Cycle September is a month-long competition from Love to Ride South Lanarkshire, which aims to get more people riding bikes.

All you have to do is hop on your bike, log your rides (as long as they are 10 minutes or more), encourage your friends and family to join and compete for local prizes and global prizes.

More points mean more chances to climb the leaderboards and win prizes.

Chair of the council’s Community and Enterprise Resources Committee, Councillor Robert Brown, said: “At a time when environmental issues, wellness, and money saving are an important factor for many, there has never been a better time to ride a bike.

“For Cycle September it doesn’t matter if you ride every day or if you haven’t been on a bike in years.

“The most important thing is to get out and about, get active and to see some of the wonderful sights on your doorstep.

“I would encourage as many people as possible to sign up for this great event – and of course there is the chance to win some fantastic prizes.”

Love to Ride are behaviour change experts who have refined their approach by helping over 625,000 people worldwide get into biking, including over 146,000 new riders who report having never ridden a bike or only ridden a few times in the last year. Love to Ride has lots of resources to help people ride out with confidence, from Top Tips articles and Quick Courses.

There are so many benefits to be enjoyed from riding a bike, and Cycle September is all about embracing each and every one of them, such as:

• Supercharged physical health – even a 10-minute bike ride will boost your immune system, improve cardiovascular health, and help you live longer!
• Improved mental health – riding a bike is a mindful activity that promotes the release of endorphins and can reduce the causes of depression
• Reduced stress and anxiety - biking can calm the mind, improve self-confidence, and elevate your mood
• Protecting the planet and the air that we all breath – reduce your carbon footprint and protect the air by leaving the car at home
• Saving money – cut down on transport costs and car maintenance

Register for free at Love to Ride South Lanarkshire.

Love to Ride South Lanarkshire is part of South Lanarkshire’s air quality action planning and is funded by Scottish Government and Smarter Choices, Smarter Places.