Transport

Over 3,500 bikes serviced thanks to successful Dr Bike initiative

Results from the 2024 Dr Bike survey show growing demand for the service among city workers

31/03/2025

BID Lead

Sabrina Shutter

Now in its third year, Dr Bike remains a popular service for workers in the city, providing free bike maintenance sessions to ensure safe cycling. Since launching in 2021 for Redcliffe & Temple BID and 2022 for Bristol City Centre BID, the service has maintained over 3,500 bikes.

Regular sessions take place at Double Puc, Left Handed Giant, and Bristol Beacon, with additional sessions taking place each month at various buildings around the city. The sessions help workers in the area get back on two wheels and feel more confident on their cycle to work.

A recent survey of Dr Bike users found that 98% of respondents would recommend the service to a friend or colleague and 41% of respondents increased the use of their bike following the service. 1 in 10 respondents stated that they booked the service to help enable them to cycle to work, demonstrating the role of Dr Bike in promoting sustainable travel and making it more accessible to workers in the city.

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BID Project Manager Tom Swithinbank shared his thoughts on the initiative’s success

“Cycling is a popular mode of transport in Bristol but there is still scope to increase cycling rates, especially as a mode of travel to work. We’re delighted with the continued uptake of the service and the amazing feedback we’ve received; the Dr Bike service is proving a really effective way of helping people feel safer on their bikes. Combining this service with the new cycle lane on Victoria Street (opening January 2026), and other low traffic streets, will help to make safer cycling easier in the coming years. Thank you to the team at Life Cycle for their hard work and to Bristol City Council for jointly funding this programme.”

Ed Norton, Life Cycle’s CEO said:

“Thanks to our partnership with the BIDs, we’ve helped more people than ever to benefit from cycling. Not everyone has the skills, tools, or funds to maintain their bikes. Our free Dr Bike sessions make cycling accessible to a wider range of people while aligning with Bristol’s wider strategy to boost sustainable travel. We’re grateful to the BIDs for continuing to support our charitable work and delighted to have helped 3,500 more people to access the well-being and environmental benefits of cycling”.

Local charity Life Cycle provides the mechanics for the 30-minute sessions, where funding from the BIDs provides support for the charity’s work to transform lives and the environment through cycling. Funding for this project has also been provided by Bristol City Council’s Transport Engagement Programme.

As well as offering a professional Dr Bike service, Life Cycle provides a range of support to help people on their cycling journey: Those who feel nervous about riding on the road or unsure of the best cycle-friendly routes can book up to three, free cycle sessions with a qualified instructor.

To access Life Cycle’s services or support their work, go to www.lifecycleuk.org.uk.

To book a Dr Bike session for your building or for any further information, please get in touch with Sabrina.

Header image: Life Cycle

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Survey feedback

Discover how our Dr Bike service is making a difference!

"It really is excellent and because my bike is now well tuned, I cycle more regularly with confidence to work"

"Very convenient. Something I mention when encouraging others to consider cycling to work"

"Always a pleasant experience with the team. Amazing to have access to the service. Keeps my bike functioning so that I can cycle to work and for leisure and gives me confidence it's being looked after well, even without me having the skillset to do it!"

"The bike service was easy to access, informative and the mechanic clearly explained any additional work needed for the bike"

"Amazing service and encouraged a few people in my office to use their bikes more often to commute knowing it was safe and functional"

Transport

Over 3,500 bikes serviced thanks to successful Dr Bike initiative

BID Lead

BID Project Manager Tom Swithinbank shared his thoughts on the initiative’s success

Ed Norton, Life Cycle’s CEO said:

Survey feedback

"It really is excellent and because my bike is now well tuned, I cycle more regularly with confidence to work"

"Very convenient. Something I mention when encouraging others to consider cycling to work"

"Always a pleasant experience with the team. Amazing to have access to the service. Keeps my bike functioning so that I can cycle to work and for leisure and gives me confidence it's being looked after well, even without me having the skillset to do it!"

"The bike service was easy to access, informative and the mechanic clearly explained any additional work needed for the bike"

"Amazing service and encouraged a few people in my office to use their bikes more often to commute knowing it was safe and functional"

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