Business booming for Mr Cycle as people get on their bikes to beat coronavirus lockdown

Andrew Morris, known as Mr Cycle and a keen cyclist himself, is busier than usual because of the amount of people digging out old bikes for their permitted daily exercise.

It comes as the Beryl bike scheme, which launched in Norwich earlier this month, announced the use of its cycles is now free to use for all NHS staff.

Mr Morris, who runs his bike repair firm from Wymondham where he lives, is having to take new measures to ensure he and customers stay safe – washing bikes down before working on them and then again before handing them back.

MORE: Value retailer selling essential items closes all stores with ‘heavy heart’

“I’m busy with people wanting bikes fixed they have dragged out of their sheds. I am taking all but very quick simple jobs back to the workshop and washing them in hot soapy water before I work on them.

“Then I repeat this after I’ve worked on them and wipe them with anti-bacterial wipes before I hand them over. What is noticeable is that many of the bikes have clearly been sitting doing nothing because they are covered in dust and cobwebs. When I talk to people wanting repairs they tell me they want the bike for their outside exercise.

“It’s lovely to get so many customers who want to get back out on their bikes.”

Mr Morris, a trained mechanic and former sales manager, has been running Mr Cycle for 10 years and operates a collection and delivery service, free, for people living in a 10 mile radius. He offers all kinds of repairs and services from a regular bike ‘health check’ to simple jobs like fixing punctures to wheel repairs.

Before the coronavirus outbreak he also usually ran pop-up workshops at venues including the John Innes Centre, the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital and County Hall.

“I love doing them because I meet people from all over the world. I have a love of cycling and I’ve ridden on and off road since I was five.”

For more updates on coronavirus see the Facebook page here