Your packed London weekend cycling guide

This weekend is PACKED with all things cycling and there's something for everyone;

HTC Smithfield Nocturne 2010. 19th June. 15:00-22:00

The city's favourite night-time street race returns to London's Smithfield meat market for the fourth year running, bigger and better than ever before. From 2PM Danish cycle instructors will teach children bike tricks and cycle safety on Charterhouse St, courtesy of the Danish Embassy in London; bikes will be on loan from Velorution.  For the first time this year the traffic-free race course will be open to families, commuters and all 2-wheeled Londoners from 3PM to 4.30PM for a mini 'Skyride', register here or show up early on the day.  There's also a big screen showing all of the races as they unfold; starting with the Red Bull track stand competition, and folllowed by the ever-popular Longest Fixed Gear Skid competition (sponsored by Soho cycling outfit Tokyo Fixed Gear) the folding bike races (always highly entertaining!) and the pro racers themselves; Australian Matt Goss from Team HTC will be there as will the finely-attired team Rapha-Condor-Sharp. 

There's plenty to see off-circuit too with food from the top London restaurants as part of St Bartholomew's fair, and extracts from Theatre Delicatessen's play about Lance Armstrong, Marco Pantani and Jan Ullrich. A certain bike blogger might be tempted to take on anyone who dares on the Rollapaluza roller racing rig, and there will be very special bike parking on hand in the form of a new car-shaped cycle stand from CycleHoop designer Anthony Lau, who we've featured here before.  I can't wait!

London Festival of Architecture. 19th June to 4th July, various locations.

Got a thing for the urban environment? Love your bricks and mortar almost as much as you love your bike?  Then this year the London Festival of Architecture is for you.  Packed with talks, walks, exhibitions, open houses and bike rides there's something for everyone in the summer programe, which runs till July 4th.  Cycling highlights include a sonic tour of London with the BikeShow's Jack Thurston this Sunday, or a tour of the signs and symbolism of Clerkenwell street life with David Rosenberg which filters to the Nocturne on Saturday.  The full festival programme of cycling events can be found here.

Le Tour de Waltham Forest. Sunday 20th June, 10AM Waltham Town Square

Think those jersey-toting smackheads pootling round France have it easy?  Me too!  Come to Waltham Forest for a tour avec une difference; the Tour de Waltham Forest.  Organised by the Waltham Forest Cycling Campaign, choose from three different difficulty levels and who knows, in-between dodging the pot-holes and navigating around some of the borough's questionable cycling infrastructure maybe you'll even spot the mysterious Freewheeler from the Crap Cycling in Waltham Forest blog.  Bring the family, it promises to be a fun day.

Midsummer Madness Ride - 2AM , Monday June 21st, Brick Lane

Kick off Bike Week 2010 with a real bang by revelling on a ride marking midsummer and the shortest night of the year.  Kick off at the 24-hour beigel Shop on Brick Lane at 2AM, pootle down to London Bridge for 2.30AM, stop in Soho for (very) early morning coffee and ride up to Primrose Hill to watch the sun come up over sleepy London. Just don't ask me how you're supposed to survive the next day at work...  Nb. This ride takes place on Sunday night / Monday morning, not Monday night.  Don't turn up at 2AM on Tuesday morning 'cos you'll be all on your lonesome.  Just turn up and ride!

Live Music from the River Rat Pack - 4.30PM to 7PM, the Palm Mile End

Enjoy a little jazz on your commute home along the towpath outside Tthe cracking Palm Tree pub in Mile End Ecology Park.  See here for all of British Waterway's other family friendly and traffic-free BikeWeek 2010 events, including an art gallery ride and a trip through the tow path-less Islington Tunnel by boat (with your bike!)

If that lot doesn't sate your appetite, you'll be pleased to know the 5-day weather forecast for London is predicting perfect cycling weather.  Get out there and enjoy it and maybe see you out on 2 wheels!