Get To Know Us.

Health

Environment

Cycling in a group allows you to meet new people, reducing isolation and improving community cohesion

Safety: people think that it is dangerous to cycle

Price: many high street cycle shops only sell high specification equipment costing £100s or even £1000s

Confidence: people are not confident riding a bike or doing so even in light traffic

Knowledge of where to cycle: people lack knowledge of safe and pleasant routes to ride in their local area

Maintenance: people do not know how to look after their bikes, including fixing punctures when out on their bikes

Many people are also put off by receiving poor service from bike shops or made to feel unwelcome at cycle clubs due to the perception of an unfriendly ‘lycra brigade’

We sell refurbished bikes, which have been donated, at prices around 50% of their equivalent new cost

We organise group rides around the local area.

This includes rides available to the general public and rides organised for particular business or community groups

We particularly look to target people with lower levels of physical activity

Routes for these rides are designed to show people safe, low traffic routes including the area’s extensive network of cycle routes.

We offer a range of services to ensure people’s bikes are properly maintained and ready to ride:

We provide Dr Bike sessions for members of the public where our experienced and trained mechanics check people’s bikes, make minor adjustments and indicate any areas needing additional attention

We offer low cost bike servicing

We offer training for community groups covering safety checks, basic maintenance and route planning

We offer friendly information and advice on suitable bikes and cycling in the local area

Unemployment remains high particularly amongst young people. This is often due to a disconnect between the training and education received, and what is required for vacant positions. Employers also report that potential recruits do not have the necessary ‘soft skills’ required to be successful in the workplace.

Of the large numbers of young people unemployed, many will have limited experience of the workplace and therefore will face an uphill struggle in future to secure employment.

Our research amongst local cycle shops and mechanics is that there is certainly availability of entry level positions working in mechanics or shop floor roles in shops, but that employers are struggling to find suitable candidates with basic knowledge of bikes or experience of working on them.

Employing an Apprentice Mechanic who gains valuable experience of the world of work and bike maintenance, as well as nationally recognised qualifications through an external training provider. After a year as an Apprentice with Maidenhead Cycle Hub we support them into positions with local cycle shops or mechanics

Part time work for young people transitioning from training to employment to support them in gaining the necessary employability skills to successfully progress