Forum topic: Helping families get on their bikes

Join the crowdfunding effort to set up an innovative Family Cycling Hub in Enfield.

Cycling is on the up, both as a means of transport and as a leisure activity, and at long last both national and local government have been providing some better infrastructure for people to ride along without being intimidated by a minority of drivers who disregard the security of other road users.

At weekends it's now common to see whole families using the bike lanes through Palmers Green and Winchmore Hill for a healthy and enjoyable outing. But what if you'd love to join them but your family doesn't have enough bikes for everyone or the money to buy them? And kids have an annoying habit of outgrowing the bikes that you forked out for only last year. And what do we do with the one who's still too young to have their own bike? These days there are plenty of specialised bikes and accessories designed for family use, but for a whole family the total cost can be problem...

Coming to the aid of families like this is a new social enterprise. The Family Bike Club and Library is the brainchild of Enfield resident Luke Balnave. Luke is renting premises adjacent to Enfield Chase station which he plans to turn into a cooperatively managed Bike Hub and Library. With the help of the Aviva Community Fund he's crowdfunding the cost of sprucing up the vacant shop and stocking it with a range of bikes of all conceivable shapes and sizes. Long-tail family bikes, child trailers, front and back child seats, cargo-carrying trailers, trailers for dogs, cargo bikes, e-bikes, and just plain old-fashioned pushbikes will all be available to rent out.

Luke's ambitious ideas also include organising group rides, running cycling lessons, providing expert advice on bike servicing and cycling routes, providing bike buddies to help people build up their confidence.

To find out more about Luke's plans and about the range of rewards for people who pledge, visit the Arriva Community Fund page and the Family Bike Club website. The crowdfunding campaign runs until 28th June, and if pledges made by then add up to half the target, the charity Power to Change will match the amount, bringing it up to 100 per cent!