As On Yer Bike delves further into the high end road race bike market, we’re determined to give back to the riders who choose our bikes by ensuring there’s a place for them to be truly put to the test.
On Yer Bike Crit Series
With the state of the domestic racing scene at the moment, we think it’s important to invest in grassroots racing. For this season we have sponsored the well established local criterium racing league at the Steven Burke Hub in Barrowford on a Thursday evening, headed up by Paul Whittaker and his team. The league runs under British Cycling regulations and comprises of an E/1/2 category race and a 3/4 category.
This year the league has been shortened to just eleven rounds from the usual twenty-two aiming to boost participation. To further encourage riders, we’ve introduced weekly gift vouchers in addition to the usual league prizes. This means there’s still something to be racing for if you can’t commit to the majority of thursday nights throughout summer.
Amidst the rising costs of road racing, dwindling entry numbers are no surprise. However, it’s not just racers we need to sustain the domestic scene – marshals and helpers are just as crucial! If you’re interested in getting involved with the Thursday night crit league, whether through racing or volunteering, you can find all the details here.
Northern Road Race Championships
To supplement our commitment to grassroots racing, we believe it’s equally important to support major events on the calendar. For 2025, we contributed to the prize pot and running costs of the combined Northern Road Race Championships, held on June 1st at Calthwaite, just outside Cumbria. These esteemed regional honours are a highlight of the domestic racing calendar, frequently attracting top riders, with some even traveling back from the continent specifically for a chance at the various regional titles.
The fact that the North Eastern, North Western and Yorkshire championships all had to be culminated in to one championship offers a clear indication of the current state of the domestic racing scene and highlights the need for businesses to offer their support.
We’re extremely grateful for the help! Without On Yer Bike’s support this year, it’s unlikely there would have been any regional championships in the North of England.
The race was hard fought out across one hundred mostly dry miles, won by Dexter Leeming Sykes. You can read The British Continental’s coverage of the race here.
State of the domestic scene
At On Yer Bike, our journey into the road and gravel market is fueled by a desire to give back to the sport and those passionate riders who choose to buy from us. From investing in the local crit series to supporting the prestigious Northern Road Race Championships, our commitment is clear: to help secure the future of domestic racing.
The current climate undoubtedly presents challenges for the scene, with rising costs impacting participation and the amalgamation of regional championships underscoring the need for collective effort; but we believe that through targeted support and by encouraging both racers and volunteers, we can help set a precedent for a more sustainable racing scene.
We’re proud to contribute to the racing scene and we will continue to explore how we can help organisers and racers to deliver good quality racing both on and off road.
Our race ready stock
With aero road race bikes, essential accessories, and a full range of nutrition available across all three of our branches, On Yer Bike has you covered. If you find yourself at a loss on race day, don’t hesitate to drop by!
