A BIKE mechanic is changing lives by giving away free refurbished bikes to people who really need them.

James Moller, director at Superior Cycles in Tonge Moor Road, Bolton, came up with the idea when people started donating bikes as they bought new ones from the bike shop during the pandemic.

The team, including mechanic Daniel Dutton, started repairing the bikes to make them fit for use again, before putting them on Facebook and choosing someone deserving to donate it too.

James said: “Throughout lockdown we ended up getting a lot of people wanting to buy new bikes and bring in old ones, but they weren’t worth much.

“If they sold the bikes themselves, they maybe would get more, but everyone always donated the bikes instead and said to do what we want with them."

The team started a new Facebook page called Cycle 2 Health, where they would post about every bike they fixed.

James said: “We wanted to give back to the community this way. They’d rather the bike was being used than going to scrap, because people are getting more environmentally friendly as well. Using a refurbished bike reduces your carbon footprint as well.”

The team also want to help get people taking up cycling rather than always driving, especially for shorter journeys.

James said: “We think it’s helping the community get fit as well as stopping things ending up in a landfill when they can be recycled.

“It’s also helping people get to work who maybe can’t afford public transport and it’s nice for people who want to cycle but don’t know how to get into it or maybe don’t want to spend so much money on a bike.”

Cycle 2 Health give away around there bikes a week, with a view to giving away more as they grow.

James said: “We’re mechanics and engineers so we have that creative eye to want to fix things and make them look better.

“Some of our winners have never won anything in life so this is amazing for them when they fund out, they have won.

“We have helped a homeless man, who had just got a job and needed a way to get to work and back. We got a bike ready for him to get his life back on track.” 

James and Daniel are still looking for more people to help and ask for nominations on who may deserve a free bike.

Anyone wishing to nominate someone for a bike can message the team on Facebook or message The Bolton News.

Go to their Facebook page here.