Bicycling, upcyling and recycling

Apart from being really chuffed with myself ref the title on this post, ‘bicycling, upcycling and recycling’, I’m also really pleased to be writing this BREAKING NEWS to tell you more about what now happens to the old used bike spokes (and tyres and inner tubes) from the Bristol Bike Project.

When I started brainstorming the incredibusy salvaged speed loom project back in 2022 (actually two years ago to the day of writing this post…) I sent a link to Joe, my metalworker, about The Bristol Bike Project, a not-for-profit who offer Free Bicycles to those in need; repairs and used bike sales, and drop-in workshops and courses.

At the start of this experiment (to see if I could make repair looms from salvaged materials) I began by using second hand bike spokes from a local bike charity here in Tooting, and from my godfather ‘Oncle Ken’, still a keen cyclist and bike-repair-man at the ripe old age of 89. I’d also bought a big batch of second hand bike spokes from ebay which kept Joe going for a couple of months.

So two years on, with my son Ronnie now living in Bristol, and a great contact through the Bristol Textile Quarter, I finally got chatting to Justin at the Bristol Bike Project. Ronnie went to meet Justin last week for the ‘bike spoke handover’ and we have them here ready to be bashed and bent into shape by the clever Joe, at Aviator Speed.

I’m excited to be using these bike spokes from to The Bristol Bike Project for the next batch we make in 2025.

Consider donating your time or money if you live in Bristol – making a social and enironmental positive impact BEYOND saving materials from landfill and using UK makers to help me make the components for the looms.

My LOOMS are HERE and find out more about The Bristol Bike Project click HERE the member-led co-operative repairing and rehoming bicycles within the community.

Their aim is to help people from all walks of life get out on two wheels and for it to be an inclusive and empowering experience.

So now on to the RECYCLING

It’s long been a major bugbear of mine, and my cycling-mad husband and local friends, that we don’t have anywhere here in the London Borough of Merton to recycle our old bike tyres and inner tubes.

Honestly it’s beyond me that they can’t be recycled by the council – and I’ve heard of people snipping the tyres up and putting them in their general waste… “Tyres – These cannot be recycled at the Reuse and Recycling Centre.” South London Waste.

Chatting to Justin about this, The Bristol Bike Project have an arrangement with Velorim.co.uk who collect and recycle their old tyres. This is an eyeopener for me, and I hope that more people will find and use Velorim in the absence of local authorities offering this as a free service.*

And the bike tyre brand Schwalbe, who collect their innertubes, they get shredded and turned into rubber flooring for playgrounds and the like.

I’ve found an interesting video on Schwalbe‘s website which shows how they recycle – would love to know in the comments below where you recycle yours?

LINKS: The Bristol Bike Project, a not-for-profit who offer Free Bikes to those in need, repairs and used bike sales, drop-in workshops and courses. thebristolbikeproject.org

DONATE via the incredibusy looms: We will donate £2 from your purchase of an incredibusy salvaged speed loom.
£84 for the starter kit for the first three months of 2025, now available.

The Bristol Bike Project is a Community Interest Company 07578755 follow them here on instagram @thebristolbikeproject.

*Some facts from Velorim: Did you know +9,300 tonnes of tyres & inner tubes go to UK landfills every year? Recycle your used inner tubes (50p) & tyres (£1) with Velorim to ensure they’re disposed of ecologically via @velorimuk. Together we can help keep cycling as green an activity as possible.