1st April 2020

​

Cycle Sisters & Covid-19

 

Following the suspension of our group cycle rides in March in line with government advice about social distancing, Cycle Sisters has launched a series of online cycling advice sessions led by some of our Ride Leaders.  The sessions held on Zoom aim to support our riders to keep cycling during this time with members of their own households by providing practical tips and signposting.  It’s also a brilliant opportunity for our members to connect with each other socially as the social dimension is such an important part of Cycle Sisters and something that our sisters are missing as much as the physical exercise of our rides!   

 

The first session covered ‘Getting Your Bike Ready for a Ride’ and included some basic bike maintenance tips such as doing an M-check, pumping tyres, cleaning and oiling chains and setting up your bike to fit you properly.  We then went on to cover route planning apps such as Strava and Komoot in our second session helping to support our riders to find and use routes to follow on their own rides.  Future planned topics include what to wear when cycling and options for cycling with young children.  

 

During this time we’ve also been staying connected via our WhatsApp groups and our sisters have been sharing their photos with us of their daily exercise cycles and recommendations for quiet routes where it’s easier to maintain social distancing.  Many women from our groups cycled individually to see the bluebells at Wanstead Park with their own families in mid April which is usually an annual ride that we do together as a group.   

 

Attiya from our Walthamstow group said “During the lockdown cycling is really saving me and my family’s mental health as it is one of the few exercises we are allowed to do.”   

 

Other Cycle Sisters are also putting their cycling skills to good use by volunteering for Walthamstow-based Good Deeds on Bikes project run by The Hornbeam Centre.  The volunteers collect meals and groceries from the centre and deliver them on their bikes to those in the community who are socially isolating or shielding during the crisis.  

Our Chair Sarah says “Keeping active is so crucial during this time, not just for our physical health but for our mental wellbeing, and cycling is an ideal form of exercise for maintaining social distancing and being able to make essential journeys conveniently.  It’s been fantastic to hear all the stories our sisters are sharing about how cycling is helping them get through this time and give back to their communities”