If your bike breaks in Aberfeldy, you’re out of luck and out of action for a few days.
It currently requires a 1+ hour (30-mile) round-trip drive to the nearest service shop, or waiting for parts to arrive by post (if you have the skills to fix it yourself). As a result, the Aberfeldy Recycling Centre is filled with broken (but repairable) bikes, and there are numerous people who would like to ride but are stuck with a broken bike. Seeing a need for cycle servicing in Aberfeldy, Brett De Woody (a CyTech Certified Bike Mechanic) started servicing and refurbishing cycles in 2022 out of his home.
Over the past year business and demand has grown, and the business concept has been adapted to fit the Aberfeldy community. This includes opening a community workshop where people can access tools for DIY repairs, receive servicing from an expert, build bikes from reused parts, purchase bikes and equipment, hire bikes, and learn bike maintenance skills.
We are now taking the logical next step of moving into a dedicated cycle workshop, allowing us to increase our impact, get more people cycling, and keep them cycling. In doing so, we'll help to nudge our community towards making greener, more active travel choices. It's a win for cyclists, and a win for the wider community!
We already have strong support from the community.
We conducted a local digital survey to gather the appetite from the local community for such a cycle workshop. 200+ people responded, 95% of whom said they would actively support the establishment of a Cycle Hub in the town. When asked, over 75% of respondents said they would gladly be involved in helping run the workshop, whether as mechanics, teachers or volunteers.
We're really proud to have garnered support for the Cycle Hub – now we need financial support to get it off the ground!
We are seeking funding for tools and equipment for the cycle workshop.
We have already identified premises on Aberfeldy’s town square and the owner of the premises has offered a below-market value lease, and we have partial funding to start renting this out, We believe this central, highly-visible location is well-suited for serving both residents and tourists, and contributes to making Aberfeldy’s town square a vibrant gathering place.
With the rental secured, we are seeking financial support for the purchase of tools, equipment, and build out of a cycle workshop. The tools will be made available to members of the Cycle Hub, and which would be used by the mechanic(s) undertaking bike repairs. These funds will have lasting impact as the lifetime of the tools, equipment and workspace is on the order of years, enabling a revenue stream from bike servicing, sales, workshop memberships, and bike hires for a minimum of several years - high value for money.
We encourage you to read our detailed proposal, attached below!
A cycle shop and community cycle hub will be a great resource to the local area.
A cycle shop is a much needed resource in Aberfeldy both for local people and visitors.
Absolutely what's needed here to help people get mobile without always depending on a combustion engine