In 2014 Le Grand Depart passed through our home town. We were so excited about it, my son's school went all out in their preparations, the town was decorated and we all knew it was a big deal. On the day it passed through, our 11th wedding anniversary, my son who was five at the time, cycled two and a half miles out of our town, surrounded by huge bikes and people who cheered him on from the roadside. Watching him have this experience was incredible. I did in fact lose him at one point as he cycled off into the distance whilst I was pushing his sister in her buggy. I found him ten minutes later having asked a group of cyclists to tell him to stop! Once we reached our spot, we pitched our beach tent at the side of the road and sat for hours waiting for the race to pass us!
We had an amazing day and I am so proud that my son could ride alongside so many experienced cyclists. The legacy of Le Grand Depart has been very obvious in our B&B. Around 60% of our guests this year have been cyclists. It helps that we are on the Way of the Roses route, but the sheer influx of bikes on the road has been huge.
The legacy also continues as Yorkshire Bank has partnered with Cycle Yorkshire to launch the Yorkshire Bank Bike Libraries initiative across the region. The aim being to make cycling more accessible to everyone through bike libraries within communities. People across Yorkshire are being encouraged to donate their old bikes and drop them off at various designated donation stations. Bikes are then being repaired and reconditioned to ensure they are roadworthy. The bikes will then be available for people to borrow them, ensuring that many more people can enjoy the benefits of cycling.
The legacy also continues as Yorkshire Bank has partnered with Cycle Yorkshire to launch the Yorkshire Bank Bike Libraries initiative across the region. The aim being to make cycling more accessible to everyone through bike libraries within communities. People across Yorkshire are being encouraged to donate their old bikes and drop them off at various designated donation stations. Bikes are then being repaired and reconditioned to ensure they are roadworthy. The bikes will then be available for people to borrow them, ensuring that many more people can enjoy the benefits of cycling.
Current Yorkshire Bank Bike Libraries are based in the following locations;
o Streetbikes CIC, Huddersfield
o BeCycling, Bradford
o Bradford Trident
o Yorkshire Children’s Centre, Huddersfield
o Get Cycling, York
o Club Doncaster, Doncaster
o ReVolution
o Fearnville Centre, Leeds
Teaching my son to ride his bike was ridiculously easy, and took under five minutes, you can read more about him riding a bike for the first time. It is such a huge life skill though and I am so proud of him for picking it up so quickly. My daughter hasn't ridden a bike confidently yet, she sticks to her balance bike, but I am pretty sure that she will be off on her bike before her fifth birthday. Riding a bike is one of those things that you really don't forget how to do and it's important that more children are able to learn to ride.
I think the idea of bike libraries is a wonderful way to continue the legacy of Le Grand Depart. It will help people who aren't fortunate enough to own a bike, or those who don't have anywhere to store one. It can benefit so many people throughout the region.
· Have a look for more information about bike libraries.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.
