She Spoke to Jake & Dave About Bikes in Birmingham

Jake & Dave with their bicycles in Rowheath Pavilion

Tell me about your bike and where you got it?

Dave - I have a Giant bike that I purchased from Bike Pro in Kings Heath

Where has your bike taken you today?

Today our bikes have taken us from Kings Heath to Rowheath Pavilion, which I had not visited before.   It's beautiful here, very nice, so I am very pleased that we have come here today.

Why do you choose to cyle?
 Dave: I choose to cycle because it keeps me fit, saves money and is infinitely less stressful than any other way of crossing Birmingham.
Jake:  I cycle because I love to play football, and cycling every day helps to give me as much stamina as Jack Wilshere.

What is your most regular commutes each day.

Dave - I cycle from Kings Heath to Hockley where I work. This is about 7 miles 1 way.

Jake - I cycle from my house to school each day which is about 1/4 mile

Tell me something you do on your bike other than pedal.

Dave - I sing.   I tend to find myself singing songs that I don't even like.  Songs that just get stuck in your head,  then I'm totally embarrassed that I am singing.   I have recently added a song by Alanis Morissette to my "Cycling Karaoke" collection.    I have also been seen Hurst Street riding my bike and singing   "Mr Boombastic".

Jake - I Annoy my dad Dave.

Dave AKA Mr Boombastic

What is your favourite place to ride in Birmingham and the West midlands?
We  like to use the Rea Valley Route quite a lot.  Jake goes swimming in Bournville, so we often use parts of the Rea Valley route to get there.  It's a nice route to use across the year, seeing the changing seasons in Cannon Hill Park & Highbury park.

What do you think Birmingham could to to improve the cycling infrastructure to make it more user friendly for all cyclists?
It could do an awful lot.  Firstly more attention could be paid to the few Cycle Lanes that already exist.   I get frustrated on a daily basis about the stretch of road with a dedicated Cycle Lane, located as your turn right out of the bottom of Pershore Street and Hurst Street, that is used by motorists as a car park.  
Also a lot of drivers in Birmingham don't have a lot of respect for cyclists.  A lot of facilitates for cyclists is disregarded by motorists. 
The section of road that runs across the middle of Belgrave Middle Way, which is for cyclists & buses only, is routinely and casually used as a shortcut by motorists.   I know for a fact by speaking to people, particularly women, are put off from cycling because of what happens on this section of road, as they feel at risk of an accident happening, because motorists aggressively over take them on this junction, when they are not even meant to drive there.    

For those of you who are not familiar activity of motorists driving across the cycle & bus lane.   Please see the video below
  

GET EXCITED & PEDAL ON BIRMINGHAM

A GREAT FAMILY FUN DAY

Pedal on UK

Pedal On UK will reignite the spirit of the Olympic and Paralympic torch relays as it travels across the UK between 16th August and 7th September 2013.

Starting at the Olympic Park in London, groups of volunteers, headed up by celebrities and sports stars, will take Pedal On UK to over 35 communities throughout the UK ending in a final celebration in Glasgow.

Along the way the cyclists will inspire a series of local bike rides and stop off to join local people at free community celebration events.

Pedal On Birmingham

Pedal on will reach Birmingham (Sutton Coldfield) on Friday 30th August. 

Birmingham will celebrate walking and cycling along the  Connect2 route linking the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal Towpath, Sutton Coldfield town centre and Sutton Park with The Plants Brook Valley

Pedal On Birmingham

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE 

Sustrans FestiVol Newcastle 2013

I had a  smooth 3 hour journey by train to Newcastle.  A welcome party at the station to meet us all.

Then a lovely 11.2 mile ride to our accommodation located in the Derwent Valley, at the National Trust’s Gibside estate.   The estate and grounds were beautiful, full of interesting wildlife such as  Red Kites, Deer, Swallows.  We had the freedom to roam and explore extensively.  However, the rule of NO CYCLING! on site,  made exploring in a short space of time a bit difficult.

We had various types of accommodation to choose from either indoor or outdoor.   I opted for a Westwood Yurt.   Despite the 10 min up hill walk from the main campsite to access the Yurts.  I was really pleased that I chose this option for my accommodation.   They were really very well equipped, comfortable and cosy.  We had fabulous weather, so I had no excuse to light the wood burning stove :(  

60 Sustrans volunteers arrived by the end of the evening. Once we were settled, we had an option to choose our activities for the next 3 days.  Our options were rides and walks of varying degrees of difficulty ranging from 13 - 60 miles per day.

We had 3 days of sunshine, sight seeing, rambling & riding.  We mainly used all off road and traffic free routes across Newcastle including National cycles routes 7,14 and 72, covering anything between 13 and 60 miles per day.   I stuck to the mid range distances of 25-30 miles per day.  

I quite enjoyed the cycling and the cultural city tours that we took, visiting, Millennium Bridge Gateshead, The Sage Gateshead, and St. Nicholas' Cathedral, Newcastle, and last but not least, Wylam with the beautiful Wylam Railway Bridge.   The design of this bridge was also later used for Tyne Bridge & Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Gateshead Millennium Bridge

Charles Earl Grey Monument

Our evenings were taken up doing various on site activities including listening to  live music performances, Kaylee Dancing, themed quiz sessions , networking and sharing ideas.  Many were inspired to do more Volunteer activities on their return home.

Birmingham & West midlands  based Volunteers

60 Sustrans Volunteer's gathered in their FestiVol 2013 yellow jerseys

Our last evening was spent modelling plaster-cine into our something that represented what FestiVol meant to us.

Healing Hands & Tea by Michelle

Beer & Bridges Artist unknown

                     

Yurt, Gurt & Showers by Bonnie & Frank

WINNING ART WORK

Joining & Sharing by Kenny 

Happiness on Wheels by Donna

I guess I will be remaining in my day job for the foreseeable future

FestiVol Fun - Artist Unknown

Many thanks to the Sustrans staff , Volunteer Rangers and  Ride leaders  for organising the whole event and activities. You all did a fantastic job, and your hard work and dedication was much appreciated by many.  I hope you are able to gather sufficient interest to warrent organising FestiVol 2014. 

She Spoke to Kenny

Kenny with his Diamondback Sherwood

I met Kenny during my visit to the Sustrans FestiVol 2013.  Kenny attended FestiVol from Edinburgh.   Whilst he is not a cyclist from Birmingham, neither has he visited Birmingham.   I could not pass up the chance to have a brief chat with him about his cycling lifestyle in his home town.

Tell me about your bike, where you got it and why you chose that bike.
I bike is a Diamondback Sherwood, hybrid and i have had it for around 5 years

Where has you bike taken you today?
Today my bike has taken me on a 48 mile round trip from  Derwent Valley to  Parkside in the glorious sunshine

What is your most regular daily commute?
This would be my 9 mile journey to work. this is from Balerno in West Edinburgh  to almost in the centre of Edinburgh .  This is done mainly by road on the most direct route.   I time my journey in my head so that I can do a none stop journey and it takes me about 50 minutes.
What is your favourite ride.
I like to combine cycling and running, so on the weekend I do a 10.5 mile ride to the Promenade at Cremant  where I join the running club for a 5k run.

Tell me something that you do on your bike other than pedal.
I like to time myself on my journey to work so that I can get through all of the traffic lights without being stopped by a red light, I have all of the lights sequences timed in my head.

What do you think could be done in your local area to make the cycling infrastructure to make more user-friendly to all cyclists?
There is a very windy road up to Harlaw Reservoir that lots of cyclists use.   There were some plans to put in a share cycle and footpath in at the side of the road, to keep walkers and cyclists safe from the busy traffic.  If that could be put forward to the local council and plans were put into action, then I think that would be a great asset to my local community and it my encourage more people to walk and cycle.

Joining & Sharing by Kenny

She's going to Sustrans FestiVol 2013

Tomorrow I shall be setting off to join other volunteers in Newcastle for Sustrans FestiVol 2013Bike checked, panniers packed, and fingers crossed for a smooth and unhampered journey by train and bicycle.
I shall provide an update tomorrow.

Bling Your Bike

Today, as promised I packed my panniers & basket full of Bling, stickers, flowers, tools and more to facilitate a community based " Bling Your Bike" Bikeweek event.

I had decided not to do all the advertising through Facebook & Twitter etc..  However, the event was listed on the Bikeweek website.  So I had no idea, who or if anyone would turn up.

The morning was a very warm one, so lots of families passed through Rowheath Pavillion.   

Whilst I did not have a huge gathering of children at anyone time during the morning. I did experience a steady flow of children who came with their bicycles and scooters to take part.

Spoke Beads were very popular with the boys 

Whilst the children decorated their bikes with ribbons, loads of stickers, tinsel and other Bling, parents helped and supported their children to decorate their bikes.

Some older kids  came along for the ABC Safety  Check or t their tires pumped up, or their chain lubricated.

The 2 hours went by very quickly with approximately 12 children taking part. 

Thank you for an enjoyable and creative morning 

She Spoke to Robert About Bikes In Birmingham

Robert with his Birmingham built Dawes Jaguar 531 frame

Tell me about your bike and where you got it?

My bicycle is an original Birmingham built Dawes Jaguar racing bike.

My bike was found by a friend of mine underneath the South Arts Building at Swansea University.  It had been chained up for a year, so he asked the security staff if he could have it, and they said "Yes please take it away."  So he removed the D-lock and took it away.   After all that, unfortunately he didn't have the time to do the necessary extensive renovation, so he gave it to me.

Where has your bike taken you today?

Today my bike has taken me just a mile or so around Bournville.

Why do you cycle?

I cycle for lots of reasons, but most importantly to reduce the size of the footprints I leave in the sands of time. I like to avoid motorised traffic, with all the stress it brings. I like the sense of freedom it gives me.  It's great for fitness and health and also for the cost benefits as no petrol is required.

What is your most regular commute around in Birmingham?

Well I don't really commute because I work from home.  I just go out for transport, shopping and leisure; I normally ride up to Sainsbury in Selly Oak.

What is your favourite place to cycle in Birmingham?

I don't really have a specific place that I like to go to, but what I like to do is cycle around on the canal towpaths in Birmingham because they are peaceful and quiet with lots of wildlife.

What else do you do on your bike other than pedal?

I like to reflect and look at the nature around me, that's why I prefer to ride away from the traffic

What do you think Birmingham could do to improve the cycling infrastructure to make it more user friendly for all cyclists?

It could do an awful lot.   What I would like Birmingham to do is to copy the Dutch Model, because it has been tried and tested, it works, and it gets lots of people cycling