Barclays Bike Clinic Event for London's Bike Week

MORE FREE BIKE CHECKS ADDED FOR BIKE WEEK

Successful scheme extended to three more locations

An initiative that gives the public free roadside bike safety checks is being extended after over 1,200 bikes were checked in the first month. To mark National Bike Week (15 June 2013), Barclays - sponsor of Barclays Cycle Hire and Barclays Cycle Superhighways - has added three more boroughs to their two-month season of Bike Clinics.

People will be able to have their bikes checked by a mechanic from the award-winning social enterprise Bikeworks and their ‘Cycle into Work’ programme at three new boroughs:

Islington: Tuesday 18th June - Goswell Road, EC1V 7DG
5.00-7.30pm

Hackney: Thursday 20th June – Goldsmith Row, E2 8QY
5.00-7.30pm

Westminster: Friday 21st June – Langham Place, W1B 3DA
5.00-7.30pm



This is in addition to the Barclays Bike Clinics already running at:

Tower Hamlets: 8 May – 3 July (Barclays Cycle Superhighway)
5.00-7.30pm: Cable Street and Cannon Street

Kensington & Chelsea: 8 May – 3 July (Barclays Cycle Superhighway)
5.00-7.30pm: Chelsea Bridge - South Side

Lambeth: 8 May – 3 July (Barclays Cycle Superhighway)
5.00-7.30pm: Kennington Park Road junction with Brixton Road

Hammersmith & Fulham: 8 May – 3 July
5.00-7.30pm: Eel Brook Common – Wednesday 19th and 26th June
5.00-7.30pm: Furnivall Gardens – Wednesday 3rd July



The clinics were introduced after a study revealed more journeys are being made on two wheels, yet over half (57 per cent) of people are riding bikes that aren’t fit to be on the road. The new research found one in five (18 per cent) people cycle in the dark with no lights, while over a quarter (27 per cent) are riding around with flat tyres.

Ashok Vaswani, CEO of Barclays Retail and Business Banking said: “Our research reveals one in five cyclists don’t know how to do bike maintenance. At our bike clinics, cycles get a free once-over by a qualified mechanic and cyclists will be given some basic bike maintenance tips.”

“We want to make it as easy as possible for people to cycle in London, and experience the health, economic and sustainable benefits of being on two-wheels. Our research shows 15 per cent of people would cycle more in London if they knew how to better maintain their bikes.”

Jim Blakemore, co-director of social enterprise Bikeworks, said: “The cyclists our ‘Cycle into Work’ graduates have helped so far have had everything from wobbly wheels and punctures, to faulty brakes, so we’re delighted even more people will have access to this great initiative.”

Barclays is a partner of ‘Cycle into Work’ which up-skills disadvantaged Londoners to work within the growing cycling industry.