Bike Week reports

City centre stalls

We've had a great response to the stalls run on 9 and 10 June. As a new group, we had no idea what to expect, but we've been contantly busy during the two days. There is clearly a massive appetite for cycling in Cardiff, both from current cyclists and from those who would like to reap the health, environmental, and practical benefits of pedal power.

As well as interest in our own rides and events, many people wanted information about trails and route-planning around the city. For this reason, we ran out of the new Cardiff Cycling Map before anything else. Hopefully, some more will be on the way.

No one was busier than Andrew, our Dr Bike for the weekend. Once word got around, he was inundated with requests for free bike checks, which he did tirelessly. Fortunately, few bikes were in need of cycle surgery.

Here's hoping that the interest at the stalls will translate into involvement in Cycle Cardiff's activities and into more prominence for cyclists on Cardiff's streets and trails.

Nick Canham

Bike Week Reception

16 June. A reception was held in Chapter as part of Bike Week. The event took place after a showing of the film Overcoming, a profound and penetrating insight into the hermetically closed world of professional cycling.

Cycle Cardiff has a table of information laid out in the Chapter foyer all week for anyone to pick up leaflets. The reception started at 8.15 in Media Point and had various stands representing cycle oriented groups: Butetown and Grangetown Healthy Living, Pedal Power, Cardiff Friends of the Earth, Bike Shed, Sustrans and the Cardiff Cycle Campaign.

Refreshments were supplied by a bar and attendance was good. This event was a successful networking event and was also successful in getting more people interested in Cycle Cardiff. It provided a good opportunity to talk to individuals in depth.

John McCrory

Bicycle Brunch and Rides

17 June. On a bright and lovely day, there were plenty of people who came to the brunch at Kemis café in the Bay. Some of us even got our bikes nurtured by Dr Bike, well played by Nick today with a dodgy stethoscope.

There were so many of us wanting to do the easy ride, that we ended up starting in two groups of about twelve, which eventually got mixed up due to too much talking and not enough paying attention to the route.

The route around the Bay and Sports Village is easy. We could see how it would all become an even more lovely waterfront ride when the new stretches around the Sports Village are opened up, especially if the new Ely Bridge becomes a reality too.

Alistair did a great job of leading a smaller group of of us from Cardiff Bay through back lanes and side streets and along rivers to the Ely trail, eventually ending in St Fagan's for a welcome rest and an impressively rapid repair of John's puncture by the cycle mechanics among us.

The Ely Trail is improving slowly and in bits although still hardly used. We came back to the Taff trail, now buzzing with people on bikes. A good day to help mark Bike week and great to see how firmly established Cycle Cardiff is after so short a time—thanks to the enthusiasm of many people, and the welcoming inclusive approach.

Kathrin Thomas

Summer Solstice Rides

21 June. In pelting rain like we had this evening, a good turnout was hardly expected. We'll probably get better weather for the Winter Solstice! However, to our surprise and delight, we had nearly thirty cyclists for these two rides, including many new faces. Well done to everyone who braved the conditions and made it along for these.

A longer ride went out to Creigiau and Pentyrch. A shorter ride headed straight up the Taff Trail. Both groups, wet and a little bedraggled, converged in the Lewis Arms for a well-earned cheery drink.