British Cycling partners with Trek to provide 500 bikes to community

British Cycling has announced a new three-year partnership with Trek Bikes, which will see Trek provide 500 bikes to help boost community participation in cycling.

The partnership will directly support British Cycling's City Academies programme, an initiative which aims to get more children from diverse ethnic communities and lower socio-economic groups into cycling.

The City Academies programme works by sending 'Community Coaches' into schools with bikes for children to use. It is particularly aimed at helping children from diverse ethnic communities and lower socio-economic groups, for whom bicycle ownership is a major barrier to entry into the sport.

After a successful launch in London in 2021, this year British Cycling has expanded the programme to the West Midlands. The bikes provided by Trek will support the expansion, and British Cycling says the 500 bikes will benefit 40,000 riders.

British Cycling SEO Jon Dutton said: "Our Community Coaches do brilliant work to help people from all different backgrounds to build up their confidence, develop new skills and discover the joy of cycling. We're incredibly thankful to Trek for their support over the next three years and look forward to working with them to widen access to the sport in communities across the country."

Trek's UK+ Marketing Manager Helen Guesford said: "This program and the Community Coaches network reduces boundaries to accessing bikes whilst developing cycling skills and confidence to open the world of cycling to everyone, whatever the background or skill level. We are excited to join forces with British Cycling to help this initiative grow, and ultimately inspire children, young people and communities to cycle and discover the countless benefits it has to offer."

British Cycling is the national governing body for cycling, but it also works to develop the sport from the grassroots level. The City Academies scheme is first and foremost intended to help children discover the joys of cycling and live active lives, but there is some hope that the scheme will create 'community champions'.

Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding British Cycling, as protests continue in opposition to the body's ties to oil giant Shell, this is a positive step in the right direction.

Trek

Trek is a bicycle manufacturer based in Wisconsin, USA. The company produces a range of bikes, as well as clothing, equipment and tools.