On the Saturday just gone, I paid my first visit to the Platt Fields Bike Hub, to help out with fixing bikes as part of the Rolling Through Winter event. I don’t often go to Platt Fields, as I don’t live locally. The times I have been there in recent years, it has been when the bike hub has been shut, so I’ve not had chance to see what’s going on.
The bike hub is run by a not-for-profit group working to improve cycling in Manchester. It is located in the boathouse by the lake in Platt Fields, and hosts various community focussed, bicycle related courses and activities.
To quote the Facebook event, this particular day consisted of:
- FREE bike check ups by Revolve MCR
- Tasty hot drinks by our resident Coffee Cranks Cooperative will keep you warm
- Cycling FREEBIES to get you lot cycling safely
- The amazing SPOKES performing for their first time in 2016
We headed down there for the day with our friends and their kids, through the start of the match-day traffic and down a very quiet Fallowfield Loop. Once there, we worked on some ‘project’ bikes for the bike hub to sell on while waiting for people to arrive.
Once it got to opening time, the crowds starting arriving and we got to work on people’s bikes. being a bit rusty (like a lot of the bikes), I was a bit slower than most of those helping out. Though I did get to fix a few bikes and meet some very happy and grateful people.
On top of this, there was great coffee, music and entertainment from Spokes. I didn’t get to see their show as I was working on a bike, but I did get to enjoy a coffee. On the way home, we stopped off for ice cream in Chorlton, while we waited for the traffic to dissipate and dodged the rain.
All in all, a very enjoyable day, and something I’d be glad to do again. It’s good to see what they’re doing at the Platt Fields Bike Hub, the positive impact it has to people and how it helps to promote cycling.
I didn’t get to finish the project BMX I was working on, maybe I’ll get to finish it another day.
Dom Cycling 