Bike Buddies

The scheme is for you if you

• Have a bicycle but aren't very confident cycling on the roads

• Are new to our borough and haven't cycled here before

• Want to make your cycling commute safer and more enjoyable

• Would like advice on routes around the peninsula

• Are an experienced, confident cyclist who regularly cycles in our borough and want to support others

You might be after advice on:

 

• Route choices

• Bike choices

• Luggage options

• Bike maintenance tips

• Security questions

• Cycling during pregnancy

• Cycling with children

• School run

 

We can help with all of these queries and more, including riding with you on your chosen route to help you become more confident.

Buddy bikes help with

• Local knowledge of routes around Bangor, Newtownards, the Ards peninsula and into Belfast

• Selecting the most appropriate route and riding it with you

• Tips on riding in traffic, in different environments and in different weather conditions

• Advice on where you can park your bike at your place of work/study

• Advice on maintenance and minor repairs of your bicycle

Buddies are not able to

• Teach you how to ride. Bike Buddies are not there to teach people to ride a bike safely and assume no liability in the event of an accident or injury. You ride at your own risk.

• Fix a bike – While buddies can advise on basic maintenance checks, they are not pro bono bike mechanics.

Fill in the questionnaire and send it back to us. We charge £10 for a 1hr session, payable in advance via the Paypal link on our Membership Page.

 

Our Bike Buddy provides their time and wisdom free of charge to the scheme. We levy a charge to minimise the number of no-shows and use the proceeds to cover part of our expenses such as publicity materials, banners, room hire and running this website.

The Ards and North Down Cycle Campaign Group Bike Buddy Scheme is supported by volunteers. We’ll try to help you as much as we can but the extent of the support we can offer will be dependent on the individual Bike Buddy allocated to you.

 

Our Bike Buddies are experienced cyclists but they are not necessarily trained Cycle Safe instructors. If a Bike Buddy helps you by riding a chosen route with you, please note that they are partnering with you, but not guiding you. It is your responsibility to ride safely and obey all traffic signals and highway regulations. It is also your responsibility to ensure that your bike is roadworthy. You ride at your own risk.

 

If a Bike Buddy rides with you, it is up to you whether you wear a helmet. Some Bike Buddies do and others don’t. It's your head and your choice whether to wear a helmet or not.

 

Our Bike Buddies have not yet been certificated by the Disclosure and Barring Service. Therefore our Bike Buddies therefore cannot ride unsupervised with children or vulnerable adults, although we can ride with a child who is supervised its parent or guardian.