Real pressies....

Real pressies….

15 December 2011 by simonnurse

Lucky Evelyn

I wonder how many of us will be giving bike related stuff this year? My daughter will be getting a lovely, shiny, pink Saracen girl’s bike. Despite declaring her surprise present to the world wide web, she’ll still be chuffed and shocked on Christmas morning; she’s four years old and can’t quite read yet.

I hope.

I’ll be checking my stocking for a new set of bike lights and a replacement set of winter gloves – I wear the damn things out like they’re made of tissue paper.

Whilst new bikes may be shiny, visions of loveliness (say’s he who is addicted to acquiring them), a more cost-effective and environmentally benign choice would be a recylced or ‘upcycled’ bike (‘upcycling also gives the bike a fully ‘blinged’ makeover – If Gok Wan did bikes etc. etc.). It is very likely that wherever you are, there will be a local community enterprise devoted to turning rusting hulks into polished beauties; popping out re-invigorated rides like two-wheeled phoenixes. Due to my location bias I can thoroughly recommend the Cycle Training Workshop (of Cycletraining Wales)* for South Wales residents and for budding cyclists on the Avon side of the estuary, the Bristol Bike project can almost surely oblige. If you want to see just how lovely recycled or ‘upcycled’ – old bikes blinged up – can be, have a look at the Witindustries site. I dare you to stop grinning.

The Wheel deal - kit awaiting makeover and new owners at CCW

Of course if you really love someone, and I mean really love someone, you can always buy them some cycle security products. As the old marketing blurb goes; ‘all because the lady loves a mini-toastrack’.