Afternoon:
15°c
Is it a Monty Python sketch? No, it's London's real-life Bicycle Repair Man
Mark Prigg16 Aug 2010
For the cyclist in distress, they could be two-wheeled knights in shining armour.
London's first roadside repair service, reminiscent of Monty Python's superhero Bicycle Repair Man, today starts roaming the streets of SE1.
Druid Cycles uses bikes carrying a full tool kit and spares and are ridden by trained mechanics.
It says it can fix all but the biggest of problems while you wait and cyclists can flag them down or call to request a roadside visit.
Thor Bard, the owner of Druid, said: “People just want to get to work and don't always have the time or knowledge to fix things themselves. The most common problems are punctures, and issues with brakes and gears. These can usually be pretty easily fixed.”
The firm sends our the repair bikes from 4pm to 8pm but is looking to increase its hours. It covers an area from the Rotherhithe Tunnel to Southwark Bridge Road and towards the Oval and Vauxhall. It charges, for example, £10 to change an inner tube and £15 to true a damaged wheel.
Rosie Tharp of the London Cycling Campaign said: “A lack of mechanical knowledge can be a real barrier and hopefully this will leads to more cyclists.”
Reader views (1)
As per the sketch, all supermen and women are very grateful.
- John, London, 16/08/2010 13:08
Report abuse
