Bike Bristol

How is your bike working? Learn how to get it working its best with free bike repair course at St Anne's House 10.00-14.30

7th May
4th June
2nd July
6th Aug

Sign up link bikebristol.as.me/sah

Bike repair workshop maintenance course at Friday 24th 1030-1400 link in comments!

We're finding a new home for our hire bike fleet. If you are interested in buying a well serviced bike get in touch for details! We have some benefitting from racks and mudguards.

Dawes Trail EQ size 20inch (large) 24 gears
Dawes 201 Inc.rack, size 22inch (XL) 8 gears
Dawes 301 size 20 inch (large) with hydraulic brakes 24 gears
Dawes Mojave size 17 inch (medium) 24 gears rack and mudguards

We'll be doing free bike repair workshops at UWE Bower Ashton Thursday 26th, 1030-1500 then this Friday 27th and Saturday 28th 1130-1600. Learn basic skills to help you repair your bike. We can help you learn to replace innertubes (punctures), adjust gears or brakes. Book here
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Free 1 hour bike repair workshops at Sparks Thursday 19th March 1130, 1230 and 1400. Sign up link in comments. Learn basic skills to repair your bike. The mechanic may be able to make minor repairs on your bike.

We'll be at for free bike maintenance demos every last Friday of the month 1030-1500. Learn basic skills to help you keep you bike In good shape

Locking your bike: simple right… How can you lock your bike most effectively? Bike theft is through the roof and it's clear thieves are wandering the city looking for soft targets. Top tips include

🔐Use a high quality D-lock - spend more for more experience bikes. Advoid thin cable locks.

🔐Don't just lock through the wheel! They'll undo the wheel and walk away with the rest.

🔐Consider 2x locks to deter thieves

🔐Try not to leave your bike locked out in the open… can you take it into your workplace, house etc.

🔐Consider locking your bike between others - safety in numbers.

🔐Thread a cable with loops at each end through your wheel and then back to your D-lock

🔐Some people purposly make thier bikes look ugly to deter theves with spray and stickers.

🔐Don't leave your bike out for long and not overnight ideally.

🔐Consider that if you have a very expensive bike someone may follow you back home and note if it's in a garage etc and come back to break in

🔐Remember that an angle grinder will go thorugh virtuall anything in minutes, so you're bike is never really safe... consider taking it inside with you, or keep it in view.

🔐Lastly - register your bike - many bikes are recovered by the police but are never returned to the owner as they have no record.

Navigation apps, which do you use? Strava, Komoot, RidewithGPS and Google maps of course are ways you can find routes. Either using a journey planner feature or look at routes recorded, shared and rated by others allowing you to find new places and get the low down on the mileages, meters climbed and things like gradients.

Is all this necessary!? Some of us started riding with paper maps alone. While being large and requiring purchasing a map for each area. That can help feel you're “disconnecting” while out riding but few will use paper maps these days favouring the convenience of your phone.

The internet says comparison shows preference with Komoot for scenic, gravel, and touring, Ride with GPS for detailed route planning, and Strava for competitive, community-driven routes

Apps will also let you track your ‘stats’ like average speed and upload your routes to share or track progress. Some purists may just prefer to ride without tech but it's a case of each to their own!

Problems with navigation apps like Google maps is it may route you on busy roads or on footpaths, while missing some decent alternatoves. Community reviewed routes are a great way to find a genuinely good ride.

We've got plenty of funded mini maintnence courses available. Learn basic like puncture repairs, gear or brake adjustments. Link to book in comments.
Upcoming events:
🔧Sparks - Broadmead - Every third Thusday and fourth Saturday of the month 1130-1600

🔧Lawrence Weston Bike Hub - Every Friday 1200-1600

🔧Hillfields community Centre - Every second Thursday 1130-1600

🔧UWE Bower Ashton - Every fourth Thursday

🔧Windmill City Farm - Every fourth Friday 1130-1600

Paths to love - Stoke Park. Bristol has a some great paths to move you across the city away from cars. This path is the Stoke park path taking you from Frenchay over to Muller Rd where you can then link to St Werberghs or Concord Way. It also happens to have some impressive views of the city plus you might find goats on route. You'll pass the iconic Yellow house as you leave Frenchay and then the Purdown BT tower you can see from many parts of Bristol.