Covid: Old bikes given a new life for lockdown cyclists

There has been a surge in interest in the outdoors during the Covid pandemic, prompting a pair of cycling enthusiasts to breathe new life into old, discarded bicycles.

Beth Ward and Robin Hughes are turning unwanted bikes into electric powered cycles in Denbighshire.

They hope it will help encourage new riders to get fitter, for a fraction of the cost of a new e-bike.

The pair have now been hailed as "low carbon heroes" by the Welsh Government.

The two have set out to convert as many bikes as they can under the umbrella of their social enterprise business, called Drosi Bikes in Ruthin.

A play on the Welsh word trosi, for convert, the pair will even carry out the e-bike conversions at a more affordable price - all people have to do is supply the bike.

From pedal power to electric: Beth Ward and Robin Hughes get to work

Their inspiration was a four-month cycling holiday in Turkey.

"Cycling through Europe, we soon became aware of how bikes are used so much more in daily life to do things like taking the kids to school or to go shopping," said Ms Ward.

"We realised that the UK really lags behind in this respect and still sees cycling as a hobby rather than a mode of transport.

"As our holiday progressed, we became more and more convinced that we could do something to make a change."

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After a year of planning, Drosi was launched just as the Covid pandemic hit its first peak and Wales was in its first full lockdown.

"We could see people were cycling more. They had the time, the roads were quieter and people were beginning to dust off their old bikes, which they probably hadn't used for years," said Mr Hughes.

"People are beginning to learn that the great thing about e-bikes is that you can cycle further for longer. You can choose to pedal or use the motor.

"Either way, you are being more active yourself and you will be using the car less."

Reluctant cyclist Marie Schwartz has become on of the social enterprise's newest e-bike supporters

The two have now given up full-time jobs to concentrate on e-bikes.

Marie Schwartz, who confessed to being a "fair-weather" cyclist, said: "It was quite easy to put me off. If it was a very windy day, I wouldn't go out, or if there were hills involved, I would not be that keen.

"But I'm a lot more keen now I've got this conversion."

Even though her new bike has an electric motor - she insisted it was not doing all the leg work: "I thought it was going to be like a glorified moped - but it's not.

"I still get a good workout when I'm on it, which I love.

"It just means that nothing puts me off now - the wind doesn't, the hills don't - and I can go out much further than I used to."