Charles Frost of Trek Bicycle Store with Kim Sullivan and Judi Frigerio. Friday, 15 February 2013. Photo: Gene Ramirez
NOT owning a bike is not an acceptable excuse to miss Castle Hill Rotary's 18th Tour de Hills charity ride.
Rouse Hill Town Centre has a bike library which allows people access to bikes and safety equipment for up two weeks — for free.
Community and Green Travel co-ordinator Sue Wiblin said the centre was a supporter of bike riding and the Tour de Hills event.
"One of the barriers with cycling is the cost, so people want to try it, but it is expensive," Ms Wiblin said.
"So the idea is to give people the opportunity to try.
"That's one of the reasons why we sponsor the Tour de Hills as it encourages people to cycle."
There are 30 TREK hybrid bikes at the library which can be used for the event.
"Last year we had a couple of people who were entering the race and they wanted their friends to ride with them and so they were typical of the people that would come in to use the bikes," Ms Wiblin said.
The bike library is part of a five-year Green Travel program which encourages staff, residents and visitors to the centre to walk, cycle, carpool or take public transport, Ms Wiblin said.
"There was the reality that we were building a centre that was going to have a million or so visitors a year, and that was going to impact on traffic," she said.
Details: 9421 2300 or rhtc.com.au.