Member Article

Edinburgh Bicycle Pump Up The Great Manchester Cycle

Staff from specialist cycling retailer, Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative have been announced as the Official Cycle Mechanic Team at this year’s Great Manchester Cycle for the first year, taking over from previous retailer, Halfords.

The popular closed-road cycle will see fourteen mechanics drafted in from the company’s eight stores – including nine from the workshops within their Wilmslow Road store in Manchester, and the Piccadilly Hub.

Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative staff and mechanics will be stationed at the starting line, the food station and the finish line of the 13 mile circuit, offering free mechanical assistance and repairs to participants throughout the day.

Store manager, Alex Amato commented “We’re over the moon to get the chance to provide mechanical support at the Great Manchester Cycle – we’re not a huge company, so we’ve had to pull in staff from all round the country, but doing this is so in keeping with our ethos - working together to benefit cycling.

“Our mechanics are all highly trained, and take huge pride in their work. This is the first opportunity many of them will have had to work at such a big event, and particularly one on home turf. Basically, we can’t wait!”

The Great Manchester Cycle takes place 28 June and attracts 7,000 cyclists of all abilities from children to sportive class riders on a 13 Mile, 26 Mile or 52 Mile closed road route across Manchester, and is the latest local event to be supported by Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative, following the North West Velo Fest and World Naked Bike Ride.

Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative has eight stores in the North of England and Scotland situated in Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle, Aberdeen and Edinburgh. A bone-fide workers’ co-operative, Edinburgh Bike Co-op was established in Edinburgh in 1977, beginning as a team of three in a small repairs workshop. The co-operative now employs more than 150 people and has an annual turnover of £12 million.

For more information about Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative, please visit http://www.edinburghbicycle.com

Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative can be found at 7 Wilmslow Road Rusholme, Manchester M14 5FT. For more information, contact the store on 0161 257 3897, and follow them on Twitter @edinbikemanc.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Gemma Eccleston .