Rick Bartlett. National Standards Cycle Instructor

          I’ve been riding bikes I was 4 years old (According to my Mum and Dad). The 1970’s saw the arrival of the Raleigh Chopper, mine was purple!

As a teenager in the 80’s I had my first Raleigh Racer and then came the start of the BMX craze. My brother and I both raced at the Swindon Oasis BMX track on our Raleigh Burners and soon got into Stunts, tricks, jumps and lots of falling off! My shins still bare the scares of peddles hitting my legs. At 15 years old, I built a bike from a second hand racing frame and I made a birthday/Christmas list with all the components I needed. I purchased my first Maintain bike in the early 90’s, 21 gears helped me with my new found love for cycling on the Ridgeway, covering 20/25 miles some days. I used my bike for work on dryer days until, in 2003, I sold my ‘hot hatch’ car and started riding to work every day. The benefits of increased fitness and weight loss were enough to keep me cycling through all weathers. About 5 years ago I started riding ‘racing’ or ‘Road bikes’ as they are now called. The technology is much improved from my first racer, as is the weight, performance and cost of the new generation road bikes, I regularly ride 50/75 miles on a Sunday morning, usually to get coffee and cake in the Cotswolds.

          In 2009 I decided to train as a Cycle instructor and combine my passion for cycling and my full time job. I now instruct countless numbers of children in schools as well as Adults of all levels, from mature adults who have never ridden a bike or have forgotten how to do so after many years off their bikes. The response from the trainees makes the job rewarding and full of different challenges. I love my job and hope I can continue to do this until I retire, I have said ,’If  I can do this training for the next 25 years and save one child’s live it would worth it’ I believe the training Bikability provides will save many lives, both Adults and Children. It will also encourage more people to cycle, prove the heath benefits, the impact on our environment and above all, the fun you can have riding a bike.

Cycle Instructor n. Person who has the best job in the world.

Rick