street, Cambridge. Everyone welcome!

Anyone interested in coming along should contact Catherine at Beg Bicycles on 01223 655 222 or hello@begbicycles.com to register their place and get more info. And if it’s easier to meet us and pick up the ride at the Orchard Cafe, we’ll be the ones in the orchard with a random assortment of bicycles, hanging out in the deckchairs and without a glimmer of lycra or carbon fibre in sight!