Tuesday 25 June 2013

my new Tuesday commute

New bike, new commute. Ive recently been bought for Fathers day a new Commuter, I know Im lucky.

Its a Steels Geneses Day One with an 8 speed Alfine Hub. First impressions were uh-oh this is going to be hard work, but four rides in and Im loving it. Im even looking forward to winter when Im hoping it will really come in-to its own. Below is a picy and a new commute Im doing after school drop offs.

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Wednesday 12 June 2013

Commuter Confidence

Commuter Confidence Cycling Classes

We’ll give you the confidence to cycle anywhere, skills to commute to work whilst reducing travel expenses, be more environmentally friendly and enjoy riding with family and friends.  

Cyclist Training Ltd has been successfully supporting individuals, families, local authorities and private companies make the switch to cycling since 2008. Whether it's riding for the first time, planning a journey to school or commuting through city centre traffic our courses will enable anyone from 4 to 90 ride with more confidence for a healthier and better life!

Cyclist Training Ltd and Velo Management offer a range of programs to increase your knowledge, skills and confidence in open group classes or by requesting bespoke 1:1 sessions.  National Standard Qualified Instructors will give you the personal confidence to ride your bike on the road in an urban built up environment, on designated cycle-ways and along quieter leisure routes. 

All the courses are informative, fun and interactive with an overriding emphasis on practical content.  National Standard Qualified Instructors use proven techniques to help keep you safe during your cycling career.

Learn To Ride – 2 hours
Instructors will help you get your balance and learn to control your bike – sessions will be in a traffic free space.  Master the basics in either a group or 1:1 format.  Cyclist Training Instructors can also arrange training for a family, a group of friends or at your workplace with your colleagues.

Cycle Skills – 2 hours
If you’ve recently rediscovered your enthusiasm for cycling and would appreciate some hints and tips on how to make safe on-road journeys we will help you refresh your skills and provide you with the confidence needed to tackle the harder parts of your journeys.
In a 1:1 format we can support you to also find a new route to work, or way to the shops or school.  Don’t forget you can request bespoke training with a friend or a group.

Commuter Confidence – 3 hours
This session will help you to hone your cycling skills to cycle with confidence on roads with more traffic or more complex road junctions/layouts.   We will discuss cyclist’s rights and responsibilities with you, review the Highway Code and advise what safety equipment to carry.  Instructors can also help you with local route planning as there may be alternatives that you wish to be advised upon.

How to Book
Check out the Events Diary for our next available session or for more information on bespoke bookings please email graham@velo-m.co.uk or call 01785 818055.  
To partake in cycle sessions your bike must be in a good condition with at least one functioning brake.  
Bikes can be hired for a small fee and must be reserved at time of booking.

Tuesday 11 June 2013

Dr Bike


Our fully qualified and professional Cycling Mechanics are great at keeping bikes safe and roadworthy. 
Booking our Velo Store Cycle Mechanics to check bikes is a great way to keep staff, students or any group of people cycling.
Book a mechanic to come to you school, group or your place of work.
Many people call this service Dr Bike but we offer more than just a simple bike health check. Alongside a full safety check we will do minor repairs, adjust your bike to suit you and offer a full prescription service including costs as well as advise you on how to look after your own bike. 
To book a experienced mechanic to come to your organisation or find out more about them, call 01785 818193 or email graham@velo-m.co.uk
What are the benefits?
Bike health checks and minor repairs are a great way of attracting people to any event. Getting bikes in good condition is a great way to get people cycling for leisure or commuting. It's amazing how many bikes sit in people’s shed that just need a quick tune-up to get them roadworthy again
As well as fixing up bikes our mechanics will explain how to set bikes up and offer practical advice on how to keep bikes maintained and working. It's amazing how many bikes on the road aren't properly maintained, which is why these services are so popular.
Our professional mechanic arrives at your workplace or event fully equipped, and effortlessly fixes as many bikes as they can in the time provided, making sure everyone goes home happier and safer.
Why trust us?
Additionally we run maintenance classes for groups showing them how to maintain and adjust their own bike. We run one the countries leading independent bike shops with fully equipped professional workshops and classrooms and have been delivering cycle classes  or  have  been running and maintenance courses for the last decade. We take the confusion out of bike maintenance making it simple even for the  uninitiated.
We use our many years of experience of teaching and delivary to make sure our courses are clear, educational and fun. Courses or Dr bike session's can be delivered across the West Midlands and the North West of England  You just give us a time and a location, and We will take care of the rest including sending you pre event publicity and promoting your event through social media,blogs and website.
Bikes can either be dropped off and left for the mechanic to work on or the mechanic can spend around 10 minutes with each client, adjusting their bike's brakes and gears to make sure their bike runs super smoothly.
In the course of the 'examination', Velo Mechanics  give every bike an effective safety check, our mechanic will, if necessary:
  • adjust and clean brakes and gears
  • replace brake cables and blocks
  • replace gear cables
  • clean and lubricate
  • check and inflate tyres
  • check headset and bottom bracket for play
  • replace missing bar and cable ends
  • advise on any further work that is needed

All spares listed above are included in the price. If further work is needed the mechanic will provide a written advise on the problem as well as a price estimate. They will also a take away and return drop off for anyone wishing to have the work carried out, in our workshops.
All clients also get tips on road safety from our fully qualified Bike ability instructors and sensibly ways to look after their bike to take away with them.
How much does it cost?
Hiring a professional  bike mechanic costs £75 per hour (plus VAT) with a minimum booking of three hours. If you want more than one mechanic, we offer a discounted rate for the second (or more) mechanic: £55 per hour (plus VAT).

CTL offers discounted rates for community groups and schools, please get in touch to discuss how we can help your community event.

Sunday 9 June 2013

Not "Sleeping in" for anyone

This morning see's  me doing a timing and risk assessment check on instructors at Ryecroft. Then I am paying cash in from Velo before  visiting the printers for logo checks. I will then get into work were no doubt the staff think I wish I had the boss's job and started at 10 !!

The instructors day starts with risk assessments of the proposed training area and then the instructors split up with paperwork being completed by one  while the rest start meet & greet with bike checks. The bike checks are started by the students as they arrive to see if they can recall their Air Brake &  Chaib check from level 1. A more thorough (m check is then completed by the instructors. All before school starts at 9.00. So there is no sleep ins for instructors and bosses alike.