Who we are
We are the Family Bike Club- a social enterprise (entirely not-for-profit, limited by guarantee) based in Enfield, north London, that has spent the last 2 and a bit years serving local cyclists (and non!) to start and continue their collective journeys into cycling chiefly via bike provision (both regular child; adult; and cargo) as well as local routemap advice; bike servicing and much more besides.
We believe we are uniquely positioned in terms of now having this daily conversation with local residents, understanding their needs and tailoring a programme to maximise its impact. We also believe, being an equipment hire hub, that we can really ensure no stone is unturned with regard to getting any newly aspiring cyclist, quickly onto a saddle and ready for a group ride adventure!
The reason for this project- Marginalising & exclusive local cycling landscape- "Go Slow- It is not a race!")
Cycling in suburban realms has too frequently, and increasingly so in recent times, become the preserve of lycra-clad Sunday club racers or non-pedalling deliveroo riders. To be clear- we hold no gripe against either group (who would deliver the emergency evening fuel for our own cycling trips!), but it is this domination and ostracization of once ordinary pedalling folk (the more normal speed variety!) we intend to challenge. Hence the deliberately "slow" element of our project!
We know that the average speed of the suburban and urban cyclist has increased in recent years (testament in no small part to the fitness of those road racers!) But we know that not everyone wants to race. We are intent on putting justice back at fore of local cycling access and to pull down barriers that too often discourages those who would otherwise benefit enormously from active travel as part of their lives.
Alongside this, we also know too well that teenagers are increasingly beholden to screens and social media, when they could really benefit from having an outlet that provides them with a new skill and new face-to-face activity that helps to put them back in touch with their real-life problem solving skills. We intend to offer just this.
The ethos of this project- Slow slow slow.. group flow.. and away they go go go!
Our project has at its core, the "it is not a race" principle. We believe in learning at everyone's own pace, and reveling in the uptake of this skill for the long term. In taking time to master skills and in accommodating the pace of those who might otherwise be left behind. We take time to educate; and then we take time on our rides. We believe this patience will pay dividends to any participants in the longterm, and therefore for the wellbeing overall local community.
We will put back the joy of the journey. We take time to deliver best practice tips; as well as delivering some more unique & sociable machines that means the onus isn't solely on one rider's balance and/or one rider's race to the finish line. We go as slow as our slowest rider, and we do not see "slow" as a negative trait in the slightest! We see it more a resetting of local speeds, even in biking realms. We stay as a group no matter what. We will do the same for our mechanic skills courses.
What we will deliver- Activated Partcipation maximus- Leave no one behind
Calendar of Group Rides
We will deliver a comprehensive schedule of slow group rides aimed at providing regular opportunities for those to join the safety of numbers and learn best practice riding in their local area.
Volunteer & Group Cycle Marshalling Opportunities
We will also offer a full calendar of volunteer marshall and lead rider courses to pass on our skills to local residents to ensure they are shared amongst the many for the long term.
Mechanic Hub Classes- Activities beyond pure cycling
We will also host a comprehensive offering of slow mechanic courses (for complete beginners) to ensure competence & confidence levels in other areas of cycling, but no less important ones, are elevated simultaneously. We appreciate that these skills, and being able to look after your own bike and ensure its safety, can only aid cycling confidence and an individual's desire to keep cycling. We will have an intentionally proactively branded youth offering of evening, weekend & holiday classes to ensure teenagers who are otherwise glued to screens, are able to join a group environment IRL; learn a new skill; and learn how to problem solve both individually and in a group environment.
Who we will target
We have tailored a bespoke plan specifically aimed at never-before-cyclists; long-time-ago-cyclists and very occasional leisure cyclists to elevate their participation and confidence levels indelibly. We will target those with the lowest levels of participation currently. We believe also offering skills in the cycling sector, even if not pure riding e.g. mechanic skills can only broaden the base of those who might be open to getting involved. This is also regardless of any pre-existing or historic competence levels; age; gender; ethnicity etc etc! We will activate this under-served and critical segment of the local cycling demographic once more.
How monies will be spent
We are determined to tear down any last barriers to cycling for those who still feel cycling isn't for them. We will create a "Go Slow" brand; that is purpose built to reach out to those people specifically. We will have branded safety flags; hi-vis; sail banners; leaflets; digital marketing campaigns.. you name it! For our group rides we also want to include something even more striking that might inspire uptake from any who come into contact with it, specifically those with balance issues; health issues; physical or mental disabilities. We are prospecting a recumbent tandem (fully stable) trike to deliver such impact and accessibility.. such as the one pictured below
We will also invest in a small fleet of very ordinary adult bikes to ensure we can accommodate as many riders as we want to on every scheduled ride (we have a limited number of existing frames, however these have largely been as assortment of older donations to date and we just never want to say "no" to any potential participant!)
Last but certainly not least we will invest in a fit out of our community bike kitchen; to include, but not limited to- new sets of basic tools for participants to use; specially designed kid-friendly tools; a broader array of workstands (around 10 of these; of different shapes and sizes; we only have 2 regular sized ones which are showing their age!) to ensure our hub masterclasses can accommodate all those who wish to participate. We hope our school holiday parent & child mechanic camps will prove a big hit!
Legacy- ensuring impact lasts for the long term
A HUGE part of the strategy for the project is giving more than due care to how it will continue to have momentum and deliver multiplied outcomes year-on-year. This is the rationale behind our desire to train marshalling volunteers; lead riders; a community of mechanics and to specifically engage young residents in all of this too. We know we need people to feel empowered to take care of their bikes to have confidence in them and to ultimately get out and enjoy their public realm for the long term.
Our team & community
At TFBC we are only as strong as the community we serve. We have slowly (pun intended!) but surely become more and more embedded as we reach more residents to serve and become more attuned to their needs. We believe we are now well positioned to deliver to those needs. As well as our customer & member base, we have a small band of volunteers who were the inspiration for this project. They themselves asked us if we could provide them with more group ride opportunities & group ride training; as well as mechanic training for them. We thought it was such a good idea that we ran with it and wanted to offer it to all- hence the accessible group ride and (mechanic hub project was born!
In terms of directly employed personnel we are relatively few, but unrelatively dedicated! We have Gary our chief mechanic; chief volunteer and founder Luke; and our directors including David Hilliard- the-go-to-guy for cycling proficiency expertise in the wider London area! We have fantastic relationships with an increasing number of partners in the community; including the local council who have been a source of great support for our endeavours to date. A big thank you to all partners!
How you can play your part (beyond simply just pledging.. although this definitely helps!)
There are four simple ways to help us reach our target and make this project a reality.
1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!
2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get
Tweet or tag us here @thefamilybike #thefamilybikeclub
3. Offer rewards. In business in Enfield and keen to collaborate? Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!
4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes, and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!
Thanks for reading and we are enormously appreciate of any support- monetary or non-monetary- any other offers of help please just get in touch!
Best wishes
Safe & happy local cycling
The Family Bike Club Team