Adults in Dunoon and Helensburgh will have the opportunity to benefit from free cycle training in the next few weeks. The iCycle PLUS initiative is aimed at returning and commuter cyclists, helping them enjoy their bikes more – getting confident in traffic, learning new bike maintenance skills, meeting other returning cyclists and improving their health and fitness.

A drop-in information event is planned for people in Dunoon at the Community Centre on Edward Street on Wednesday 29th July at 7.15pm.

The Helensburgh event is scheduled for 7pm in the Victoria Halls on Thursday 30th July.

At these events people will be able to find out more about the programme and the specific training on offer as well as signing-up to the month long, one session a week course. There is also the opportunity to sign up online through the council’s partners in this initiative, the Oban-based outdoor education social enterprise Stramash, by emailing oban@stramash.org.uk or visiting www.stramash.org.uk

The session involves an introduction and welcome, a short film on the iCycle PLUS programme, a short description of the training and, most importantly, the opportunity for people to ask questions.

Once a place on the course is guaranteed participants will receive further details from Stramash and a pre-course evaluation form which will be used to shape the content of the courses to suit the needs of individual participants, where possible.

People can sign up for a lunchtime, afternoon or early evening session and all of the equipment (a bike, helmet etc.) is provided.

Those signing up for the training can expect help in basic cycling manoeuvres, steering and maintaining forward momentum, gaining confidence in traffic, the correct use of gears, basic bike maintenance and preparing for a journey

Using these new skills cyclists will try out different routes in their community, becoming confident in dealing with tricky junctions and traffic lights. The course will also identify safe and enjoyable cycle routes that can be enjoyed either as part of a group or individually.

At the end of the month long programme there will be a shared, guided cycle which will put into practice the skills learned over the course.

The training has already been delivered in Mid-Argyll and Oban with a host of positive comments:

‘’The iCycle is fun and hugely enjoyable while also providing some excellent basic bike maintenance skills and riding techniques which give me confidence when cycling, I would highly recommend it to anyone wishing to take up cycling or to get out on their bikes more.’’

‘’If it wasn't for iCycle I wouldn't have bothered getting back onto a bicycle.’’

‘’We have loved coming together each week with great instructors to learn more about our bikes, our abilities and our capabilities.’’