Bike shops experienced a huge surge in
sales at the start of the pandemic, with existing cyclists returning to their
favourite pastime and people looking for a new way to get fit and explore their
local surrounds. From old men in lycra to mums and dads riding with their kids,
the newfound interest in cycling has been a positive for many during the
lockdown period. Riding a bike offers numerous health and lifestyle benefits,
including fitness, exploration, and good old-fashioned fun. Fixing bikes can
also be therapeutic, with one existing scheme in Brisbane recently getting some
much-needed attention.
The Salvos Re-Cycle Bikes workshop is the brainchild of social enterprise coordinator and avid cyclist Andy Steele. After raising $130,000 during a charity ride from Sydney to Brisbane in 2018, Andy decided to take his love of bikes and community to the next level. The Salvos workshop is a second home for many, with the workshop helping to create purpose, structure, and community connections for those who need it the most. Schemes like this are more important than ever during the pandemic, when so many people feel disconnected with the wider world. ;
According to Andy, "In Brisbane, the abandoned and stolen bikes of the city have been an unexpected source of employment and empowerment for many. The people I'm working with have gone through rehab, jail, all sorts of challenging areas and are ready to do things differently... We wanted to create a social enterprise that could help people rebuild lives and rebuild bikes. It was a crazy idea that actually got off the ground." The workshop receives donations from Queensland Police, Queensland Rail, and the University of Queensland, with the team likely to be fixing bikes for many years to come.
Along with more traffic on suburban pathways and roads, there has been a sharp uptick of interest in the world of virtual cycling. While 2020 Mother's Day was lonely for many, Cycling Mums Australia (CMA) found an innovative way to host its annual Mother's Day event online, with more than 300 women joining a virtual ride. Throughout the pandemic, the organisation has seen a 50% increase in mums participating in weekly simulated rides. According to CMA co-founder Natalia de Clercq, numbers have "doubled in the last few weeks since we've been isolating... It's great for mental health and everyone needs it more than ever, with people so isolated."
;