Winners Announced

We’re pleased to announce the winners of our competition to design the frame decoration for our mini wheelers.

We ran the competition planning to choose just three winners, but the standard of entries was so high we just couldn’t cut them down. So, here’s the four lucky winners in no particular order:

Beth Welch

Chester Fletton

Ed Pattle & Station

Perry Martin

If you were one of our lucky winners then you will have received an email with details on what happens next…

Congratulations to our winners, and well done everyone who took part in the competition. We were incredibly impressed with all the designs. 

We can’t wait to see those designs on our bikes… chapeau!

Deadline Day

Today is the last day you can submit your bike frame designs to our competition to be in with a chance of decorating one of our mini wheelers.

We’ve had a flurry of entries coming in all morning, and we’ve been really impressed with the standard of submissions.

If you’d like to enter, then there’s still time!. Just download a template online and email your submissions to bikes@creative.coop or drop them in to fifteen Queen Street.

Mix & Match

This week we were excited to hear that our frames had been shot blasted and primed ready to send out to artists and competition winners next week, but there was a bit of a snag…

It turns out that matching twelve indistinguishable frames with twelve equally indistinguishable forks is harder than we imagined.

Ahh, the joys of vintage cycling!

Don’t forget, tomorrow is the last day you can enter our competition to win the chance to decorate one of our frames. We’ve been really impressed with all the entries so far, so keep ‘em coming!

Win the chance to decorate a Mini Wheeler!

We’re giving you the opportunity to decorate one of our fleet of Mini Wheelers and see your art travelling around the town, as well as the chance to be featured on our website along with your finished bike.

photo © jjdoyle

Local charity Re~Cycle have donated a small fleet of twelve uber-cool 20” retro Mini Wheeler bikes for us to hire out.

The donated bikes have been stripped, shot-blasted and spray-painted back to a blank canvas grey finish. We are now running a design competition for local artists, designers or illustrators to show how they would decorate a cycle frame – and this is where you come in!

The Keep Colchester Cycling team would like to invite you to enter the competition to show us how you would give one of our cycles a unique character, express yourself as an artist and represent the town’s creative talent.

The bikes are supposed to be fun and light-hearted so you’ve got almost unlimited opportunity to do this in whatever way you like. two winning artists will be given a frame to decorate which will be incorporated into our fleet.

We’ll profile each artist with their bike on the Keep Colchester Cycling website, place your name on the bike and accompanying literature and include you in any project publicity as we seek media coverage. Finally, we hope you’ll get a warm glow from the act of giving and your bike will become a piece of travelling artwork for everyone living and visiting Colchester to see.

Artists entering will need to submit their ideas by Friday 9th March. 

Winners will be announced by Monday 12th March.

Winning artists will need to have completed and returned their decorated bikes by Monday 26th March.

You can download a full brief in PDF format with more detail and a fact sheet about the Mini Wheelers we’re using, and if you’d prefer to work digitally then an Adobe Illustrator vector file is also available to download.

Bike Guru Celebrations

Submitted by Jason Cobb

Wednesday sees the final day of trading for the Bike Guru Cafe, the pop up residency down at the Hidden Kiosks in the old bus station by firstsite. Matt Lawford - for he is the Bike Guru - will be celebrating the success of his three month residency in the old Bibby’s kiosk by inviting Colchester cyclists and coffee lovers to join him from 7pm for a final farewell.

But this is far from the end of the Bike Guru Cafe project. Under guidance from the Colchester based Creative Co-op, the idea behind all projects at the kiosk is to help to grow a sustainable local business idea in a space that can be experimented with. Matt has been learning more about how he can combine his passions of coffee and bicycle mechanics, and is hopefully now in a position in which to continue to grow his local business.

The three-month residency awarded to the Bike Guru by the Hidden Kiosk judges is the longest run that any project has so far enjoyed down by the bus station. Matt has used this time to open up new ideas, such as the regular Wednesday evening cycling themed events. Films have been shown and live music from local artists have been presented, with the help of Ice Breaker Promotions, another growing local organisation.

This Wednesday will be no different, with a grand celebration of all that the Bike Guru has achieved in the town over the past three months. The evening will start with a short bike ride around Colchester, taking in the new cycle route of Crouch Street. The mini-pelaton will then recuperate back at the Kiosks, with some fine coffee and a selection of cycling films being screened. The ride will start at 7pm from outside the cafe - all are welcome.

Here’s hoping that the Bike Guru can continue to offer his unique service of coffee and a passion for all things cycle related to the folk of Colchester at a location in the town come the New Year. Chapeau!

Tour de Sunny Colch

Submitted by Jason Cobb

Wivenhoe’s Bike Guru - indeed *the* Bike Guru for the whole of Sunny Colch - will be rolling out with the inaugural Tour de Colchester on Wednesday evening.

Chapeau!

Matt Lawford has had residency at the pop up space of the Hidden Kiosks in Colchester for just over two months now. He has another scheduled month to run, serving extremely fine coffee and fixing… fixies (and other bicycles) in tandem - geddit?

What has been truly wonderful about the venture has been the assorted events that have sprung up around the otherwise dead space. Under the far from cycling inclement cycling weather, Wednesday evenings have been put aside as a social evening each week. North Essex has past history in combining bicycling with culture - no surprises that Mr Mule was an originator.

Bicycling films have been screened; local musicians have added ad hoc entertainment. Hanging around an old bus station was never this much fun for me back in the day.

Which brings us round to Wednesday and Le Tour de Colchester. The town’s growing popularity of cycling continues, both within and outside of the formal funding and organistation of the status of Colchester being a Cycle Town. But for all the debate about cycle lanes, lock ups and lycra, sometimes you just need to clip into your SPD’s and head off for a friendly hack around town.

Le Tour de Colch is no bike warrior Critical Mass event - it is simply an early evening ride around town, and then all back to the Guru’s coffee shop for a warm cup of whatever turns you on and some local musicians.

Le Tour rolls out at 7pm on Wednesday. Running bicycle repairs can be undertaken down at the Kiosk until 6pm. Lights are essential, lycra most certainly isn’t. As for the bicycles? Ride with whatever you feel comfortable on.

There is a growing hyperlocal presence around Britain’s Oldest Recorded for mini-wheel machines. We’re talking tyres sizes of twenty inches and lower, Madam. The Colne Valley Mini Wheelers bicycling club has even been formed - blimey.

Much of the interest can be traced back to the Guru himself. As well as running the Cafe and Workshop down at the Kiosks, Matt also works for Re-Cycle, Colchester’s bike aid for Africa charity.

By some peculiar hyperlocal twist of fate, the Moorside lock up seems to be receiving a steady supply of Raleigh 20 bicycles. Interest grew, a website was published and now there is a semi-serious club.

So yeah - #ridecolchester, ride Le Tour de Sunny Colch and keep the love for the mini wheelers real.

Chapeau!

Mapping out Keep Colchester Cycling

Submitted by Ben Howard (photo by Daniel Oines)

We’re in the process of collating some additional cycling routes for Keep Colchester Cycling and we’d love your input.

The routes can range from short trips to days out, they could take in points of interest, lovely scenes, opportunities to stop off for refreshments or they could be the kind of route the clears the cobwebs on the way to town. The  options in Colchester are endless. 

Essentially, Keep Colchester Cycling is as organic as want it to be, there are no limits. We’ve got people who can turn your ideas into online maps so it’s the journey details that we need.  So if you’ve got a route you’d like to share we look forward to hearing from you. 
Email bikes@creative-coop.com

Success Story for Colchester Tour Series

Submitted by Jason Cobb

Round Four of the Halfords Tour Series rolled out along Colchester High Street as the Town Hall clock struck 7 ‘O Clock on Thursday evening. Ten pro-racing teams competed in the town centre series of criterium races that is being stages across eight locations this summer.

The idea is for a circuit race through some of the leading UK town centres, to showcase cycling in areas that have demonstrated a real commitment to cycling as a sustainable form of local transport.

A combination of Colchester’s Cycling Town status and the historic backdrop for the town was the appeal for the race organsiser to stage the Tour in Britain’s oldest recorded town.

The layout of the town centre provided the perfect sprint course for the race organisers. Taking in the High Street, Head Street, St John’s Street and Queen Street, the 1.6km course presented a technical challenge for the riders.

Queen Street in particular provided a relatively steep climb for the sprinting pelaton. The tight turn past the Castle and into the High Street tested the technical road handling skills of the riders..

With the formalities of the riders signing on (it’s a cycling thing…) the countdown was underway for the 7pm roll out. A large local crowd turned out to watch the criterium, having been treated to an all day celebration of cycling in Castle Park throughout the afternoon.

Nothing quite compares you for the thrill of watching fifty pro-riders speed along your local High Street in a tightly packed pelaton. It was true blink and you’ll miss it moment, with roughly seven seconds being the duration it took the riders to pass by.

An early break away of three riders soon became five, as the pack was left chasing the frontrunners for the rest of the race. Team tactics were crucial here. Five of the teams had placed one of their riders in the breakaway, happy for the sprinters to sort it out for themselves come the finish line.

The structure of the Tour Series still meant that there were plenty of points left to be won in the pack. The klaxon sounded the start of various sprint laps with extra team points up for grabs. The final placings also added an overall tally for each team.

Dean Downing of Rapha Condor crossed the line first shortly after 8pm as the overall race winner. Niklas Gustavsson (Team UK Youth) and Jeroen Jansen (Team Raleigh) joined him on the podium for a smile and a kiss from Mayor Chuah and a Roman Centurion.

Speaking after the race with Councillor Nick Barlow, the cabinet member for Culture and Tourism, it became clear why Colchester had been chosen by the race organisers to stage a race:

”They were very impressed with both the town centre layout, and the backdrop that we can present in our town centre. Our plans for the afternoon of cycling at Castle Park were also well received.

Local businesses are in the main very supportive of this event. The local restaurants and bars all seem to be having a fantastic evening.”

You can watch the highlights from the Halfords Tour Series in Colchester on ITV 4 at 8pm on Friday 3rd June.

Full flickr feed over here.

Criterium Countdown

Submitted by Jason Cobb

Did you catch the high-speed thrill of the Halford’s Tour Series on TV on Wednesday evening? ITV4 showcased the first round of criterium racing with Durham staging a demanding course, as well as something of a celebration of cycling.

It was all rather uplifting, presenting a healthy picture of both professional cycling in the UK, as well as the equally important grass roots support for a more sustainable transport policy around our towns and cities.

And here’s where Colchester comes in - next Thursday (2nd June) sees the Tour road show roll right into the centre of our hometown. We have blogged extensively over the past few weeks about the developments as the build up the Colchester criterium continues. We’ve even secured some hospitality tickets (hurrah!) and hope to catch up with some of the riders on the evening.

Meanwhile, Colchester Borough Council has just announced news of the programme of cycling events that will support the criterium next week. It is an incredibly well thought out and inclusive afternoon and evening of activities:

”Castle Park will play host to an exciting afternoon of FREE cycling, sports and Olympic themed activity on Thursday 2 June culminating in a world-class cycling race as the 2011 Halfords Tour Series comes to town.

Head to Hollytrees Meadow, Castle Park to trial the amazing 54 metre Northshore mountain bike track. Bikes and helmets will be provided.

Budding BMX riders can freestyle on the BMX Park or brush up tricks with the skills sessions – bring your own bike!

Drop in on the Halfords Hub Arena where there will be all sorts of entertainment going on throughout the afternoon. Prepare to be amazed by the tricks and flips of Triple World Champion Ben Savage as he tackles the VooDoo Bikes Stunt Rig. There will be an opportunity to improve your cycle skills with some coaching from Ben himself.

Cllr Anne Turrell, Leader of Colchester Borough Council said: We are excited and thrilled to once again host this event. Colchester Borough Council, Essex County Council, the University of Essex, Colchester Institute and Sport England have joined together to deliver this spectacular event free, for the enjoyment of residents and visitors.”

Durham did rather in starting off the Tour Series, showing the way forward in how to simultaneously host and support the series. Here’s hoping that Colchester can deliver, and cycling in our town can become even more firmly established.

Tour Series Stewards Required

Submitted by Jason Cobb

With less than two weeks to go before the Halfords Tour Series rolls into Colchester, the final preparations are being put into place. High profile riders such as Tour de France stage winner Magnus Backstedt will be racing around our historic town on the evening of 2nd June.

ITV will be televising the race live, creating the perfect opportunity to raise the profile of cycling in Colchester, as well as to experience at first hand the excitement of town centre criterium road racing.

Help is needed however in making sure that the event runs smoothly. The race organisers are keen to involve as many local Colchester folk as possible. Stewards in particular are currently required:

“We are still in need of more volunteer stewards to support the Halfords Tour Series cycling event in Colchester on 2nd June. Volunteers are needed for a briefing at 13.30pm and then from 2pm until 9pm. Volunteers will work directly under the control of Sweet Spot, the race organisers, and will man the circuit for and around the race.

Please do consider helping with this. It will be great fun and you’ll be supporting a fantastic cycling event in Colchester! Please contact acheverst@ntlworld.com if you can help.”

Meanwhile the race map for Colchester has just been released. Taking the form of a number of circuits with high paced sprints around our historic town, the Tour Series will take in the High Street, Head Street, St John’s Street and then back up along Queen Street.

Here at Keep Colchester Cycling and we know of the perfect vantage point in which to watch the race, right from the creative hub in the cultural quarter.

Chapeau!