Fat Lass at the Front

Yes, you read that correctly … Operations Director, chief bike washer and toilet cleaner Melissa Askin , now a devoted convert to #CycleLand professes:

“Being a fat lass I was always a reluctant cyclist but now I’ve tried it I’m absolutely lovin’ it! I admit, because I’m getting back into fitness and focusing on my wellbeing a little more, I’ve started with an e-bike riding the canal alongside the shop as I’m just starting out and lack confidence. I didn’t have the self-assurance to go elsewhere. It’s convenient, pretty, super safe and there are fewer onlookers. I’m enjoying it so much; I recently took a group of chubby girlfriends out with me as ‘lead rider.’

Melissa and I chuckled, right on cue as TheNakedLawyer piped up: “How was it being the fat lass at the front then?”? I drew breath, but needn’t have, as Melissa’s giggle became a guffaw and bellowing laugh; she flashed a grin and comically replied in a broad Yorkshire accent:

“Bloody great … So much so I didn’t even care if my bum looked big on it!!”

And Just Like That , Melissa and I became kindred spirits in #CycleLand.

We promptly plonked ourselves down on the picnic bench and table outside the shop near the river and nattered away over a proper Yorkshire brew. Over the next couple of hours, I learned a great deal about the ‘Riverside Story’ … *drumroll …

Riverside E-Bikes and Cycles (rebac ) is a family owned and run business in quintessential Apperley Bridge, West Yorkshire, nestled between two fabulous gastro pubs – The Stansfield Arms, and the George & Dragon Inn. It’s a stone’s throw from Leeds city centre where I live. I could cycle there either directly along the canal or via main roads with a bit of jiggery-pokery; British weather permitting, of course. I always have been, always will be, a fair-weather rider. I have no shame at all in admitting this… and, if you know TheNakedLawyer well enough by now, or are just beginning to, she definitely does not ??

Keeping It in the Family

Melissa is a fabulous lady. Born and bred in the Northeast of England she is the daughter of John Lane , a very successful businessman who refuses to retire at the impressive age of 73. John has always loved having family businesses and employing local people. Albeit he and Melissa founded rebac, John also employs another director, Sean (whom I met the same day I met Melissa), a lovely bloke whom he has known, trusted and befriended for over forty years having worked together in various businesses in the past.

Co-incidentally, my Dad and John have been mates for over forty years too. I met John recently when I gate-crashed my Dad’s lunch with him whilst ‘oop north’ visiting my family.

John is quite the entertainer and character. Learning of his background and escapades over a sumptuous meal and drink at one of his favourite haunts, it is evident that he personally is financially comfortable, so I was intrigued as to why he is determined to keep going and not retire. So, I asked him, and he was only too happy to answer with refreshing openness, bluntness and honesty. ?

Simply put, being a businessman all his life he’s the type of guy who needs a project (not unlike my Dad; which is no doubt why these two grand fellas continue to be solid mates), enjoys community related ventures, and wishes to leave a legacy to his family; being candid, something to carry on when he has croaked, if they choose to.

And if John is to keep his fingers in a Yorkshire pie, why not a bike business? He’s always been interested in bikes throughout his life, albeit a self-confessed “leisure cyclist lazy bugger” nowadays. His words, not mine ??… Although TheNakedLawyer did think the same and, on this occasion, uncharacteristically refrained from saying so ?? Phew!!

John had a previous bike shop business twenty years ago which was ran by his son, Justin. This time around, it’s his daughter who is holding the reigns and leading the charge.

Having identified an ideal site (beauty spot and meeting point) that has top-notch location, community and business potential (albeit needing a tad of love and attention) John and his team set about on a phased opening of the bike venture site at Apperley Bridge a couple of years ago.

What, No Shebang?!

Unfortunately, there was no big shebang full-on grand opening due to the Environment Agency’s flood defence scheme of the river Aire right on the doorstep which caused rebac immense disruption. Something you can do without as a fledgling business out in the sticks, methinks.

From early/mid 2022, bike servicing & repairs were carried out from a portacabin, then in early 2023 there was a phased opening of half the shop together with a “Grab & Go ” hot and cold food hut takeaway in the summer of 2023.

Road closures meant restricted public (aka potential customer) and staff access to the shop during those fledgling years of 2022 and 2023. Moreover, the site carpark was used for storage of “diggers the size of houses”, as described by John, for this was the exact point where the dredging of the river was undertaken. It was late 2023 when the last of the flood works machinery departed the rebac land which delayed the rebac access area opening fully until earlier this year. ?

Like all public sector projects that are outside of one’s control, John and his team had been at the mercy of the river defence scheme running to schedule. So yep, you guessed right. It did not.

Largely due to the prolonged disturbance of the river works, rebac, alas, wasn’t a proper functioning business until early this year. I sympathised with John. Little did I realise at that time that I would become a Non-executive Director of rebac in the near future as a result of John and I sharing the same tenacity, enthusiasm and passion for their early-stage business … and biking, of course. A dream role with a man and adult children, all of whom possess down-to-earth integrity, and are fast becoming my friends and family too.?

Despite the business woes John shared with me over a thoroughly pleasant lunch his zest for making a “reet good go” of rebac is palpable. Reflecting on the chuckle fest dining experience, I’m also confident and pleased my Dad and John will continue their bromance and cadge the best corner table regularly at the Imperial Express Café in Darlington for many years to come (God willing).

Variety - The Spice of CycleLand

Returning to my ‘Riverside Story’ chat with Melissa, I was curious as to WHY they stock such a wide range of e-bikes and bikes on site. It’s clear rebac is not a pure bread ‘high-end’, ‘hardcore’, performance bike cycling shop (albeit they do have some high-end bikes), the likes of the celebrated ten-year established Prologue Cycling in Harrogate, for example. It’s a wonderful store and cafe btw, also family owned and run by a bike crazy gorgeous family, where I bought my beloved Cervelo S3 road bike a few years ago - which I aptly named “The Noodler”, as my cycling club ride nickname is ‘Noodles’ … don’t ask!

It strikes me that there’s something comforting and better, imho, about independent family bike businesses compared with corporate franchised and/or chain stores. In my experience, a family biz provides a much more personal service … that ‘human touch’; often where the bike builds and/or set-ups and/or fittings are done on site, and the continuing aftercare is second to none. ?

It would be remiss of me not to mention Tony Woodrup of Woodrup Cycles here in Leeds, and also a fabulous businesswoman called Sandra Corcoran who has been a dear connection of mine here on Linkedin and Facebook over many years has also run her family-owned business, Pennine Cycles (you can guess where that is), with her ‘cycling-mad’ husband for decades.

It's fair to say - once I had a right good nosey around the store with TheNakedLawyer who insisted on us grabbing more than one free ‘sweet treat’ (naughty) and coffee or tea - from the variety of bikes rebac had on display and in storage that they stock a generic range ideal for leisure riding and commuting.

So, in answer to the WHY they stock such a wide range of e-bikes and bikes it evidently harks back to John’s raison d’etre for his business, that is, wishing to provide for the entire local community and gamut of type of rider. And this, is what rebac obviously caters to, imho.

Their products and services can be enjoyed by anyone of any age, race/ethnicity, sex, gender, (dis)ability, whether unfit, getting fit, super fit, injured, fat, chubby, slim, skinny, tall, short, confident, lacking confidence, solo, coupled, groups, families with or without kids, kids with kids, for commuting or leisure as an amateur or ‘amateur pro’- and ultimately, for both the budget aware or brand conscious; those new to, ongoing with, or returning to biking; for the purely social/fun seeking ‘lazy bugger’ to super keen regular hard-core ‘nut-job’.??

Between the family businesses and corporates nowadays, with the range of high-tech electronic and standard bikes available to the public, cycling truly is (or could be) for everyone.

As for the health, wellbeing and fitness benefits (mind, body and spirit), cycling ticks all the boxes. Recently, one of my biker friends mentioned an informative feature in The Times (of London) regaling what a new study has found.

Apparently, simply cycling to work can significantly reduce the risk of early death from cancer, heart disease and other such illnesses. The research, which tracked 82,000 workers in the UK over a seven-year period, revealed that those who commuted by bike were 47% less likely to die from any illness and had a 51% lower risk of dying from cancer. They also experienced a 24% reduction in heart disease treatment and had a 20% lower chance of needing medication for mental health issues. Data shows, however, that only about 4% of people in the UK cycle daily, while it jumps to over 35% in Denmark and the Netherlands.

Scandinavian Invasion?

Mentioning the Danes and Dutch I can believe this. Interestingly, whilst we were sat jibber-jabbering, Melissa had to jump up numerous times and see to customers rolling into the parking area when the other staff were already fully occupied in attendance with others. Watching a stream of lofty guys approach the shop, and prior to their speaking fluent English in reply to Melissa’s “Can I help you?” I could have sworn a Scandinavian tourist bus had rolled up into the area and we were headed for a Danish or Dutch invasion…

As if the first guy at 6ft 4” with his girlfriend wasn’t tall enough presenting Melissa with a challenge of finding a bike large enough when enquiring about hiring a couple of e-bikes for a Sunday jaunt (offering a ‘try before you buy’ service), the next guy at 6ft 8”, looking to buy a new road bike towering over his wife in tow together with baby in a child’s buggy (a total ‘picture-card perfect fit family’) totally took my breath away…

‘My God’, I thought. ‘Oh cripes. These guys are going to be disappointed. No way will Melissa have a large enough frameset for this bloke.’

But I was wrong. And obviously surprised and delighted as the rebac team went to great lengths to match them to their ideal bikes. I clocked this as I have a biker mate in Harrogate who is desperate for a new road bike but is struggling to find a cycle large enough for his 6ft 7” frame. *Note to self, contact my giant buddy.

And that’s how the afternoon progressed until close of biz; sadly, all good things come to an end. Time really does fly when you’re having such fun. I witnessed all shapes and sizes of adults and kiddies popping into the store for a whole range of stuff during the afternoon, enquiring about hiring or buying e-bikes, or buying either road, gravel, MTB (that’s mountain bikes for the uninitiated), commuter fold-up (popular with the cycle to work scheme wherein rebac accept vouchers), or kiddies’ cycles, accessories, and even restoration, repair or service at the bike clinic.

I glanced at my iphone noting the time on its display, at the same time noting the amount of ‘sweet treat’ wrappers discarded by TheNakedLawyer. My goodness that girl can munch! I do hope she’s going to burn off some of that sugar by going out on her trusty e-bike on a rolling road, or better still, hilly route before she lands back home otherwise she’s going to be as hyper as a kid in a candy-store. praying.

And with that thought I turned to Melissa, thanked her for her generous hospitality and bringing tears of laughter and joy to us during the afternoon, and promptly said our farewells.

Quite honestly, had I not had another engagement to get to that evening I could have sat there into twilight chatting away on a perfectly barmy summer day with my new “fat lass” friend …

One thing is for certain, we will be doing this again soon …

SAVE THE DATE:? Saturday 31st August and Sunday 1st September. ?It’s the weekend after the Bank Holiday.

TheNakedLawyer and I will be attending the Open Weekend Event at Riverside Ebikes & Cycles comprising a boat load of goodies going on for anyone who enjoys (or is curious about) cycling. Whether you’re a novice or hard-core biker, whether you’re an adult with teeny-weeny kiddies or a ‘giant’ adult, whether you’re solo, or with family and friends local and afar that weekend, I’d LOVE LOVE LOVE to see you there!

More information to follow VERY soon! Until then, here’s a sneak peek of what’s likely to be happening:?

·??????? BYO bike for a community ride

·??????? Guided rides trying out bikes/e-bikes in store (book on) – canal, road, and off-road routes

·??????? Female only ride out with “Pretty Gritty”

·??????? Female apparel fashion show

·??????? Manufacturer bikes on hand to ogle

·??????? Discounts on bikes – road, gravel, MTB, E-bikes

·??????? Discounts on accessories

·??????? Product spotlighting

·??????? Cakes, snacks, drinks

·??????? Kids special treats

·??????? A Prize-Drawer end of day Saturday AND end of day Sunday

·? Educative workshops on bike cleaning, bike safety, bike maintenance, puncture fixing etc by professionals and amateurs.

Do you remember one of the quotes in my previous article/post in which I invite you to reflect? ...

“All you have to decide, is what to do with the time that is given to you.”

Signing off now to enjoy guess what? Yup, you deduced correctly. With the writing complete, it's time to cycle and travel. WooHoo!! Be safe out there if you are too ??.

Hugs and love xxx

Me and TheNakedLawyer

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Travel | Cycle | Write:? Posts and Socials: -

· Non-executive Director role announcement and details

· Chef God(dess) Hunt! And a FREE coffee & ‘sweet treat’ when you visit Riverside Bikes bricks & mortar shop in person whether to browse, hire or buy a bike/ebike or merchandise/accessories, bike service or repair, when you quote this code: #thenakedlawyer

·??????? Follow and reach out to connect with TheNakedLawyer here on LinkedIn – Click the ‘bell’ at the top right of the page if you wish to be notified of future posts / articles / announcements / books etc about Travel, Cycling, Writing

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·??????? You’ll find TheNakedLawyer at Riverside E-Bikes & Cycles here: Website , Rebac LinkedinPage , LinkTree , Facebook