ChangingPace Short-listed TWICE

 Two of ChangingPace’s recent projects were chosen for the short-list of Cycling Scotland’s Innovation Award 2008 yesterday in Perth.

The wonderful Bingham 50+ Cycle Club was one: Not wonderful because we did it, but because of the happiness of those who re-discovered cycling.

The other was BikeBase, a new project in the early stages of development. This offers basic tools (e.g. track pumps) and information to schools and employers. It is being piloted in Edinburgh, but will be offered more widely, (partnership agreements are being negotiated), soon.

Neither project actually won. That honour went to Recyke-a-bike in Fallin. ChangingPace will have more innovations in time for next year’s award!

It’s Not Just Young People

ChangingPace does a lot of work with people of school age (in and out of school). It also attracts ‘all ages’ to the TryCycling Rides it organises.

Now it is working with a group of people officially “over 50″. The Bingham & District 50+ Project offers a wide range of activities and outings for its 150 members. Due to the fact that it is the ‘landlord’ for the Bingham Bicycle Club (this uses the garage attached to the Project’s office) the idea of offering ‘cycle lessons’ emerged.

Initially it was thought that perhaps “3 or 4″ might be interested in seeing if they were up to riding a bike again. A date was set and a minibus booked to collect people from across Craigmillar. More than a dozen turned up!

After an initial talk about expectations – no-one expected to be in the Olympics, North Berwick was a possibility for a couple of people, as long as the train took most of the strain – it was agreed that people could try a bike if they wanted to. Then the garage door was rolled up to reveal a selection of bikes – mostly ‘Mountain’ style bikes used by the BBC.

Quite a few people were very eager! Saddle heights were altered and warnings given that the brakes ‘are probably a lot better than last time you rode a bike’. Gears were mentioned. One woman said she’d never had gears – “my father didn’t believe in them”.

50+ Project organiser Catriona Kerr said; “everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves – even those who didn’t actually manage a go. We’ll see how it all pans out over the next couple of weeks – I think that some of the group will buy a bike!

One helper was Jacquie Phelan – in Edinburgh for the Bike Week Film Festival - she’s written a great account of the first session.

July Update: One person joined the Bingham Bike Club (mostly for young people) and cycled to Portobello Beach.

Successful Bid for Bingham

ChangingPace has been involved in the Bingham Bicycle Club since the idea was floated more than a year ago.

Community Policeman Mark Thomson is a keen mountain biker and knew from his work creating a football club that the local young people would like a cycle club.

The Club got off to a good start with money from the Community Safety Partnership to pay for a ‘Build Your Own Bike’ course.

This resulted in people with bike fixing skills and fleet of new bikes with front suspension that get good use.

ChangingPace recently applied to the Bingham Community Regeneration Fund for £3,000 for the BBC. The bid has been successful.

Jacquie Phelan Blogs

Following the 2007 Single Speed World Championship pioneering Mountain Biker (and former World Champion) Jacquie Phelan rolled into Edinburgh. 

She is actively involved in encouraging people, particularly women, to cycle.  She set up WOMBATS (Women’s Mountain Bike & Tea Society) 20 years ago – she’s serious about fun.One reason for visiting Edinburgh was to talk about the Bicycle Film Festival.

She has a leading role in Hardihood, it was due to be included in the programme this year. It should be shown on 2008.

She was given a quick cycle tour of Edinburgh and shown how to set up her own blog. 

Cycling Comedy

Comedian Mark Watson (with megaphone) says he is “Crap at the Environment“. This year as part of his annual Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Marathon he (and his audience) planted some trees in Craigmillar and did some cycling in The Meadows.

Mark has never mastered the art of riding a bike. So he enlisted the help of ChangingPace’s A(ction) Team to change that. Darren gave him a basic Cycle Training lesson – enough for him to hobby-horse around the obstacle course supplied by Maggie, David piloted the tandem that was earmarked for the race against Aussie comic Adam Hills (pictured right). In the event Hills found that he was “so unfit” and just did a couple of laps of the skills course!

BBC Begins

After a year of planning (and a few setbacks) the garage door of the Bingham Bicycle Club rolled up today. The BBC is one a range of activities under the Craigmillar Cycles banner.

ChangingPace is doing much of the strategic planning and organising mechanics, Cycle Trainers and ride leaders.

Tools for Hunters Hall Bicycle Club

ChangingPace successfully applied for money from a programme funded by the Scottish Executive (administered by Sustrans) for tackling the school run.

A workshop is being created in a space at the Housing Co-op. This photo shows a few of the tools bought with money. The project is part of Craigmillar Cycles which is facilitated by ChangingPace.

The most popular item is the track pump. Most local children have bikes, but few have pumps. Soft tyres make cycling harder and punctures more likely.

Money is also being spent on helmets, yellow bibs and Cycle Training to encourage more of the children to cycle to their schools.