Below you will find all the essential information needed for a month of cycling, along with answers to our most frequently asked questions. Any further questions? Simply drop us an email and we’ll be happy to answer: PedalForProgress@diabetes.org.uk.
What is Pedal for Progress?
This October, take on diabetes one mile at a time. Cycle either 250, 500 or 700 miles in a month, as you pedal for progress for everyone with diabetes. You can complete the challenge however and whenever you like during October.
Key event information
It's free – that's right, it's free to take part. And you can receive amazing rewards for your fundraising too.
When – October 2024
The challenge – you have three distances to choose from or you can pick your own target.
What type of bike – Any. You could use an outdoor road or mountain bike, e-bike or handcycle. Or you could cycle indoors with an indoor exercise bike or turbo trainer. The choice is yours.
Fundraising & rewards – there's no minimum sponsorship but you can receive rewards based on your fundraising – including the event medal as well as official Diabetes UK cycling caps and t-shirts. Find out more details on the Rewards page.
Your profile page – your Pedal for Progress profile page is built for tracking rides and fundraising. It's also where you'll unlock your badges and post your thoughts and photos in your journal.
Tracking your rides – use a tracking app on your phone or a sports watch. If using an indoor bike, you could also use an odometer, if the bike itself doesn’t display your distance.
Logging rides – log your rides by connecting to Strava or adding your rides manually on your profile page.
Under 18s – if you're under 18, please ask a parent or guardian to register on your behalf, they will need to create a new JustGiving account using a unique email address.
The difference your fundraising makes
We're fighting for a world where diabetes can do no harm and every ride we take towards that is crucial. With your support we can continue our vital work across the UK supporting people living with and at risk of diabetes. Here are some of the ways your support can make a difference.
Every ride and every donation counts – find out more on the main Diabetes UK website.
Is there a registration fee?
Pedal for Progress is free.
All we ask is that you pedal your best to raise as much sponsorship as possible, to help save and change the lives of people living with diabetes in the UK.
Can under 18s take part?
Yes, absolutely, but they’ll need an adult to register on their behalf. We must ensure that all contact details are that of the child's parent or guardian. Once their page has been created, the name on the profile page, the picture and their story can be updated to that of the child's.
When cycling, under 18s should be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times on all rides and follow all the advice in the 'How to cycle safely' section below. We would also strongly recommend avoiding open roads if at all possible.
For more advice on cycling with children, please read this article from Cycling UK.
Please note – we’ll only communicate with the adult who registered the under 18. We don’t have permission to speak to under 18s about fundraising and the challenge.
Can I use a handcycle, e-bike, indoor exercise bike or turbo trainer?
Yes – you can take on Pedal for Progress on any type of bike. You could use an outdoor road or mountain bike, e-bike or handcycle. Or you could cycle indoors with an indoor exercise bike or turbo trainer. The choice is yours.
Do I have to do all the distance in one go?
No, you have the whole month to complete Pedal for Progress. It's your race, at your pace so you can break it down into many small chunks or a few longer rides. Whatever suits you.
Is there a minimum amount to be raised?
No, we just ask you try to raise as much as you can.
£300 is a great target, though lots of cyclists raise much more.
Tell me about fundraising rewards
Fundraising rewards are our way of saying thank you for the incredible fundraising you do. It's a small token of appreciation for helping us create a world where diabetes can do no harm.
If you’ve chosen to receive rewards, we’ll send the following rewards out to you:
You can see what these look like on our Rewards page.
If you've opted to not receive rewards but would like to, let us know at PedalForProgress@diabetes.org.uk.
Do I have to fundraise online?
Your online fundraising page is the quickest and easiest way to get donations from friends without any cash changing hands, but you can fundraise offline too. You can download a sponsor form from our Resources page.
How do I track my rides at the start of the challenge?
You can start logging your rides on your profile page from October 1st. First, you can log in to your account.
There are two ways to add your rides to your Pedal for Progress profile page;
You can manually log your rides whenever you like, whether that's twice a day, once a week or a few times a month.
By adding your rides to your page, you’ll see your totals go up, unlock special badges and be able to show all your fans how hard you’re working to ride towards a healthier you and support Diabetes UK.
How do I log my rides manually?
To log your rides manually, you must be logged in to your Pedal for Progress page.
Whether you’re cycling for you or a loved one, you can take your fitness up a gear while raising vital funds for Diabetes UK.
