The bicycle is one of the most environmentally friendly and sustainable means of transportation which produces zero emissions, and in Plymouth cycling is a great way to get around as you can enjoy:
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riding across the city centre
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being up close to historic buildings and monuments
If you're looking for cycle routes in Plymouth, Visit Plymouth has a selection of options including Drakes Trail, Riverside cycle trail at Saltram and more. There is also a list of Cycle Routes in Plymouth on the British Cycling website.
This week, Plymouth Community Homes is supporting National Bike Week, which is about showcasing how cycling can fit into daily life - for everyone.
To mark our very own PCH Green Transport Week and National Bike Week, we've teamed up with Bikespace CIC to offer FREE bike servicing and minor bike repairs for our residents and the local community.
Bikespace is a community-run workshop that's doing impactful work, especially with young people who are finding school tough. As well as offering Dr Bike sessions, they offer practical, hands-on sessions where young people get to learn how bikes work, how to fix them and pick up a bunch of useful life skills along the way.
Robbie from Bikespace CIC is at The Beacon Community Hub in North Prospect until 5pm today.
Our partnership with Bikespace CIC doesn't stop there.
In May, PCH had collected around 55 unwanted bikes that had been left behind, some from empty properties, others abandoned in stairwells or dumped in fly-tipping spots. Packed into a van, the bikes were then dropped off at the Bikespace Workshop for a new lease of life.
The donated bikes aren’t just left sitting around, they’re put straight to work. Students and members who attend the workshop take them apart, learn how to repair and rebuild them, and once everything’s checked over by a qualified mechanic, many of these bikes are ready to ride again. Some are given back to the local community, and others go to people or families who could really use them.
Bike Space also supports adults going through hard times, offering bike maintenance courses and even running mountain bike rides to boost mental health and wellbeing.
We caught up with AJ from the workshop, who thanked PCH for the donation. He said: "A huge thank you to PCH for the generous donation. These bikes will be put to great use—for training, for spare parts, and hopefully, to find many of them a new home in the community"
Ian Bird, Neighbourhood Ranger and Deputy Chargehand at the PCH Reuse Centre, said: "Here at the Reuse Centre, we recycle and repair a variety of items. We had collected a large number of unwanted bikes, and it’s wonderful to see them find new homes or be reused for repairs at Bikespace."
We've partnered with Plymouth Bike Hire to offer 12 lucky residents a free bike ride along the Plym Valley Trail to celebrate Green Transport Week.
Plymouth Bike Hire is also offering residents a chance to use their new Adapted E-Cycle Hub recumbents for this ride, which are designed to make cycling accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities.
The bike ride is taking place on Wednesday 25 June at 11am at Plymouth Bike Hire at Coypool Park and Ride.
British Cycling will lead the ride which is kindly being supported by Plymouth Active.
To participate, simply visit our Facebook page, like and comment on our post about this competition. Spaces are limited for PCH residents, and on the date above only, please do not enter if you are not available on Wednesday 25 June. Competition closes on Tuesday 17 June, and winners will be drawn at random.
