Learn to ride a bike

The Lord Mayor of Chester, Cllr Sherin Akhtar has not ridden a bike since childhood, when she started to learn but crashed badly and hurt her knee.

Despite her misgivings, the Chester mum-of-two was inspired to take on this challenge so she could explore the city in a new, and environmentally-friendly way, while keeping fit at the same time.

But most of all, she wants to raise funds for her two mayoral charities this year - Chester Women’s Aid and the Heath Youth Club, in Upton.

Cllr Akhtar said: “I was six or seven years old and my father bought a brand new BMX for me and my siblings to learn how to ride a bike.

“Within minutes my older siblings could ride and my father thought I’d be just as good as them.

“He held on to my seat until I was confidently away, however, I made the mistake of looking back and fell straight to the ground, hurting my knee quite badly – I’m still wearing the scar.

“When I was invested as Lord Mayor I promised that I would challenge myself to raise maximum funds for my residents.

“Some people may find this funny, and others will appreciate it because I have two important charities that I am raising vital funds for this year.”

Cllr Akhtar’s journey is being charted through a series of videos, covering everything from finding out about bikes and kit, buying her own bike, those first wobbly lessons and beyond.

She is being assisted in her challenge by two Chester charities. These are Live! Cheshire, which supports people with disabilities with learning and social activities, including cycling, and Bren Bikes, which provides bike repair and maintenance and sells refurbished bikes, offering a cheap and sustainable way to get started.

Cllr Akhtar is being taught by BikeRight!, the Council’s cycle training partner.

BikeRight! offers Bikeability training in the borough’s schools as well as family and adult cycle skills sessions exclusively for Cheshire residents.

The adult and family training is free and at all levels to suit, from starting to ride a bike to getting more confidence on busier roads, thanks to funding from Active Travel England.

The Lord Mayor of Chester visit Live! Cheshire in Newton to speak to their cycle project coordinator to find out more about learning to ride a bike. Live! host an inclusive cycle project that provides diverse bike options for hire, including wheelchairs, hand cycles, tricycles, tandems, and standard bikes. Find out more on their website.

If you are nervous about learning to cycle as an adult it is worth getting some lessons from an organisation such as Bike Right, who are the Council's chosen partner to deliver cycle training in the borough.

Bike Right offer free tailored adult training at a level suited to your needs, all based on the National Cycle Training Standards and split in to easy to understand modules

Basic for beginners - cycling off the road to build skills in local parks or on cycle tracks.

Urban/Intermediate - boost your confidence riding on quiet local roads, back streets and B roads, taking you to the next level!.

Advanced - A roads, complex junctions and busy roads require more advanced skills and knowledge, our advanced courses focus on key routes and commutes.

Courses are available on a one-to-one basis with an instructor at a time and location to suit your needs.

Find out more about Bikeability training and how to make an enquiry.

Bike Right also offer free family cycle training and free course for children through local schools.

Cycle Buddies Campaign

In the Chester area, Chester Cycle Campaign offer a cycle buddy scheme to help improve people's confidence when cycling in the area. Find out more on their website.

There are lots of bikes on the market suited to the type of riding you are planning to do. The Walk Wheel Cycle Trust recommend researching and test riding before you make your choice to ensure it will suit your needs in the best possible way.

Some of the different type of bikes out there include:

• Road bikes designed for speed on paved surfaces
• Mountain bikes built for rough off‑road terrain
• Hybrid bikes that blend features of both for versatile everyday riding
• Folding bikes for compact storage and commuting
• Electric bikes that provide motor‑assisted pedalling for easier long‑distance or hilly rides.

Before purchasing a bike, consider where you’ll ride most, the riding position and comfort you prefer, the appropriate frame size, and features such as gears, brakes, and tyre width. It’s also important to set a budget and factor in essentials like a helmet, locks, and maintenance tools.

In the video below the Lord Mayor of Chester finds out about what to consider when looking for a bike.

Below are some articles and organisations to look at before taking the leaping and purchasing your first bike.

Walk Wheel Cycle Trust - The benefits of drop frames and finding the right cycle for you

Walk Wheel Cycle Trust - Where to start with electric bikes

Cycling UK - Which bike should I buy?

Bren Bikes Chester

Regular bike maintenance helps keep your bike safe, efficient, and enjoyable to ride. The Walk Wheel Cycle Trust highlights the importance of routine checks such as cleaning the bike thoroughly, degreasing and lubricating the chain, and performing an M‑check to inspect tyres, brakes, gears, handlebars, and other key components for safety and proper function.

BikeRight also emphasises keeping your bike clean, carrying out basic preventative maintenance, and learning essential skills—either through their hands‑on maintenance courses or at Dr Bike sessions where qualified mechanics can check and tune your bike.

The video below by Bikeability shows you how to do a basic check on your bike.