With this in mind, have you tried Bikeminded’s free bike maintenance courses hosted by our fantastic partners Bikeworks at their workshop in W10? There are Level 1 and 2 courses and they take place throughout the year. In fact, they are so popular at present that the next 2 sessions are already full.

The next Level 1 session with availability is 13 & 14 August and the next Level 2 course with availability is 20 July.  

If you’d like some more info on these courses, visit Bike Maintenance Courses and if you would like to book a place, call Bikeworks on 020 8980 7998 or email cycletraining@bikeworks.org.uk

Happy bike maintaining!

This cinematic cycling extravaganza includes a selection of highly entertaining short films from Bikeminded’s recent Cycle Shorts competition and the closing feature is the critically-acclaimedcycling ‘road trip’ film Janapar’. It’s all taking place during the national celebration of cycling that is Bike Week and if all that weren’t enough, it’s all taking place in the beautifully ornate,  independent cinematic marvel, the Coronet Cinema in Notting Hill. Doors open at 7pm. 

To come along to Bikeminded’s inaugural Bikeminded Film Festival, all you have to do is book your tickets HERE

THIS IS A TICKET ONLY EVENT. TICKETS MUST BE BOUGHT BEFORE THE EVENT. 

THERE WILL BE NO ADMISSION ON THE NIGHT WITHOUT A TICKET. 

We’re also lucky to have the renowned Jim Blakemore from Bikeworks and high-profile blogger Mark Ames (aka IBikeLondon) introducing  the films. So, if you like cycling, films and getting to know likeminded Bikeminded people who are into cycling, then we really do have just the event for you!

Janapar’ is a film about one man’s travels around the world on his bike. That’s fascinating in itself, but it’s also a life-affirming, incredibly moving story of life and love as one man travels across the globe in search of his cycling-focused destiny. In fact, we liked it so much, we thought we’d host the first ever Bikeminded Film Festival with ‘Janapar’ as the finale!

Here are some quotes from reviews:

“Adventure in the truest sense of the word from an extraordinary ordinary bloke.  The big name ‘adventurers’ could learn a lot from this. Whilst I admire their achievements, I found this tale truly humbling.”

“A definition of true priorities and a spine-tingling catalyst for what will be hundreds of adventures around the world for unsuspecting viewers.  Hugely inspiring, don’t miss it.”

To come along to Bikeminded’s inaugural Bikeminded Film Festival, all you have to do is book your tickets HERE

And if you’re still not sure, watch this trailer below. See you there!

The ride is visiting some of the Chelsea Fringe events including the Garden Cabaret at Russell Gardens, the ‘Green and Pleasant Land’ event at Dovehouse Green and finish at Brompton District where you’ll be free to explore their numerous events and exhibits.

While the ride will go through quiet, charming roads and parks where possible, you will need to be confident in traffic for your own safety and have your own bike. And don’t worry about getting tired, as mid-afternoon you’ll have a well-earned tea stop in Holland Park.

For enquiries and to book a place, please email Neil Herbert at neilherbert@live.com.
 

Please note that numbers are restricted to fifteen for safety reasons and that places must be booked in advance.

Visit Chelsea Fringe for more information on events in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

We met at the delightful cupcake boutique Storm In A Cupcake run by Julie, whose beautifully presented mini-cupcakes and pink lemonade gave us all a perfect start to the ride.

Next stop was at Cocomaya where the riders got to try some delicious orange and almond cupcakes and also, some enticing chocolate rugalahs. And then, we moved on…

A few minutes later and with the sunshine now gloriously blazing, we then arrived for some some luxurious macaroons created by French patisserie-chef-extraordinaire Pierre Hermé, whose unusual and wonderful flavours included crème brulée and olive oil.

We then rode on to the rather lovely Buttercup where riders tasted gorgeous vanilla cupcakes and award-winning chocolate zucchini.

And so. after the final fix of cake, we bravely cycled on to the final stop for some of the best coffee in London and a much-deserved sit-down at the wonderful Pedlars. By this point, the group had been riding for just over two and a half hours, so although it was very much a relaxed and social ride, some lovely coffee and a rather nostalgic looking plate of orange segments, were greatly appreciated.

Although, the mission was extremely challenging, everybody on the ride embraced it with gusto and a good time was had by all, enhanced no doubt by the extreme sugar overload by the end of the ride. And if you missed out, worry not, as we’ll be announcing the next Cake and Coffee Ride very soon, so watch this space…

If so, then join us to discover the secret lives of some of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s famous residents who will be brought to life on Bikeminded’s Blue Plaque cycling tour. Get your tickets HERE

While touring on two wheels, you will enjoy some intriguing stories about Oscar Wilde and bohemian artist Augustus John, as well as the dramatic tragedies that befell Mark Twain and George Eliot, among other famous residents.

Bikeminded is delighted to present the Blue Plaque Tour in association with The Festival of the Bicycle. The tour will be delivered by John Bailey, a fully trained ‘Original Tour’ London Tour Guide, with experience of delivering music, bicycle, and Olympic tours across London.

We’ll be meandering through the quiet streets of the Royal Borough at a gentle pace with the presence of our marshalls allowing each group to take in their surroundings and just enjoy the ride… You can bring your own bicycle or hire a Barclays bike from the docking station right next to our meeting point.

This year, Blue Plaque tours are taking place:

• Saturday 8 June from 2pm – 4pm
• Saturday 14 September from 2pm – 4pm

Meeting point is outside Gloucester Road tube station.

And with tickets at an incredibly reasonable £5, what are you waiting for?
For more information and to book tickets, click HERE

If you have an idea of what the problem is, most people would either try fixing it themselves or maybe go to Google or YouTube, but we can save you the trouble as MadeGood have made a series of more than 70 high-quality, easy-to-use 2-minute video tutorials based on cycling maintenance from beginner-level skills such as patching an inner tube to the darker bike maintenance arts of things like fitting a shimano hollowtech crankset for more experienced cyclists…

Everyone can learn something new so  have a look at some of their videos and tell us what you think. And if you just don’t fancy doing it yourself, then take your bike along to one of our Dr Bike sessions from 5-7pm on Wednesdays in different locations across the borough. Either way, tell us what you think of MadeGood and Dr Bike. We’d love to hear from you!

And if you want to know more, check out this Bikeminde blog from 2012 interview with MadeGood head honcho Will Stewart

 @MadeGoodBikes   MadeGood video tutorials

Whichever it may be, you are in luck as not only do we offer regular, free Dr Bike ‘surgeries’ in different locations across the borough, but they are also open to anybody who pops by with their bike. We have a few sessions coming up over the next few months, so come along on your way home from work.

We work in partnership with the rather fantastic Bikeworks whose team of professional bike mechanics give any bike brought to them a thorough going-over. They carry out minor repairs and give advice on more major work that needs to be done, as well as general maintenance. Since 2010, our ‘bike doctors, have checked over 1000 bicycles!

So, whatever your cycling experience, come down to visit Dr Bike to get your bike in shape.

Visit Dr Bike to find out dates, times and locations of upcoming sessions.

‘Janapar’ is a film about one man’s travels around the world on his bike.

Of course that’s fascinating in itself, but it’s also a life-affirming, incredibly moving story of life and love as one man travels across the globe in search of his cycling-focused destiny. In fact, we liked it so much, we thought we’d host a screening at the rather fabulous and ornate Notting Hill Coronet cinema as a celebration of Bike Week!

Here are a few quotes from people who have seen it:

“Adventure in the truest sense of the word from an extraordinary ordinary bloke.  The big name ‘adventurers’ could learn a lot from this. Whilst I admire their achievements, I found this tale truly humbling.”

“A definition of true priorities and a spine-tingling catalyst for what will be hundreds of adventures around the world for unsuspecting viewers.  Hugely inspiring, don’t miss it.”

So, come along, have a drink and hang out with the rest of the cycling community to watch the film on Thursday 20 June for a bargain £5!

Book your tickets HERE

And if you still need convincing, watch the trailer for Janapar below…

Perhaps the sound of cycling is chilling out to ‘Retrograde’ by James Blake? Or maybe you prefer something a tad more aggressive like ‘Enter Sandman’ by Metallica? Or maybe Lady Gaga’s ‘Bad Romance’ is the sound of cycling for you?

After much debate here at Bikeminded Towers, we chose ‘Summer Breeze’ by the Isley Brothers, ‘Angels’ by the xx and ‘Born Slippy’ by Underworld.

So, what is the sound of cycling for you?

PS thinking about Record Store Day and cycling, we also found this rather fantastic Vinyl Playing Bicycle from Feats Per Minute…

We’re going to be riding across the borough and stopping by at a handful of the area’s best local cafes, cake shops and macaroon boutiques. It will take place in the afternoon on Saturday 18 May and tickets will be an incredibly reasonable £5, which will include a goodie or two at each stop on the ride.

It’s a relaxed, social ride with cycle marshalls to make sure everyone is okay and to look after the bikes when everyone’s munching on cake and coffee.

This event is now SOLD OUT but watch this space as we’ll be announcing another Cake and Coffee Ride very soon!