As a charity , the bike station is always exploring new ways of
promoting cycling and helping to increase the number of cyclists.
A balance bicycle, is a training bicycle that helps children learn balance and steering. It has no pedals, no crankset and chain, and no stabiliser wheels. These bikes are the best way for a young child to learn the balancing skills necessary for cycling.
The Bike Station already has some donated balance bikes for sale, but we are now planning to create a far larger stock by converting some of the smaller children’s bikes which have been donated to us, by removing all the surplus moving parts.
The Bike Station is collaborating with a number of Scottish prisons, where we have workshops, which we supply with donated bike to be refurbished and returned to us. We are now investigating the possibility of repainting these converted balance bikes in the prison workshops - probably in a neutral colour so that they will appeal to girls or boys.
Riders on this years Edinburgh Tartan Ride will be encouraged to raise money towards establishing this project, so that these renovated balance bikes can be donated to nurseries across Edinburgh.
The long term aid of this project is to get a whole generation of Edinburgh children a good start learning cycle skills and help to create a cycling city.
