Going to the Cycle Show and the Bike Biz awards? We've got the low down on what to do in Birmingham...

The national Cycle Show takes place in Birmingham next month, and promises to be bigger than ever.  Whether you ride a road bike or prefer a stately upright town bike, there's something for everyone, whatever your cycling fancy.  Getting to Birmingham, and making sure you see all the best bits, can be a bit of a logistical nightmare so our ibikelondon guide to the Bike Show is here to help you on your way....

 
What is it?

It's Britain's national Bike Show, taking place at the NEC in Birmingham from the 25th to the 28th September 2014.  The 25th is press and trade day, with the rest of the dates open to the general public.  It's a huge exhibition that shows off the latest offers from bike brands, and the newest bikes, as well as more cycling apparel and accessory providers you can shake a muddy wheel at.

How do I get to Birmingham?  Is that in Zone 5?!

Sadly, Birmingham is well out of the reach of your Oyster card and you'll be better off if you buy your train ticket in advance.  Look for tickets to Birmingham International Station, which serves the NEC.  If you're interested in taking your bike there's plenty of secure bicycle parking available for the week of the exhibition.  Andreas at London Cyclist blog has these top tips on cycling from London to Birmingham if you're really keen!

Where do I stay?

If you do ride you're going to need somewhere to stay overnight, and even if you go by train it is an approximately four hour round trip so you might want to consider making a night of it in Birmingham.  The NEC is a little out of town so you'll want to stay somewhere nearby and choose carefully.  The Crowne Plaza Birmingham NEC is just a few moments away and is also playing host to the BikeBiz Awards this year, so looks like the place to stay if you want to be in the thick of the cycling action.

 

 Sam Pilgrim in action - see him and friends in action at the NEC.

What should I expect to see?

There's a test track to take the latest new bikes on offer for a test ride, a specially built indoor Mountain Biking range, and even a space where you can try out the latest city bikes and e-bikes.  A big screen will be showing the best of the Tour of Britain and the World Championships.  Dirt jumping supremo Sam Pilgrim has set up the biggest competition in the UK since 2007, and you can expect the best dirt jump riders from around the world to be competing over the 5 days of the exhibition, clearing some serious air on the range of ramps constructed just for the competition.  There's even a chance to meet 6 x Olympic and 11 x World Track Champion Sir Chris Hoy on the Friday of the expo.  In short, it's an end of summer cycling extravaganza!

Need some extra information?  The  lowdown is on the Bike Show website, including appearance schedules and exhibitor lists.  Tickets are £13 for adults, £11 for concessions and children up 14 accompanied by an adult are only £1.

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