Host Profile: Whole Foods, Giffnock

The US retailer Whole Foods Market has been quietly storming across the Atlantic with its fresh, honest, quality-without-compromise food offer (and innovative employment policies) and it is expanding steadily in Britain. Meantime the UK retail giant Tesco has faltered with its 'Fresh & Easy' concept over in the USA. What can we learn from that?

Perhaps the cycling consumer is a devoted consumer because eagle-eyed Bike Aid fans have spotted it has brought another innovation from across the pond; at Whole Foods Giffnock in Scotland there is a Bike Fixtation public bicycle repair stand outside the store. 

It's not know if the store keeps puncture repair kits but this is a huge leap forward in the UK. Whole Foods is ranked fourth on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's list of Top 25 'Green Power' Partners

Whole Foods
124-134 Fenwick Road
Glasgow  G46 6XN
Store hours: 8am to 9pm every day
Phone 0141 621 2700

Vancouver bike repair station outrage

Vancouver's CityStudio BikeLab recently introduced the first publicly accessible bike repair stations to the streets of Vancouver. There are now two stands with tools and air pumps where cyclists will be able to repair simple mechanical problems.

This project is part of Vancouver's Greenest City 2020 Action Plan to encourage sustainable transportation.

Instagram of new pump posted by cbruntlett 

In partnership with the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver South Lions Club, this project is piloting two stations; one located in the Woodwards Atrium on the West Hastings entrance and another at Science World.

On Saturday, April 6th, the bike repair first station was unveiled to evaluate the possibility of developing another eight stations in the future.



However, despite Canada's reputation for affability, greenness and hippy values, the installation of two $3000 bicycle pumps has sparked outrage in media editorials.

The pumps were recently installed at Hawks Ave. and Union St. (on the Adanac bike route) and at Science World, near the convergence of the Seaside, Adanac, Ontario, and Central Valley Greenway bike routes. The pumps fit both Schrader and Presta valve types, and have been built to resist the elements. It’s been reported that the two pumps cost a total of $6,000

However, it wasn’t until last week when Scout Magazine and then the Vancouver Courier ran a story that things started heating up. Both The Province’s editorial board and CTV went trolling, and Yahoo! Canada News piled on for good measure. The Province ran an anonymous editorial that was nothing short of an anti-cycling diatribe and then CTV devoted 3 minutes at the top of their 5pm newscast to outrage over this expenditure

Perhaps the no-cost model of Suffolk Bike Aid would be more suitable here?

Roving SOS Bikes of São Paulo

The city of São Paulo, the largest in Brazil, has invested in creating a 45 km network of bike paths. It also provides a staffed cycle repair station in the main park and six mechanics on specially-equipped bikes who patrol the bike paths to assist with any breakdowns and give advice and encouragement. And best of all, this is all free. 


The SOS BIKE mechanics provide:

• Seat and handlebar adjustment
• Chain tensioning
• Puncture repair and wheel balancing
• Brake adjustments

The best we can tell with Google's translation is this is part of a campaign called Movemento Conviva to encourage peaceful coexistence between drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. Their mission statement says: "living well begins with small actions, which generate big changes". Well, Bike Aid can testify to that!

More info http://www.ciclofaixa.com.br/ in Portuguese

Follow them on Twitter: @reporterconviva

Boris Johnson and mayors everywhere: take note.

Oil company provides bike aid stations

Photo: Mads Odgaard

Suffolk Bike Aid learned from the cycling blog Copenhagenize.com of a pilot scheme by Norway's Statoil that provides facilities for cyclists to fix their bicycles at five petrol stations in Copenhagen, a city where 55% of the residents cycle every day. The sign says:


"Dear Cyclist,
You can care for your bicycle here. You can pump and wash your bicycle and, inside the shop, you're welcome to borrow a free bicycle care kit with oil, tire levers, allen keys, etc.
Enjoy.
Statoil" 


The pilot stations in the Copenhagen area are: 

• Sydhavns Plads 10, 2450 København SV
• Godthåbsvej 144, 2000 Frederiksberg C
• H.C. Ørstedsvej 25 - 27, 1879 Frederiksberg C
• Valby Langgade 119, 2500 Valby
• Kongevejen 205, 2830 Virum

Statoil would like to know where to put the next 'bike care' stations. Send them an email at cykelpleje@statoilfuelretail.com

Statoil don't operate any UK petrol stations but are a huge natural gas supplier to the UK and are presently developing the Sheringham Shoal wind farm 17 km off the coast of Norfolk.

While Statoil should be applauded for this bold innovation, Bike Aid demonstrates that there's no need for cyclists to wait for capital investment by PR-hungry polluters. For every petrol station to stock a puncture repair kit, provide air and loan tools for the use of cyclists it would cost about £2 per site. 

Bike Aid notes that there is growing unease in Norway for Statoil's sponsorship of the arts. The education / arts / activism organsiation Platform recently said on their blog:

"...extraction-hungry oil and gas companies use sponsorship to purchase a central position at the core of social development and cultural growth, to enhance their reputation and cover up their dirty practices elsewhere. The cultural sector has been mostly been compliant, but this has to change. 

...These companies have massive amounts of money at their disposal, and the “generous” amounts they offer the cultural sector through sponsorship are mere trifles as far as their own accounts are concerned. For the cultural sector, on the other hand, these amounts are enormous, and we see an enormous amount of hesitation of speaking out for fear of losing the economic support. 

Sponsorship thereby becomes more than just a cheap marketing strategy; not only do they greenwash the unethical practices of these companies, they also place a significant proportion of our creative and resourceful young people in a position of gratitude and servility to the oil companies, purchasing a place at the heart of our culture, education and sports."

Therefore we think evidence of their commitment to change their practice by supporting cycling facilities would be more welcome. This incidentally is why Bike Aid does not seek any funding from anyone, though it welcomes any from those prepared to give. We don't ever want to fear speaking out against any kind of sponsor should we feel the need to do so.