Becycling
Name: Chris Armstrong
Trading Ward: Bingley
Business Name: Becycling
Business Address:
1 Villa Grove, Bingley, BD16 4EX
Website: Becycling
Email: Contact Becycling
Mobile: 07960 734965
Background of Business
When Chris Armstrong, of Bingley, decided to get on his bike to improve his fitness, he could not have known that promoting safe cycling would become his new career. He began to enjoy cycling so much that he set up an after-school club, showing children how to ride their bikes properly on today's busy roads. This proved highly successful, prompting Chris to train as an instructor for the national Bikeability scheme, which replaced the well-known cycling proficiency scheme. In May 2008 he launched his cycle training business, Becycling.
Support Journey
Chris was brought up in Cumbria and came to Bradford in the mid-eighties to study economics and politics at the University's renowned Peace Studies department. Subsequently he worked for Bradford Council for almost 20 years, first in Social Services then in Housing, transferring to an IT post in Bradford Community Housing Trust when it took over the management of the Council's housing stock. To give up his job to become self-employed was ‘a massive decision, one of the biggest of my life,' he says. But with the support of his wife, Sarah, he took the plunge and has never regretted it. Someone he knew put him in touch with David Humphreys, a Shipley-based Business Coach with BizFizz, an enterprise agency which takes the Bradford Kickstart programme out into communities. ‘David has been very helpful, not only with my business planning but also by introducing me to some of his contacts,' said Chris, adding: ‘I didn't start cycling until I was 40 but, at the age of 47, managed to turn a hobby into a way of making a living. I am doing want I want to do and the business is building very well.'
Where are they now
Chris now visits schools across the Bradford District to teach children aged six and seven how to ride their bikes safely and instructing children aged 10 - 12 in more advanced road skills. ‘It's fantastic - I get a real buzz out of seeing the children improve their riding ability and it is rewarding to know I am helping them to use the roads safely. He recently expanded his business to include instructing adults in the skills of mountain bike riding, investing in five new mountain bikes for those who need them. ‘More people are taking up cycling to improve their fitness or because they want to ride to and from work. I have lost three stones in weight since I took up cycling - it's very good for you.'
