Council Chairperson Learns New Bike Maintenance Skills

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Cathy Mason picked up some bike maintenance tips in a recent workshop held at Down Leisure Centre.

The Bike Maintenance workshop was part of a series taking place throughout the district in June and open to the public for free.

During lockdown many people invested in a new bike and started cycling, but most are unaware how to fix or maintain a bike. The workshops were geared to the novice cyclist who had minimal knowledge of bike maintenance and wished to learn the basics.

Topics covered included everything from bike terminology to cleaning your bike, checking for parts that may need replacing, how best to remove wheels when fixing punctures and how to repair your bike. There was also advice on bike safety such as use of lights, helmets and high visibility clothing.

Cllr Mason said, “I am delighted that the Council has been able to offer these bike maintenance workshops to residents. The pandemic has highlighted the importance people now place on the great outdoors and staying active. The Council is in the process of developing an Active Travel Masterplan. We hope in the future this will help to improve our infrastructure to make it easier to travel across the district and encourage more people to opt to walk and cycle around the Council area.”

The workshops were facilitated by Ring of Gullion Cycles and funded by the Department for Infrastructure, the Department for Communities, the Department for Agriculture, the Environment and Rural Affairs and the Council as part of the COVID-19 Recovery Revitalisation Programme.