This June, Bike Oxford 2026, powered by Penningtons Manches Cooper, will bring together more than 700 cyclists for a day of riding, community celebration, and fundraising — with a record-breaking number of local charities taking part. Title sponsors Penningtons Manches Cooper continue to champion the cause of promoting cycling, encouraging active lifestyles, and providing charities with a platform to fundraise.
Sobell House Hospice Named as Chosen Charity
Sobell House Hospice is Bike Oxford’s 2026 chosen charity and is encouraging riders of all ages and abilities to sign up and ride on June 21. Tom Roby, who works at Walton Street Cycles, has committed to raising £230 and has already exceeded his target. The bike shop, which rents out bicycles through Bainton Bikes, is also providing a free hire bike to anyone who rides for Sobell House.
Mr. Roby is one of more than 20 cyclists gearing up to pedal 25, 45, or 75 miles for the compassionate end-of-life care charity, a cause close to many Oxfordshire residents’ hearts. “Sobell House does amazing work and supports so many people,” he said, “and means a lot to my family.” Speaking of how 2026 is also the charity’s 50th year, Mr. Roby added: “I’m riding Bike Oxford to help Sobell House smash it for their anniversary.”
Record Number of Charities Participating
The event has seen a record number of UK and Oxfordshire charities getting involved this year. Seventeen organisations have gathered a total of over 70 cyclists who will ride for local causes alongside Team Sobell. These include The Archway Foundation, Asylum Welcome, Cancer Research UK, Combat Stress, The Gatehouse Oxford, Helen & Douglas House, Home-Start Oxford, Maggie's, Oxford Breast Buddy Group, Oxford Food Hub, Oxfordshire Mind, Response, Restore, Ronald McDonald House Oxford, SeeSaw Grief Support, and The Twins Trust.
CyclAbility Ride and New Sponsors
Organisers Iconic Cycling Events are also championing a CyclAbility ride at Horspath Athletic Ground on Friday, June 19, supporting a large fleet of adapted bikes in a supported and safe environment. Support for Bike Oxford is also growing from the business community. Decathlon, Royal Cars, and Invivo Healthcare have joined the event as official sponsors, along with B4-Business, an organisation that connects enterprise and ideas. B4 chief executive Richard Rosser described the event’s growing appeal across the business community.
Richard said: “Bike Oxford is a fantastic initiative that not only promotes healthier, more active lifestyles, but also showcases the stunning Oxfordshire and Cotswold countryside to participants from across the region and beyond. Events like this play an important role in bringing communities together, raising the profile of local businesses and creating valuable fundraising opportunities for charities. We’re proud to support an event that delivers such a positive impact on so many levels.”
Full-Circle Moment for Biddulph Wealth Management
Biddulph Wealth Management has also committed to supporting the event. In 2016, owner and founder Olly Biddulph was studying Sports Performance at The University of Bath while simultaneously training for the Great Britain Bobsleigh Team. After representing GBR at the Youth Olympics and World Championships, he received a Santander Sports Scholarship to work in a local business and spent two summers working at Iconic Cycling Events on their Bike Oxford and Bike Bath events. It's a “full-circle moment,” as Mr. Biddulph explains. “Roll the clock forward 10 years and you might say I’ve swapped the lycra suit for the business suit and I'm back again,” he said. “I’m keen to help the Iconic team raise the profile of Bike Oxford which brings cyclists of all abilities together. The event showcases the wonderful Oxfordshire scenery, promotes active lifestyles and gives businesses like mine the chance to raise our profile.”
How to Get Involved
If you’d like to take part and ride in a team, for charity, or just ride solo, head to the Bike Oxford website to find out more about the event. You can also sign up to ride with Team Sobell at sobellhouse.org/event/bike-oxford/, and if you need a free bike hire to ride with them, contact Walton Street Cycles on 01865 311610 or visit spoke.co.uk/contact.
