The Spokesman - Mobile Bike Workshop IFSC every Thursday from 11-3

Today was the First day for the Mobile Bike workshop at the IFSC, Dublin. 

People loved the idea. The main objective was to make people aware that we are going to be there every Thursday from today onwards. That objective was made and people loved the idea. Thanks to Chris and Damian for their help.



Thanks to Bertie Kelly (NCIR) and everyone from HSG Zander for their support
We are going to be there every Thursday from 11am-3pm please contact me if you want to get your bike serviced.

We also sell bikes under the bike to work scheme. We also sell accessories.

 Contact The Spokesman at 086 8545654 for anything that you may want.

Nearly nine out of 10 accidents involving cyclists and cars in Australia are the fault of the motorist, new research has found.

AAP
Nearly nine out of 10 accidents involving cyclists and cars in Australia are the fault of the motorist, new research has found.
The research also recommends introducing new road rules enforcing safe passing distances for cars.
Drivers were at fault in 87 per cent of incidents with cyclists and most did not realise they had behaved in a reckless or unsafe manner, according to the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) and The Amy Gillett Foundation.

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The three-year study into cyclist safety on the roads used mounted video camera footage, as well as helmet-mounted cameras worn by cyclists, to determine the main causes of road accidents between cyclists and motorists.
Fifty-four events were recorded; including two collisions, six near-collisions and 46 other incidents.
The helmet camera study found that of the 54 incidents recorded, more than 88 per cent of cyclists travelled in a safe and legal way.
Conversely, drivers changing lanes and turning left without indicating or looking were the cause of more than 70 per cent of the incidents, Amy Gillett Foundation chief executive officer Tracey Gaudry said.
"We believe there is a strong argument to introduce a road rule that prescribes a safe passing distance (at least one metre), as well as further educating drivers that they need to indicate at least five seconds before changing lanes," she said.
The Amy Gillett Foundation is named after the 29-year-old Australian track cyclist who was killed in a training accident when a motorist crashed into a group of cyclists.
According to the foundation, bike sales in Australia have exceeded car sales for nearly a decade, with an average of 37 cyclists killed and more than 2,500 seriously injured annually and nationally.
Last week, Victoria Police cracked down on motorists and cyclists breaking the law in Melbourne's CBD, with seven cyclists killed on Victoria's roads, three more than this time last year.
AAP gr/gfr/de

© 2010 AAP
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The Spokesman had it's first day in Guinness today !!!

The reaction to the mobile bike service was very good.

People were delighted to get their bikes service while they worked.

I had a lot people asking me to get their bicycles serviced next week.

Great start.

thank you for your support.

Council offers bike scheme for deliveries

BUSINESSES in Dublin’s city centre are being asked to swap their delivery vans for bicycles to minimise disruption and ensure continuity of supplies during the Metro North works.

The initiative from Dublin City Council and the Dublin City Business Association would see a fleet of “urban cargo” bikes carrying loads of up to 180kg on the city’s streets in the next 18 months.

The council is seeking expressions of interest for the scheme which would ensure shops and restaurants in the central business district, from Parnell Square to St Stephen’s Green and Smithfield to Merrion Square, are not cut off due to the large-scale roadworks planned for the Metro North and other infrastructural projects.
The scheme would be retained long term to protect road surfaces in pedestrianised areas such as Grafton Street and Henry Street and to allow for the better operation of bus systems in the city centre.

The operation of the scheme will depend on the expressions of interest the council receives from today. In Geneva and Paris, where there are similar schemes, businesses contract their deliveries out to a firm that operates the bikes instead of using their own vans or hiring couriers.

The council said it could make a central depot available for the delivery bikes in Smithfield or the markets area. Larger lorries could bring cargo to the depot, instead of entering the central business district – and the bikes would then be used to distribute the goods to businesses. The bikes were a cost-effective solution as the city centre becomes increasingly restrictive to traffic, Brendan O’Brien, head of technical services at the council’s traffic department, said.

“Urban cargo deliveries are more customer friendly than traditional delivery trucks; provide a long-term solution of greater access through city streets and pedestrian routes; flexibility in terms of delivery times and loading, and cost-effectiveness for operating businesses.”

After the metro, Dart underground and cross-city Luas works, the council did not want a return to the use of “unsustainable transportation vehicles”, he added.

The council had to spend several million euro repaving Grafton Street and the surrounding side streets due to wear and tear caused by delivery trucks, he said, a cost that was borne by businesses through commercial rates.

The New Mobile Bike Workshop

 

Here it is the Spokesman Mobile Bike Workshop. I have fitted an awning, put on the signwriting myself and also hadthe fan kitted out with a workbench and shelving.

 It is going to make it's full debut tomorrow athe the Peoples Park.

 The big change happens however when I go to Guinness and the IFSC next week.

I will let you know how I get on ..............................

Regular bike servicing will save you money

Annual Bicycle Maintenance is Worth the Money

There are many reasons why you should get annual bike maintenance. A professional inspection of your bike can reveal safety and performance issues. This list reveals the most important reasons why annual bicycle maintenance is one expense you shouldn't skip.

Enjoyment - Riding a bike is fun. Riding a poorly maintained bike is less fun. Unsatisfactory (or unsafe) braking and shifting performance, untrue wheels, and other issues can really kill the fun.
Safety - Fact: bikes regularly inspected and tuned have a lower likelihood of chronic failure which could cause serious injury or death. Worn or corroded cables can break, and worn brake pads won't stop in an emergency. A quality bicycle repair shop will make sure all nuts and bolts are tightened to the proper spec and everything performs as it should.
Longevity - I can't find the original source, but there's a statistic that states something along the lines of bikes available from mass-merchant retailers last an average of 2 years while bikes from specialty retailers last an average of 15 years. The point here: bikes aren't disposable toys. Quality bikes will last longer. Even if you plan to do nothing more than ride around your neighborhood, you should steer clear of bikes from Halfords or Smyths!

 Most of these bikes are lower quality brands or models, and many aren't assembled properly to begin with. While quality is a factor, I think maintenance plays into the longevity statistic. People who pay more for a quality bike are more likely to invest in keeping it running properly.

Save money - Good bike mechanics can find and fix little problems before they become expensive to repair. For example, bearings in the headset (steering), wheels (hubs), or crank (bottom bracket) could damage a bike beyond repair or will need expensive replacement if ridden extensively when loose or contaminated.

Reliability - For those of you who ride your bikes longer distances, reliability is important. This is especially true if you rely on your bike for transportation. Bikes regularly inspected and tuned are less likely to leave the rider stranded on the side of the road.

Resale value - Resale value is often overlooked. Bikes that work well, especially brand-name bikes, have a very high resale value compared to bikes that are inoperable.

Who is the Spokesman??

Who is the Spokesman. ?? Well I have worked in the Motor Industry. I have worked in Service , sales, Leasing and in retail and Distribution. We all know that the Irish car business is going through a traumatic time at the moment. I have to say that that my  first passion is not cycling. It is again car related - it is motorsport. I have gone to many grand prix and witnessed many great rallies, but my dream came true when I competed myself.The highlight was the Killarney Historic Stages in a mostly self built 1967 Mini Cooper 

The Spokesman on the Killarney Historic stages Rally with my 1967 Mini Cooper Replica -check out You tube video - check out this link:                                                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8efPEGK7hd8  

Cycling was my second interest. I never raced but have done the Maracycle and I returned recently when I completed the Wicklow 200, the Trip to Tipp, Ring of Kerry, Sean Kelly cycle and a few others.

The Spokesman with Sean Kelly at the top of Slieve Mann on the 2009 Wicklow 200

The Spokesman at the Trip to Tipp 200k 2007.
Note Pink Maracycle top !!



The Spokesman with our tandem, and child trailer.
Yes that is 5 people on a bike !!!!



My family all cycle and we have a tandem that we use on occasion. We took the tandem to Belgium in the days when Ryanair did not charge for bicycles - that was a long time ago!!

So that is basically some of my background. I have a good mechanical background and my intention is to provide a high level of service.

Next Blog should include a video of my electric bike.

My Mobile Bike Workshop on the back of a bike

Hi all , I have had a busy week. This week was the debut of mobile bike workshop. It is photographed at European Mobility week at DLR County Hall . I cycled into Dublin on Wednesday to give the mobile workshop it's debut. The roads were very rutted and damaged and I hadn't tied the pump down in the box, so when I went over a bump it was fairly noisy. nevertheless I got great attention from travelling motorists and cyclists. One cyclist emailed and said :

" I saw you tonight on my bike in Blackrock and wondered what you were all about. Went to the website and was delighted to see you innovative idea. Best of luck with business"

Another customer who I collected bikes from thought that the idea was great. The next thing that I need to do is to get some fans on Facebook.

Has any one got advice about where to start???

My first day at Dunlaoghaire Market August 29th 2010

When I had the concept of a mobile bike sales and workshop business, my first idea was to start at Dunlaoghaire market. Many people were sceptical about starting in a farmers market. However after the first day last Sunday i must say it was successful. We sold accessories, met plenty of prospective customers, learned a lot of information about certain companies andwhere they are at with the bike to work scheme and finally arranged to have a number of bikes serviced. I am already looking forward to next week!

the Wright Brothers who invented the aeroplane, were ‘only’ bicycle mechanics

Here is an excellent article from Con Houlihan in todays Ir ish Independent. He talks about himself being "the spokesman" and in particular i love the bits where he talk about the sprockets and the springs. The full article can be seen at :

 http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/con-houlihan/how-i-became-a-spokesman-for-the-humble-bike-1375416.html

The final sentance is brilliant: the Wright Brothers who invented the aeroplane, were ‘only’ bicycle mechanics

http://www.thespokesman.ie/

Up and running

The business is up and running. Things are very busy I am repairing bikes, working on the website and getting ready for my first foray into the retail bicycle business. On Suday 29th I will be in Dunlaoghaire market selling bikes, repairing bikes and selling accessories. Look forward to meeting some of you and I will let you know how I get on.

The Spokesman  

www.thespokesman.ie

It was important that the idea I had was interesting for me. Otherwise I would not be motivated and passionate about my prospective new venture. I chose cycling because it interests me.


This idea developed out of an original idea to open a bike shop. However I learnt quickly that having a “Me Too” operation, particularly as start up was not a good idea. I then grabbed the bull by the horns and visited the London Cycle Show in October. I definitely was going to look into the opportunity to develop a business around the bike/cycling world.

The real idea evolved at a course I did in UCD in 2009. Each element brought clarity in terms of what might work and it was in November that the idea crystallised of a Mobile bike workshop. In fact I didn’t realise that there were existing mobile bike workshops in other countries. It turns out that this business idea exists in UK, Holland and Germany. I was delighted to learn about this. It was not a “stone in the shoe” idea and there were opportunities to explore the existing business models to ensure an effective starting point for mine.

As well as carrying out planned market research, I have been asking people what they thought of the idea and exploring all avenues of feedback. The reaction has been very positive, particularly from two potential customer sources; families with children who cycle and cyclists who work in companies. They are interested in the convenience of the service.

My objective is to take advantage of the increase in the popularity in cycling. Many new start-up bicycle shops have commenced trading in Dublin in 2010. I believe that my business proposition has three important advantages over bricks and mortar businesses:

• It is a low cost start up.

• As mentioned above it is service based.

• It is unique in Ireland.

The Spokesman.ie is unique because it is a web based mobile bike workshop.
The project is a viable one, it is scalable and it is green!!