Exeter-based charity Ride On Cycling for All recently received its 6,000th bike donation since the charity was formed.
Located on Exeter Quay, Ride On was established in 2011 by cycling skills instructor Martyn Laxton.
Working in a school in Teignmouth at the time I was concerned that many of the pupils did not have bikes, or they were of very poor quality.
Martyn convinced some friends to donate bikes and fix them – it was so successful that he decided to launch a social enterprise.
Starting the charity in her garden shed, she quickly moved into a lock-up provided by Teignmouth Borough Council, and in 2014 the charity moved to its current workshop in Haven Banks.
The kind benefactor of the 6000 bike – a Voodoo Mountain bike – was David Greensmith, former Commercial Manager of Exeter City Council, who unfortunately suffered a stroke in October 2022 and retired due to ill health.
A passionate motorcyclist, David was the founder of the world’s first motorcycle race in memory of those lost due to the Pandemic raising thousands for COVAX in 2021.
He said: “I have been riding motorcycles since I was 17 and after my stroke I was devastated when I had to give up my beloved motorcycle which was a limited edition Café Racer.
“My mountain bike has been sitting unused in a neighbor’s garage for the last year because I no longer have the strength in my left arm to ride it safely, so I thought it was time to donate it to someone who would benefit, and I was delighted. to pass it on to Will Page who runs this wonderful local charity.”
Many bikes around Exeter are found abandoned and are also sent to the Charity’s workshop, where they have a crew of around 30 volunteers and four professional mechanics.
Will said: “Volunteers range from young people to those who are retired and want to offer their skills to give back to the community.
“They’re crucial because if we tried to rebuild all the bikes ourselves, we couldn’t afford the cost of the labor – so they’re a big part of our success.
“We also work with young people on a program called Schools in Exeter, supported by Exeter City Council through their Live & Move project.
“My background is teaching, so I am passionate about education and a firm believer that people work in different ways. We have a cargo bike and a mobile workshop that help young people who are struggling in the education of the main school to spend time with our mechanics helping and guiding them to fix their bikes and it is a joy to see their eyes light up.
All bikes are fully serviced and the charity then sells them with a full warranty and new cables. Those that cannot be saved are removed for parts and sometimes a bike can be composed of four different bikes.
Once a week the charity runs a scheme called Bring Your Own Bike, where people come into the workshop and can use all the tools and have access to the mechanics and their extensive knowledge and expertise while working on a safe environment.
Will added: “People are realizing that we care as a charity and that the newly refurbished bikes mean they are accessible to a wider audience.
“People buy bicycles as their main mode of transportation to get around the city, especially college and university students, as well as people who commute to work. This means that we help to reduce the number of car journeys that are made around Exeter and our vision is for a cleaner, healthier and more active Exeter.”
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