One of the regions most respected independent bike retailers have unveiled their lavish new look in brand new premises.

M Steel Cycles, based in South Gosforth, have served the cycling needs of the North East since 1884 and have just moved into premises three times the size of the old shop. The new shop features the latest range of professional bikes as well as state of the art features never before seen in the region.

The renovated M Steel Cycles features a Specialized Body Fit Centre, a ground breaking system which uses scientific methods to measure your body and assess the perfect fit on your bike. The Centre has already excited local bike enthusiasts, cementing the shops place at the heart of the North East’s biking community.

Owner Joe Waugh, an Olympic cyclist and Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist said: “It’s been a long time in the making but we’re all so happy to be moved in. I can’t believe how good the new shop looks and we’re looking forward to continuing the shops reputation for quality, value and unbeatable biking expertise.

“We now have enough space to really show off what we’re about. We are here for the people who cycle to work or take the kids out for a ride on the weekend as much as we are here for the racers and mountain bike enthusiasts.”

For those who are already familiar with M Steel Cycles, the new shop is conveniently situated on Bowsden Terrace, Gosforth, just around the corner from the old one.

The new two floor M Steel Cycles store is now open, with an official launch party scheduled for the near future.

A local sporting legend is organising an event to encourage families across the North East to get active.

Olympian and Commonwealth Games Gold Medal cyclist Joe Waugh is organising the first Waughy’s Challenge – a five mile cycling event for all of the family on June 15th 2008 at Spillers Wharf on Newcastle’s quayside. The event will be part of Bike Week 08, the national initiative to get people cycling. All proceeds from the event will go to Metro Radio’s children’s charity, Just For Kids. Metro Radio’s Wayne Allen will be taking part in the event with his young son. He told us, ‘I’m delighted to be part of this, we’re both really looking forward to it! It’ll be great to do something that the whole family can get involved in.’ Joe Waugh, who now owns M Steel Cycles, a specialist cycling shop in South Gosforth, wanted to organise the event to promote the sport he loves. ‘Cycling is as important now as it has ever been,’ Joe told us, ‘With levels of obesity rising, especially among children, cycling can be a great way to exercise. It is also a brilliant way to reduce your carbon footprint as well as cutting out all the traffic on your way to work! Cycling is also great fun and an activity that the whole family can enjoy. I wanted to organise Waughy’s Challenge so people, young and old, will give cycling a chance.’ The event will start at Spillers Wharf on Newcastle’s quayside. It will then be led by Joe and a team of experts down the quayside and through a family friendly route, passing some of the cities most spectacular views. It will be just under five miles in total, to try and encourage beginners to give it a shot. If you’ve worked up an appetite, there will be barbeque at the finish line. There will also be a raffle giveaway and goodies for the kids. To register for the event, please contact JAM Marketing on 0191 4909199. I will cost £3 for under 16s and £5 for adults with all proceeds going to Just For Kids. Joe, who is soon to be featured on a programme for ITV said, ‘It’ll be so great to see families getting together and having fun for such a great cause. Young and old, get involved!’

When you have real passion for something, you can’t leave it behind. Despite winning a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games, competing in the Olympics and overcoming life threatening injuries, Joe Waugh of M Steel Cycles in South Gosforth continues to put everything he can into the sport he loves. Joe’s story proves that what comes up doesn’t always have to come down.

“Cycling is in my blood,” Joe told us. “My father was a cyclist before the war and from a young age, since I got my first bike, I’ve just been hooked.” It wasn’t long until Joe’s passion for cycling saw him competing on a wider scale, “That came by chance in a way in that I was approached by a club after they saw my racing bikes outside the house and asked if I’d be interested in joining a club! We thought it’d be good fun and within a few months we taking part in local time trials. Then, as they say, the rest is history.” Joe has achieved many accolades both in and outside the world of cycling. Now managing the North East’s longest serving cycling shop, he continues to us his wealth of experience to provide the best service to both the casual and passionate bike rider. With his days of international competition behind him, it becomes apparent that his achievements, as well as his set backs, make him one of the most skilled in his line of work. Joe’s rise didn’t come quickly and after years of competing locally, his hard work paid off and he was asked to compete in a big international event. Joe proved his worth in this event which led him to bigger and better things. His snowballing success saw him competing as part of the 1976 Olympic team; an honour which he never thought possible. “From being an arm chair sports fanatic to sitting with some of the greats in the sporting world was surreal. “We rode in the Olympic Games in both Montreal and Moscow and came extremely close to winning a medal. We won a Gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in 1982 which was such an amazing achievement. I’d have been over the moon with any medal, but the way we came from behind to win in the last few seconds was a bit like a film!