Case study - Early Break

Situation

Early Break is a drug and alcohol intervention agency working in Bury and Rochdale. They employ outreach workers who use mountain bikes in the course of their work to locate those most at risk.

As a responsible employer Early Break wanted to ensure that their workers had the appropriate skills to use their bikes both on and off road.

Our solution

We designed a full day’s training, in the morning focussing on riding on roads in busy traffic and in the afternoon going off-road onto a variety of different terrains in the Bury and Rochdale area.

The day was designed to develop skills in a structured way through post training feedback questionnaires. The team began learning riding position, weight-shift, advanced braking techniques, gear-choice, climbing and descending and low-speed balance. The mix of on-road and off-road riding reflected the type of terrain they will ride on in the course of their work. We also added some advice on maintenance and repair such as fixing punctures, adjusting gears and regular oiling of moving bike parts.

Benefits

The team went away armed with some crucial riding techniques and safety advice that will prove invaluable for their work on the streets of North Manchester with drug and alcohol users. Not only are they able to ride more safely and with more skill but also more efficiently due to the advice we gave on bike set-up.

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