Hi everyone, Joe Waugh here from M. Steel Cycles; I’m delighted to say that summer is well and truly upon us.  To get us into the summer spirit, this month we’re talking about how we can help you to make the most out of your bikes.  To do this, I’m going to leave you in the very capable hands of our resident Bicycle Doctor, Dave Buchan.

David
“My new role as Bicycle Doctor is something I’m extremely excited about.  It involves me fixing customer’s bikes to ensure they’re at the highest working specification possible.  This way, our customers can get the most out of their cycling experience.  This job came as a natural progression from my job fixing bikes in the shop’s workshop, which I then extended to night sessions to enable customers to bring their bikes to us after work.

“We are now in the position to take this free Bicycle Doctor service out of M. Steel Cycles and into the general public.  We are aware that people who don’t have much cycle experience can find it intimidating to come into the shop and ask questions; we hope that this will be another way they can access help and advice.  I am visiting businesses, schools and events where I want to fix and improve as many bikes as possible.  I bring sample bikes with me to the venues for people to try if they wish.

“I have already done some work with local festivals and events.  I was at the Watt Festival in Ashington recently and last month I attended the Green Festival at Leazes Park in Newcastle.  The Green Festival promotes environmental protection, and I was on-hand to look over the bikes of those who had ridden to the festival.  It was great to meet new people and answering and bike-related queries they had.  I will soon be working at the National Trust’s Pedlar’s Picnic too, which I’m really looking forward to.

“I am also helping businesses who want to make it as easy as possible for their employees to cycle to work and leave their cars at home.  I have been working with the companies within the Cobalt Business Park where there are over 7000 employees.  As an incentive to ride to work, I am available to spend time with the employees from each company; checking over their bikes and answering any queries they have.

“The Bicycle Doctor service has so far had an excellent response from local schools.  I am working alongside Sustrans, a UK charity which provides practical solutions to incorporating cycling and walking into our daily lives.  We go into the schools before lessons begin and ask the pupils to cycle in.  We then host a breakfast where they can get their bikes checked over, and have a try of the sample bikes I bring, which may be models they have never seen before.

“I have been working closely with Morpeth Road Primary School, in Blyth; the head teacher there encourages a fit and healthy lifestyle for the children.  To prompt this, 10 children from the school are doing the Coast to Coast, from Whitehaven to Tynemouth.  I’ve been advising the children on what food to eat and clothing to wear, as well the maintenance of their bikes.  The trip will take four to five days, and I’ll be acting as Trail Cycle Leader for the trip; it promises to be excellent fun.  We hope that the key skills in healthy eating, exercise and interest in the environment will remain with the children in the future, too.

“Through taking the Bicycle Doctor service out the public, we want to enable those who wouldn’t usually seek help with their bikes to receive a fantastic cycle experience.  In this mindset, we are going to begin a non-competitive cycle team.  This team will be for those who just want to cycle for pleasure; who will go out on rides on Saturday mornings, taking in the sights of the beautiful countryside that surrounds us.

“All of us at M. Steel Cycles are passionate about bikes and riding, and we want as many people to be able to feel the same way, and we hope that we are on the road to achieving it.”