Bike hire scheme Bike & Go has launched its annual search to find Britain’s most stylish cyclist. Andrew Wright reports.

The country’s leading bike hire scheme Bike & Go is inviting the British public to grab their selfie sticks and prove they are the country’s most chic cyclist.

Whether your cycle chic is jeans and Converse for a casual weekend ride, or heels and a shift dress for an office-ready commute to work, Bike & Go wants to see it.

The winner of the competition, open to all, will be  riding off with £150 worth of Love to Shop vouchers, which can be redeemed at a wide range of UK stores and attractions.

Simply take a selfie, or ask a friend to do it for you, of yourself on your bike in your most stylish cycling outfit and tweet it to @UKBikeandGo using the hashtag #ChicCyclist2017.

The winner will be announced via Twitter on Friday, July 7 through the @UKBikeandGo handle.

Rosanna Downes, 31, won last year’s Chic Cyclist competition. She said: “My partner Tom and I love riding our tandem, so when we got engaged there was no doubt in our minds that it should be a part of our wedding.

“In my winning entry I’m definitely the most chic I’ve ever looked on a bicycle, though I was amazed to win against some pretty stiff competition. I celebrated with a suitably chic shopping trip. I’d urge anyone considering to submit an entry – it’s great fun seeing your pic alongside all the other chic cyclists and you never know, you might just win.”

Cycling enthusiast and Bike & Go’s business manager Linda van der Haar, who has brought her own version of cycle chic from the Netherlands to the UK, said: “Last year’s Chic Cyclist competition revealed just how many stylish cyclists there are riding around the UK, and we’re hoping that this year we’ll see even more fabulous entrants taking part.

“Cycling isn’t about donning Lycra that clings in all the wrong places – it’s about getting around in a way that provides lots of mental and physical health benefits, and is good for the environment too. Our Chic Cyclist 2017 competition aims to highlight the fact that anyone can jump on a bike – whatever they’re wearing.”