A SCHOOLGIRL killed in an accident on her way home from school was riding a dangerous and unfit bicycle at the time, an inquest was told.

Sadly this is a terrible way to remind you, but do check you and your loved ones bicycles over now and again. Click here to read what I wrote, “a plea to parents”, then again you don’t need to be a parent. to carry out a simple check on your bicycle.

Last night, assistant deputy coroner Richard Whittington called on schools and parents to teach children basic cycle maintenance.

Hear Hear, the state of bicycles I see every day is really shocking. And I don’t work in a bicycle repair shop, I just commute in London and teach Bikeability as schools.

Not only do the kids need to know how to tell if there is something wrong and even able to fix them. But the parents need and SHOULD check the bicycle over REGULARLY and if they can’t fix the bicycle TAKE IT TO A LOCAL BICYCLE SHOP!

But parents who are the (and should be) responsible one, really don’t care and see the bicycle as a toy which IT IS NOT!

Quite often they give little Jr. a Magic Hat*), which is also often ill fitted **). And that ticks the box that say “little Jr. is safe and sound”. Then they don’t think about the state of the bicycle or how and were little Jr. is riding it, because he is safe as he got a lid***) on.

I do not know what kind of bicycle she was riding, but my money is on a BSO, since that is what most kids are riding. They are of pour materials and quite often never put together right and will fall apart fast even when used with care.

Sad and tragic lost of life.

LINK : Herald Series – Girl cyclist, 11, fell into path of lorry.

*), ***) Magic Hat and Lid is nick names for a bicycle helmet.
**) If you choose to wear a helmet, please do fit it correctly, remember an ill fitted helmet is as good as wearing no helmet at all.

Related posts:

1. SillyCyclist X
2. A plea to parents
3. Plea to parent part II

Well it was a classic BSO and in bad nick. Unfortunately, your LBS will not take this bicycle in and give it a new life. It will simply cost too much to get it back on the road. But by all means it is not the end of its life as a bicycle. With a bit of TLC and some spare parts you could get this up and running again as your backup bicycle.

Or you could give it to some of the various organisations who will happily take your old bicycle and do their best to give new life to it.

Here are a few below …

UK Based :
www.re-cycle.org – Bicycle Aid for Africa: Re-Cycle’s mission is to collect second hand bicycles and ship them to Africa. Our partners distribute bikes and teach riders the skills to repair and maintain them. Our bikes also help health/AIDS workers reach remote villages and even provide an ambulance service in remote Namibia.

www.bikerecycling.net/: It’s a directory of all the community projects, non-profit businesses, training and rehabilitation schemes and other projects that are happy to receive your donations of bikes, parts, accessories etc – and of course financial donations…

www.uk.freecycle.org/: Well at least just put it on this website and I’m sure that someone will be around shortly to pick it up.

www.bikeworks.org.uk: We recycle & refurbish used and abandoned bikes so that they can be re used or when this isn’t possible materials (steel, aluminium) are put into the recycling system.

www.thebikestation.org.uk/: The Bike Station is Edinburgh’s bicycle recycling and cycling promotion charity. We repair unwanted bikes and put them back on the road.

Even State side they are at it.
www.recycleabicycle.org/: Recycle-a-Bicycle is a community-based bike shop and non-profit organization that provides educational/job training programs and encourages environmental stewardship and everyday bicycle use. Through programs such as Earn-A-Bike, Ride Club, Cycle Craft, and Summer Youth Employment Program, RAB is dedicated to the health and well-being of NYC youth.

These are by all means not the only ones, this was just found after a quick googling around on the net, there are plenty more out there.

Related posts:

1. World bicycle relief
2. What a waste of a young life
3. Gyrowheel Gyroscopic Bicycle Wheel

Please don’t go to a shop that “sells bicycles” but go to a “bicycle shop”, see the different ?

A shop that sells bicycles, stacking them high selling them low, are only into selling the bicycle for profit. And quite often are selling other stuff which is not related to cycling at all, and therefore can’t service the bike at all or have the experience with selling bicycles or the staff that has.

A Local Bicycle Shop (LBS), on the other hand, will be staffed by cyclist and will be interested in selling you a bicycle that you will enjoy to ride. And best of all they will remember you, when you come in and want to upgrade, which you will because you want more since you really enjoyed riding the bicycle they found for you.

The Guardian, have a great article/blog about the Bicycle Shaped Object (BSO) that a supermarket is trying to sell.

Yes it sounds like it’s a deal, it’s a steal, it’s the sale of the *beep*ing Century, a bike for £39.99. But please don’t, it will be heavier, harder to ride and before you get home have to go to your LBS to fix something. And that will cost you more than what you spend on the bike in the first place.

Please spend a bit of money on your bike, at least £250 (you can sometimes get a better deal from your LBS). Yes for some £250 or more, is a quite a bit for some, but look at it this way …

A good quality bicycle and a bit of TLC will last you easy 10 years. Even with new tyres, brake pad etc., which will wear down (just like your shoes), it will be less than £500 over the next 10 years, so £50 a year.

How much does your travel card cost you a month ?

So to find your LBS, ask your friends, neighbors or the people you work with, because one of them will be cycling and know a good bicycle shop. Shop around, talk to the staff, tell them what you want and need. Don’t just take the first LBS you find, find one you like, it could be 5 miles away or more, but the service you will get since you will be coming back, will be worth it. Then keep using it, they will come to know you and your needs and will take care of you.

Happy riding :)

LINK : Guardian, ASDA cheap bike
LINK : The cycling experts, the bicycle shaped object/
LINK : South coast bikes, NO BSO

Related posts:

1. Plea to parent part II
2. What a waste of a young life
3. Recycle your bicycle