Bike Month in Cockburnhagen

What did Cockburn do doing during WA Bike Month to get more people riding?

• Community bike rides exploring the coastal paths and Bibra lake

We held two community rides in October, so people can get on their bikes, explore the local area and meet others to ride with. We met at the Hamilton Hill Community Hub at 1 Starling Street, Hamilton Hill at 9am, but since it is summer now, the rides are starting at 8am. Our most popular rides are along the Cockburn coast from South Beach to Coogee Beach and Woodman Point or around the various wetlands including Bibra Lake, Lake Yangebup, Market Garden Swamp and Lake Coogee.

There is a great network of offroad paths, perfect for less confident riders. No worries about getting lost, when you are on a guided ride or exploring with friends. It is easy to find other path connections and keep riding.

• Back on your bike sessions

Two sessions were organised, but one was cancelled due to a thunderstorm! Several staff expressed interest in the sessions held on a Saturday afternoon so they could relax and not need to rush back to work. The sessions were organised via the Spearwood Library staff as several are already riding to work and were keen to support other staff and residents to get on their bikes. People on Bicycles run this course for people who haven't ridden in a while and want to feel comfortable riding in groups or solo. They are then encouraged to join the community rides so they become more confident riding.

• Discover Cockburn sessions - Youth Centre

A group of young people met and rode together during the school holidays and after school. They were able to bring their own bike or borrow a bike to join the Youth Officers on a ride to discover the fantastic sights of Cockburn by bike. They rode around the various lakes and also to the skate parks and pump tracks. The Youth Officers were very visible as they wore their new orange Cockburnhagen teeshirts during the ride.

• Bike maintenance session - Youth Centre

We ran a follow up session at the Cockburn Youth Centre, after school on the last Wednesday in October, so that young people could learn how to check their own bikes, make sure that everything is in working order and learn how to do minor repairs.

• Cockburn Rotary Spring Fair on Sunday 25 October

Everyone was encouraged to ride their bike (or just bring their bike if it needed tender loving care and could not be ridden) to the Cockburn Rotary Spring Fair for a free bike check and tune-up.

Using a bicycle that is safe and in good working order is essential for a joyful and frustration free ride. As part of WA Bike Month, the City of Cockburn organised comprehensive bicycle checks by People on Bicycles from 11am-5pm at Manning Park, Azelia Road, Hamilton Hill.

Bike checks included: brake and gear adjustments, shift/brake cable and pad replacements if required, drive-train lube service, tyre pressure check and tube fixing. All bicycles receive a detailed service checklist. If any bike needed some serious work, the owner was given a checklist with repair advice, referring them to a bike shop for replacement parts, if needed.

• Cockburn Bicycle User Group

To keep up to date on all of the rides taking place throughout WA Bike Month, and throughout the year, visit the Cockburn Bicycle User Group Facebook page and join the Cockburn Bicycle User Group. You can join as a virtual member and post places that you ride and read information posted by others, or you can join in some of the rides. The City works with a number of different groups to promote travel behaviour change. This includes residents, visitors, workplaces and schools. The City works on the Cycling and Walking Network Plan, planning and designing paths to help encourage travel behaviour change.