Love to Ride in Ballarat

The Biketober challenge is underway with the City of Ballarat promoting a free and fun biking challenge for the Ballarat community to take part in during the month of October.

An initiative by Love to Ride, Biketober is Victoria’s biggest biking challenge with the aim of encouraging more people to ride for fun, fitness or as a healthier active mode of transport.

To take part cyclists of all ages and abilities can register at Love to Ride and start riding to earn points individually or as part of a workplace team. Points are also given for encouraging others to do the same throughout October.

The Hygge Property team have joined the challenge with many starting to ride to and from work each day. A few team members have also been enjoying the recent Spring sunshine and logging extra bike rides to secure additional points.

Biketober aligns with the City’s Cycling Action Plan working towards transitioning Ballarat to a more sustainable transport future. The plan outlines:

“Encouraging more people to ride their bikes is a key aspect of transitioning Ballarat towards a more sustainable and equitable future. It is critical to maintaining the lifestyle and accessibility so valued by the Ballarat community. With the population forecast to increase from 100,000 to 160,000 by 2040, the option of cycling will become an increasingly vital mode of mainstream transport for residents and visitors…

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Communities with high levels of bike riding are healthier, more connected, consume less energy, produce less emissions and experience less congestion than those with low levels of bike riding”.

Pages 4 and 20, City of Ballarat - Cycling Action Plan.

Central to the plan is the Ballarat Bicycle Network which establishes a network of continuous, safe cycling routes linking key destinations across the city. The plan also aims to actively encourage more people to take up riding.

Hygge director Joseph van Dyk is excited to be part of the initiative and changing travel behaviour to increase bike riding across the community. The more active riders in the city will help build an everyday bike riding culture in Ballarat encouraging safer and more respectful sharing of roads between all road users.