Putting Cardiff in the saddle – one recycled bike at a time 

The team at Cardiff Cycle Workshop have a simple goal: bringing the benefits of cycling to the whole community. Over 15 years, they’ve rescued and restored more than 4,000 bikes, saving more than 65 tonnes of scrap from ending up in landfill – a weight equivalent to 33 family cars. 

They’ve provided serious savings for their customers, too. Buying a new bicycle can be expensive, but many people are worried about choosing a second-hand model. Cardiff Cycle Workshop offers affordable bikes that have been donated by the public, and serviced to the highest standard by professionals. 

Workshop co-ordinator Jon Howes says: “People worry about how safe second-hand bikes are. You could go on the internet and find a cheap one, but you wouldn’t know where it’s coming from or what its condition is. 

“We have a vigorous process. All our bikes go through an assessment. We work out what the issues are, and repair them one-by-one. They receive a quality control check from a qualified technician, and come with a three-month warranty – so if anything goes wrong, we’ll fix it.” 

A true community enterprise 

Cardiff Cycle Workshop is a 100% non-profit organisation, and uses all the proceeds of its sales to improve services.  

The team are dedicated to helping refugees and asylum seekers get around the city. On average, they donate one bike every week via the OASIS Project in Splott.  

Jon says: “One of the difficulties that asylum seekers and refugees face is transport. For about four hours each week, our staff members and volunteers go down to Splott to recycle bikes, which then get donated.” 

Keeping Cardiff moving 

As well as providing bikes, Cardiff Cycle Workshop helps people keep their own cycles in good order. Anyone can book a repair, from a simple tune-up to a full rebuild, at a competitive price. There’s also a “Dr Bike” service for businesses and other organisations, which sends a technician out to the workplace to make repairs.  

You can also learn how to look after your own bike – and other people’s – at the workshop. There are training courses to suit everyone, from novice mechanics to seasoned cycle engineers. The most demanding courses lead to Velotech qualifications, recognised as the gold standard for professional bike technicians. 

Develop your own pedal power 

Making journeys by bicycle rather than car reduces the use of petrol and other fossil fuels – improving air quality and lowering noise pollution. It’s great for developing fitness, and for making the most of Wales’ beautiful scenery.  

Visit the Cardiff Cycle Workshop website to get a bicycle of your own – and for more information about cycling routes in your area, check out Sustrans.