E-Bike Freedom CIC supporting communities through cycling

E-Bike Freedom is a Community Interest Company based in the north of Glasgow. It is dedicated to promoting active travel in the community and support individuals to access cycling with a focus on electric bikes, including providing and repairing e-bikes, offering e-bike loans and maintenance classes, and so on.

Working in partnership with other organisations, support is targeted at groups who could benefit most: disabled people, those on low incomes, families affected by imprisonment, and women rebuilding their lives after custody, among others.

E-Bike Freedom were funded by Cycle Access Fund in 2024-25 and returned as delivery partners in 2025-26 through both the Repair and Recycle strands. This year, they have so far recycled more than 70 bikes and completed 120 repairs.

 

We used to give free bikes to customers and could see the need within our community for access to bikes. We started with Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme and then the Cycle Access Fund in our work with HMP Barlinnie as an extension of our work which then included children’s bikes as well.

It has really helped us expand our network from the immediate community to all over Glasgow. We now have partnerships with Glasgow City Mission, LGBT Health and Wellbeing and a number of homeless charities. It has helped us become versatile in expanding and reaching more people. It has helped us build connections with schools, universities and the women’s prison. It has also helped us promote self-repair of bikes with the prisons and schools.

Mavis Mak, Development Manager at E-Bike Freedom

Immediate and noticeable impacts

The difference for individuals is notable – enabling recipients to access more places and opportunities by cycling.

One recipient got a bike so he could attend football training. He is now participating in the Homeless Cup. Receiving a free bike transformed his life and reduced his isolation. Low-income people benefit from daily transport using their bike with public transport being so costly. Many use it for active travel or just to get out of the house.

Mavis Mak

Beyond the immediate impact that receiving a repair or recycled bike has had for individuals, Cycle Access Fund has also helped to increase community awareness and engagement. Following the initial contact, E-Bike Freedom are then able to work with participants to provide tailored support for their needs.

It has helped build our community connections. Working through the Central and West Integration Network we have developed group rides, introduced the revised Highway Code and worked with families to develop cycling skills. With immigrant participants we work to help people adapt to cycling in this county with different rules and courtesies.

Mavis Mak

Expanding support

E-Bike Freedom are keen to continue expanding their support and are exploring ways of further helping repair and recycled fund participants to cycle safely and confidently.

For example, working closely with delivery riders to improve cycling understanding and etiquette, using education to reduce possible and perceived tensions between delivery riders and other road users.

We want to expand our support with helping delivery riders understand the ‘rules of the road’ and understand the courtesies of riding a bike. We want to break the stereotype barriers about delivery drivers and build their confidence and understanding. This is challenging because we need to work in so many languages. In some cases, we ‘train the translators’ to teach essential cycling skills. We are good at training but need to expand our reach through overcoming language barriers. We will continue to help delivery cyclists and educate them on road safety and challenge the stereotypes and biases.

Mavis Mak

Helping to build community

The Repair and Recycle strands of Cycle Access Fund have been instrumental in enabling E-Bike Freedom to reach more individuals within their communities who are benefitting most from this support.

It has not only allowed individuals to receive a repair or recycled bike that they wouldn’t otherwise, it has opened up new opportunities, increased the number of people cycling for transport, reduced isolation and helped lead to further connections and awareness within the community.

The Cycle Access Fund receives funding from a Scottish Government People and Place grant, administered and supported in the west of Scotland by SPT.