The rationale for Bike Aid

The evidence of the benefit of Bike Aid comes from common sense and my experience of commuting by bicycle to a popular Suffolk arts venue where I worked for several years.  There I was frequently asked by the public, especially tourists who had hired bicycles for a day out, if someone could give them assistance with a puncture or air for their tires. This happens at other public venues and local cycle shops who I asked if they too get requests for assistance. Although infrequent, the impact and discouragement of a breakdown or puncture is disproportionally felt for a tourist or casual cyclist. Our Bike Aid survey results also indicate that the great majority of 'infrequent' cyclists don't carry tools and a puncture repair kit.

I also surveyed employee attitudes towards cycling for my MA dissertation in Management of Creative Enterprise at Norwich University College of the Arts in 2009.

I could not find any specific studies asking if breakdowns are a barrier to people cycling but the Institute of Advanced Motoring did commission a survey on motorists' attitudes to cycling which asked what could get them out of their cars which is available as a PDF download