Cycle to Work Day is the UK’s annual campaign to get commuters pedalling. Organised by Cyclescheme since its launch in 2013, the event falls on the first Thursday of July each year. The 2026 edition was Thursday, 2 July 2026 — if you missed it, this guide covers what happened, how employers can support cycling commuters, and what to expect from the 2027 event.
What Is Cycle to Work Day?
The premise is simple: choose two wheels for your commute, or at least part of it, on the day. No entry fee, no registration required. The event is open to everyone — confident daily cyclists and people who haven’t ridden since school alike.
Cyclescheme runs the initiative as a community and awareness campaign. It sits alongside — but is separate from — the government-backed Cycle to Work scheme, which lets employees buy bikes through salary sacrifice. The day is about making cycling visible, normalising it as a commuting option, and giving first-timers a concrete moment to give it a go.
Cycle to Work Day 2026: What Happened
Cyclescheme ran a Strava challenge around the 2026 event, open from 29 June to 5 July 2026. Riders who joined the Cyclescheme Strava Club and completed a bike ride during that window were entered into a prize draw. Prizes for 2026 included a Diamant Nhoma Plus e-bike, a Garmin Forerunner 165 sports watch, a Virgin Experience Days half-day guided e-bike tour for two, and £50 Great British Pub e-gift cards.
No official post-event participation figures for 2026 have been published at the time of writing. For any stats Cyclescheme release, check their Cycle to Work Day page directly.
What Employers Can Do
Cycle to Work Day works best when workplaces make it easy and a little bit social. The ideas below range from zero-cost to modest investment — pick the ones that fit your organisation.
On the day
- Bike breakfast — coffee, toast, or fruit for riders who cycle in. Low cost, high visibility. It signals that cycling is recognised and welcomed.
- Group ride — arrange a meeting point and ride in together. A buddy removes the main anxiety for new commuter cyclists: not knowing whether the route is manageable.
- Maintenance station — a pump and basic puncture kit near the bike shed is genuinely useful on a day when more people than usual are cycling. A tyre with 50 per cent pressure turns a confident cyclist into a reluctant one.
- Team Strava challenge — if your team uses Strava, set up a club and a weekly mileage leaderboard in the run-up. Friendly competition works better than a poster on the noticeboard.
Lasting infrastructure
- Secure, covered storage — a bike left in the rain or chained to a drainpipe is a deterrent. Even a handful of Sheffield stands under cover changes the calculation for potential cycling commuters.
- Shower and changing facilities — not essential for short, flat commutes, but a genuine barrier for longer or hillier routes. One bookable shower, clearly communicated, makes a real difference.
- Flexible start times — riding outside the heaviest 90 minutes of traffic is safer and more enjoyable. For employees who are not yet confident in heavy traffic, a 30-minute shift in start time can be the deciding factor.
- Bike buddy scheme — pair an experienced commuter cyclist with someone new. Keep it informal and voluntary; the goal is shared knowledge and a bit of social accountability.
Linking to the Cycle to Work scheme
Cycle to Work Day is a natural prompt to publicise the salary sacrifice scheme to staff who haven’t used it. For a basic rate taxpayer (20% income tax, 8% employee National Insurance as set out in HMRC guidance), the saving on a bike through salary sacrifice is around 28%. For a higher rate taxpayer (40% tax, 2% NI), it’s around 42%. Employers also save: salary sacrifice reduces the wage bill on which employer National Insurance at 15% (GOV.UK, 2025) is calculated.
Our employer’s guide to the Cycle to Work scheme covers the paperwork, provider options, and how to set up a scheme from scratch if you don’t have one.
What Riders Can Do
You don’t need expensive kit or a fast bike to take part. A few things help:
- Plan your route in advance — use CycleStreets, Komoot, or Google Maps (bike mode) to find a quieter option alongside the direct road route. A slightly longer route that avoids a nasty junction is often faster in practice and far more relaxing.
- Do a test run at the weekend — ride the route without time pressure first. You’ll spot the difficult turns, the rough surfaces, and where to lock up.
- Start with a partial commute — cycle to the nearest train or tube station rather than riding the full distance. Mixed commutes count, and the habit builds from there.
- Tell someone you’re doing it — a small social commitment goes a long way on the mornings when you’d rather stay on the bus.
If you’re new to cycling to work, our beginner’s guide to cycling to work covers what to wear, how to plan a route, and what the first few weeks actually feel like.
When Is Cycle to Work Day 2027?
The event follows the first Thursday of July pattern: 2025 was 3 July; 2026 was 2 July. On that basis, Cycle to Work Day 2027 is expected on Thursday, 1 July 2027 — though Cyclescheme confirm the date on their website each year, so check there as it approaches.
Employers who want to make the most of it are better placed if they start planning a month or so ahead: communicating the scheme, arranging group rides, and booking any catering before calendars fill up.
Is Cycle to Work Day Worth Supporting?
For most employers, the case is straightforward: the admin overhead is low, the goodwill is visible, and it creates a hook for promoting a scheme that genuinely saves employees money. Whether any of that translates into lasting behaviour change depends on what the workplace makes possible day-to-day — secure storage, showers, flexible hours. The event is a catalyst, not a fix on its own.
If you’re weighing whether the scheme is a good financial deal for your staff, the numbers are in our guide on whether the Cycle to Work scheme is worth it.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Cycle to Work Day 2026?
Cycle to Work Day 2026 was on Thursday, 2 July 2026. It is organised by Cyclescheme and follows the first Thursday of July each year.
Who organises Cycle to Work Day?
Cyclescheme, one of the UK’s main cycle-to-work scheme providers, launched the event in 2013 and has run it each year since. Participation is free and open to everyone — you do not need to be a Cyclescheme customer to take part.
How do I join the Strava challenge?
Each year, Cyclescheme runs a challenge through their Strava Club in the days around the event. Join the Cyclescheme Strava Club, opt in to the challenge when it opens, and log a ride during the specified window to enter the prize draw. The challenge dates and details are published on the Cyclescheme website a few weeks before the event.
Does cycling on this day affect my Cycle to Work scheme application?
No — the day is a separate awareness campaign. However, it’s a good moment to enquire with your employer about the salary sacrifice scheme if you haven’t already. Our complete guide to the Cycle to Work scheme explains how the application process works and which providers offer it.
