bike buddies scheme launched

[Sally Eva]

Southwark is launching our own Bike Buddies scheme. We put new riders in touch with experienced riders in their local area so buddies can meet up and ride together: to work, to the park or to the shops. If this sounds good to you DM me and I will rush assistance to you

If you know anyone else who might like to ride with an experienced cyclist to gain confidence, or if you are an experienced cyclist and would be prepared to buddy someone, sign up with our simple Form, https://bit.ly/SouthwarkBBs

A flyer for the scheme is attached. Please spread the word and ask your friends to pass it on. The big need to reach out to those who want to start cycling but are unsure how to stay safe.

If you know of a local group, maybe a community group, one of the new local Covid groups or anyone who would like help, please pass our information to them or send organiser Bruce Lynn ( [email protected]) a link.

[Abe_froeman]

Are you vetting the people signing up to be ?buddies??

[first mate]

Actually I do think this is a useful service for those who want to cycle but are not confident.

[Lunagr]

Hi,

I have just applied to this scheme.

It would be great to be more confident to ride my bike to get to work.

Thank you

Luna

[Otto2]

Brilliant initiative - well done Southwark!

[andrewc]

Great idea.

[Sally Eva]

Otto2 Wrote:

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> Brilliant initiative - well done Southwark!

thanks, we are Southwark Cyclists, part of the London Cycling Campaign. Our website is here https://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/ and the LCC's is here: https://lcc.org.uk/.

Apologies, I should have put all that in the first post. You can contact us at [email protected]; the organiser is [email protected] or text me on 07842 640 207.

[Zig-Zag]

Great initiative. Thank you

[Lunagr]

I have had my first ride to work for fun :-) this morning with Sally and it was really enjoyable and useful.

We cycled to Cannon Street using alternative and quite cycling routes through all the way.

I used to run to work before starting WFH and I have always wanted to be able to cycle either to work or to explore different area in London.

I think this is an amazing initiative to help people like me to be more confident on the road, to learn how to use cycling routes and enjoy a safe ride. It is also a good way to meet people who love cycling and share a ride together.

I highly recommend to both experienced buddies and not to get in touch and apply for this scheme.

Thank you again Sally for your time and availability today.

Looking forward to my next cycle to work for fun.

[zerkalo]

I was going to say that the HE organisation I work for has also introduced this 'bike buddies' scheme (even though presumably not many staff would be commuting to work yet) then realised that the organiser's email address looked familiar. Well done Southwark Cyclists and UCL!

Sally Eva Wrote:

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> Apologies, I should have put all that in the first

> post. You can contact us at [email protected];

> the organiser is [email protected] or text me on

> 07842 640 207.

[Sally Eva]

https://cycle-skillsonline.tfl.gov.uk/

This is a link to an online cycle skills course run by TfL. There are four short modules and then 24hrs free access to the hire bikes.

Looks good

[Mrs D]

Hi Sally Eva, do you know if there is a course somewhere which teaches basic bike maintenance, including changing tyres, adjusting breaks etc? Thank you!

[Sally Eva]

This is one of quite a few online courses: https://www.reed.co.uk/courses/bike-maintenance-cpd-certified/96809.

In person ones are a bit iffy because of Covid. We normally run one ourselves in Camberwell but it stopped in April and as far as I know hasn't restarted. Lewisham Cyclists run fix-your-own bike sessions and I'll let you know if they are still going (I've been trying to find out)

This one: https://londonbikehub.com/maintenance-training/ is in Greenford and you can tell they are not sure whether they will actually be running their beginner courses in August.

These people https://lbk.org.uk/collections/online-classes look very hopeful until you realise that all the courses listed are long passed and none seem to be coming up.

I'll keep looking

[Sally Eva]

https://lewishamcyclists.co.uk/mend-and-ride-bike-workshop/

Lewisham Cyclists have restarted their fix and ride workshops (see above). Or rather they are in the process of re-starting them. To know more, text or email Jane David on [email protected]. She's in charge.

Also Cycle Confident are coming back to life https://cycleconfident.com/sponsors/southwark/. Seems to be adults only from the beginning of September.

Both of those are free.

[yourmomma]

Mrs D Wrote:

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> Hi Sally Eva, do you know if there is a course

> somewhere which teaches basic bike maintenance,

> including changing tyres, adjusting breaks etc?

> Thank you!

Youtube is also really good for this. Just search for your specific problem and someone is likely to have done a video guide on it. GCN is a good channel that has lots of help videos, for example here are the ones on brake maintenance.. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gcn+adjust+brakes

[Sally Eva]

Some clarification from Cycle Confident. They are taking bookings for adult courses (see their website). They are offering Family skills training and some School training from September but sadly nothing in the summer holidays.

Their website is here: https://www.cycleconfident.com/courses/fix-ride/. TfL has given boroughs ?60,000 to spend on cycle training but that probably won't go far. Southwark's courses are open to all those who live, work or study in the borough.

Take a look and book ahead, I should

[Sally Eva]

Further on Cycle Confident: They?are now starting to take bookings for individual cycle training (though they are not allowed to train complete beginners due to social distancing being impossible).

Their website is here:?https://www.cycleconfident.com/?to make a booking. They have quite a backlog of interest but will try to get to everyone as fast as they can

[Sally Eva]

Full FREE Cycle Skills Training is back.

You can get tailored training at a level suited to your needs, or book a lesson for the family (with up to three participants)! Choose from Basic (off-road environment), Urban (quiet local roads) or Advanced (complex junctions and busy roads). Provider in Southwark is Cycle Confident. Book at https://www.cycleconfident.com/sponsors/southwark/

If you think some advanced training would help, book up. If you know someone just starting cycling, suggest they do the basic training. If they need a bike, consider the ?20/month loan scheme provided for Southwark by Peddle My Wheels

[first mate]

The cycle maintenance course could be very useful but appears to be based in Enfield and, unless I am mistaken, is subsidised by Southwark? Is there any way to mount a course within the borough. A course in Enfield, especially in the current climate, seems an odd choice.

[Sally Eva]

:) I think the phraseology leaves something to be desired. It gives an impression that everything they do is in Enfield. Southwark won't be funding stuff in Enfield. I'll ask Cycle Confident if they do a Southwark bike maintenance course. We used to do one in Canberwell but it was knocked on the head by Covid. I'll ask if it's restarted.

Lewisham Cyclists have restarted their bike workshops (I think and will check) The link is here: https://lewishamcyclists.co.uk/helping-you-ride/maintenance-classes/

These people are in the East End and start at ?40 https://www.bikeworks.org.uk/Pages/Category/book-a-maintance-course

This one might be the one in Enfield. https://www.lcc.org.uk/events/fix-your-ride-2?esid=17495. It does seem a long way away.

This is Burgess Park though: Community Cycleworks looks still open https://www.communitycycleworks.co.uk/bike-fix/

[first mate]

Thanks Sally.

[Sally Eva]

OK, Southwark is not funding cycle maintenance courses through Cycle Confident (or anyone else as far as I know)

Some Lewisham Cyclists courses are running and their calendar (see previous post) is said to be accurate. The weekly bike maintenance course is not running but the second Sunday in the month one is. That will be September now but August is always like that.

That's the best I can do at the moment. The combination of August and Covid is not helpful.

[Sally Eva]

Any fans of the Robert Elms Show on BBC Radio London out there? If so (or even if not so) tune in for 12.15 tomorrow when Bruce Lynn is being interviewed about the new Cycle Buddies (previously Bike Buddies) programme. Should be excellent publicity for this scheme that matches up inexperienced cyclists with experienced ones. Help is given on route planning and on riding in traffic. Flyer here,

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kTmumXIqhnTJiGt2uE7AaIMrBGRRhNq_/view?usp=sharing

Link to LCC page for all the other boroughs now involved, https://www.lcc.org.uk/cyclebuddies

[cactus]

Hi Sally Eva

Are young people able to use the Cycle Buddies scheme?

I have a 15 year old who would like to try cycling to school, but lacks a bit of confidence.

[lordshipmonkey]

I signed up to buddy somone, but haven't heard back. Has anyone else received anything yet?