28.4.2023

Tiedotteet

Cycling Week gives a glimpse into life without a car

The Cycling Week in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area on 5–14 May 2023 shows how to live a car-free life. During the week, there will be test rides with electrically-assisted cargo bikes – car substitutes, which your own housing company can also acquire. In the bicycle parking-themed orienteering, we will take a look at various quality bicycle parking solutions which reduce thefts and are great for housing companies, public spaces and shops alike. The whole family will experience the joy of cycling in a bike parade, at breakfast for commuter cyclists and on group trips where cycling trip plans will be made for the summer. 

The free and low-threshold events welcome cyclists and bicycle enthusiasts of all ages and levels. You do not need to have your own bike to participate, city bikes are an adequate option. There will also be plenty of events online.

Many of this year’s Cycling Week events are related to quality bicycle parking since, according to research, people can be encouraged to cycle by investing in secure bicycle parking. According to the Helsinki cyclist barometer survey, 66% of Helsinki residents would cycle more if bicycle parking was more secure, reducing vandalism and theft. For example, quality bicycle parking near stations enables people to combine cycling and the use of public transport on the same trip. On the other hand, shortcomings in bicycle parking inevitably make cycling less appealing.

“A large portion of bikes currently being sold are electrically-assisted and many people are wondering how to store a bike securely and practically both at home and at work, for example. Many housing companies have realised that a traditional bike storage no longer serves its purpose in modern life where people cycle all year round with different types of vehicles of varying sizes,” says the Executive Director of Helsinki Region Cyclists NGO (Hepo) Henni Ahvenlampi.

The aim of both the Helsinki Metropolitan Area cities and the Cycling Week events is to encourage people to cycle and increase the use of bicycles in all travelling. We encourage people to consider their options when moving from one place to another. It is important to increase people’s awareness of the benefits of cycling and to enhance cycling’s position in our traffic culture. In terms of the bicycle infrastructure, we encourage building an environment where people of all ages with different types of bikes can both ride and park their bikes safely and with ease during all seasons.

The Cycling Week in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area is coordinated by Helsinki Region Cyclists (Hepo). The week’s events will be organised in cooperation with the cities of Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa, Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority (HSY), Helsinki Region Transport (HSL), and other operators in the cycling sector. Hepo volunteers will also contribute to the event.

At all Cycling Week events, you can participate in the Helsinki Region Cyclists’ campaign for recruitment of members. Those who become members by 22 September 2023 will be included in a prize draw for two electrically-assisted Helkama bikes (value up to € 3,299). The draw will take place on 27 September 2023.

Hop on your bike to the Cycling Week events

Saturday, 6 May 

Cycling Week Grand Opening and Bike Parade for the Whole Family

Hepo and its partners will hold the grand opening of the Cycling Week at Helsinki Kansalaistori Square next to the Oodi Library on Saturday, 6 May at 12:00–17:00. 

The grand opening event is full of entertainment and fun activities for all! Come test ride electrically-assisted cargo bikes and the city bikes of Helsinki and Espoo on a dedicated test course. The highlight of the event is a bike parade for the whole family where we will experience the joy of cycling together. The trip may also make you realise how important safe and clear detours around construction sites are. The parade sets off at 13:30 from the Kansalaistori Square and returns to the same place after about one hour. 

Of course, there will also be music as Trash Heroes DJs provide tunes between 12:00–15:00. Visitors also have the opportunity to have the condition and safety of their bikes checked free of charge by a bike maintenance professional from Haagan Pyörähuolto Ltd. Naturally, you can also meet representatives of Helsinki Region Cyclists. The Kansalaistori Square event will provide tips and information about both cycling and traffic rules.

Monday, 8 May

Functional Bicycle Parking in a New Housing Company

Come listen to a live feed interview on Hepo’s Facebook page about functional bicycle parking solutions in a new Helsinki apartment building. A resident will tell about well-designed and built bicycle parking which is easy to get out of with different kinds of bikes and suits cyclists of all ages. A carefully built space with bicycle washing facilities and automated doors makes the lives of apartment buildings residents easier and may encourage them to cycle! A recording of the live feed interview will be available later on Hepo’s Facebook page and a blog post based on it will also be published on Hepo’s website so you can read more about the subject later.

Modern Bicycle Parking in Lauttasaari

Come listen to a live feed interview on Hepo’s Facebook page at 16:30 about the bicycle parking solution located near multiple housing companies in the Katajaharju area in Lauttasaari. The innovation provides a new storage solution for shared, electrically-assisted cargo bikes in housing companies. It is specifically designed to address storage space issues in old housing companies. Employees from HSY Circular Green Blocks project demonstrate how shared, electrically-assisted cargo bikes can be used instead of cars in daily life. Car-free life will be made easy with a co-developed bicycle parking solution located outside, where you can leave your bike with peace of mind. A recording of the live feed interview will be available later on Hepo’s Facebook page and a blog post based on it will also be published on Hepo’s website so you can read more about the subject later.

Tuesday, 9 May

Electrically-assisted Cargo Bikes Replace Cars in Lauttasaari

Get a glimpse into car-free life in Lauttasaari at Katajaharjuntie 17 on Tuesday, 9 May at 16:00–19:00! Witness how a transport solution based on sharing economy works in practice. Employees from HSY Circular Green Blocks project are present to showcase a parking solution designed for cargo bikes. This co-developed parking solution is safe, weatherproof and easy to use and will be available during the spring and summer. The electrically-assisted cargo bikes are meant for the block’s residents but there are hopes to make the model more widely-used in the future. During the trial, the goal is to evaluate how a separate parking solution located outside suits housing companies’ needs, address existing space issues and introduce people to the cargo bike as a mode of transport.

2 and 3-wheeled, electrically-assisted cargo bikes will, for example, make local residents’ shopping trips easier. The local shopping centre Lauttis has joined the development project by providing a convenient parking area for these bikes at the shopping centre’s parade spot.

Wednesday 10/5, Thursday 11/5, Friday 12/5

Breakfast for Cyclists and Bicycle Parking-themed Orienteering

The extremely popular Breakfast for Cyclists event invites everyone to pedal to Helsinki Baana, Vantaa Maalitori Square and Espoo Keilaniemi.

On Wednesday, 10 May, breakfast will be served in Baana, Helsinki, under the Porkkalankatu bridge. On Thursday, 11 May, hungry cyclists and ones craving for coffee will be served in Keilaniemi, Espoo by Laguuni, and on Thursday, 12 May, at Maalitori Square in Tikkurila, Vantaa. Hepo volunteers will serve breakfast to cyclists every day from 7:00 till 9:00. In the Vantaa Breakfast for Cyclists event on Friday, 12 May at 8:00, Vantaa’s cyclist of the year will also be announced!

Bicycle parking-themed orienteering of the Cycling Week comes out on Wednesday, 10 May. Bicycle parking-themed orienteering invites the whole family for an urban adventure in the Helsinki area. Go for a ride in the local surroundings while orienteering. See and experience new places this spring and summer. You can participate according to your own schedule, either with your own bike or a city bike. The orienteering destinations include the best public and private bicycle parking solutions in the Helsinki region.

Thursday, 11 May

Quality Bicycle Parking in Espoo Delights Local Cyclists

Come listen to a live feed interview on Hepo’s Facebook page at 12:00 about functional bicycle parking solutions in Espoo Centre. A local cyclist will present two bicycle parking spots: heated bicycle parking at the S-market in Espoo Centre and bicycle parking at shopping centre Entresse. A recording of the live feed interview will be available later on Hepo’s Facebook page and a blog post based on it will also be published on Hepo’s website so you can read more about the subject later.

Saturday, 13 May 

Bicycle Touring Day

Come and learn about bicycle tourism under the guidance of Taneli Roininen, an expert from the Bicycle Tourism Center and world traveler. At the event, you will hear Taneli’s tour tips for starting bike touring and planning tours – whether it is directed to the immediate surroundings or further afield. The day starts in the courtyard of Maunulan maja hiking lodge in front of the side building (Metsäläntie 9) with an expert’s stories and tips, after which we continue in the spirit of a workshop with the theme of bike packing and touring cycling equipment. The event starts at 12 o’clock and ends at 3 o’clock at the latest. You do not need to bring your own equipment. Welcome aboard!

Sunday, 14 May 

Bicycle Ride for the Whole Family

In celebration of Mother’s Day on Sunday, 14 May, we are organising a guided cycling trip for the whole family free-of-charge. Come and experience the joy of cycling together! We will set off at 10:30 from the Helsinki Kansalaistori Square. The route is about 25 kilometres long and it will end back at the starting point after about 3 hours of cycling. The pace will be calm so that everyone can keep up. On the trip, we will admire nature and culture sights and have one longer break. You can also use a city bike to participate in the ride.

Programmes for the events are be published at hepo.fi/pyorailyviikko and Hepo’s Facebook events. 

More information:

Taija Timonen
Producer, Helsinki Region Cyclists
+358 (0)50 0877 877
taija.timonen@hepo.fi

Henni Ahvenlampi
Executive Director, Helsinki Region Cyclists
+358 (0)41 3191002
henni.ahvenlampi@hepo.fi

Helsinki Region Cyclists

Helsinki Region Cyclists (Hepo) is a non-government organisation focused on the promotion of cycling and has over 1,500 members. We are a community and lobbyist for the people cycling in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. Our aim is to improve the conditions for cycling and to make the Helsinki Metropolitan Area a more pleasant place to live and move around in. Become a member: hepo.fi/liity

Network of cycling municipalities

The network of cycling municipalities coordinate the national Cycling Week which is the largest and most diverse cycling event in Finland. The Cycling Week mobilises thousands of Finnish people and attracts new cyclists. The network of cycling municipalities wants to double the amount of cycling in Finland and to ensure safe and high-quality cycling conditions for all. Another central objective is strengthening the cooperation between cyclists and cycling advocates.