From closed shops to community power: Ayup Bikes are helping keep Derby moving

When four city centre bike shops in Derby shut their doors for good, many thought it was a sign that cycling had fallen out of favour. But on the ground, something very different was happening.

Bikes weren’t disappearing – but bike shops were being pushed out by rising rent costs and funding streams drying up. That’s when a group of locals stepped up and launched Ayup Bikes – a grassroots, volunteer-run co-op that’s providing a service the community is crying out for.

“We started it because there was a need,” says Malcolm Yates, co-founder and director.

Fundamentally we love bikes. We love fixing bikes. We love the results that fixing bikes gives. We love the smiles on the faces, and we love the appreciation of the bike and it’s just something we all love. That’s why we do it

 

Offering help for all

What began in December 2024 as a conversation between ex-charity workers and community volunteers quickly became a co-operative. By May 2025, Ayup had secured a workshop thanks to funding from Cycling UK’s Big Bike Revival, and begun offering low-cost repairs, bike refurbishments, and community sessions for people across Derby.

Crucially, it’s not just about people who choose to cycle – it’s about people who depend on it to get places. According to the last Census, 1 in 4 households in Derby do not have access to a car or van.

“We’ve helped commuters who need their bike fixed now, because it’s the only way they’re getting home,” Malcolm explains. 

We’ve helped refugees, students, pensioners, NHS workers, food delivery riders on e-bikes, families who can’t afford a car. We’ve even built custom bikes for people. But mostly, we help ordinary people who just need to get from A to B, cheaply and reliably

 

Helping make things affordable

At a time when petrol prices remain volatile, public transport is being cut, and the cost-of-living crisis is biting harder than ever, people are turning to cycling. “No fuel, no parking, no fares. It’s freedom. If you’ve got a bike, you can just go.”

But owning or maintaining a bike still comes at a small cost – and for some, even that can be too much. That’s where Ayup makes all the difference.

Everything they do is affordable, and the entire operation is not-for-profit. All funds go straight back into parts, tools and events. They’ve run puncture repair workshops, group rides, and much more – often made possible through support from Cycling UK’s Big Bike Revival.

At one recent event at Derby Hospital, the team fixed 23 bikes in a single day – for staff, patients and visitors alike.

They were so grateful. Some were using those bikes to get to work. For others, it meant they could attend appointments without relying on a bus or taxi. In that moment, a bike isn’t a toy. It’s transport. And it’s essential

 

But Malcolm is quick to point out that it’s not just about repairs. Ayup also gives people skills, confidence and, perhaps most importantly, the knowledge that someone is there to help. “We’ve had people come to a session just to learn how to fix a puncture – and now they volunteer with us. That’s the power of community.”

There’s no such thing as a typical cyclist

Ayup operates as a co-op, meaning it’s owned and run by its members. Just people helping people. And the diversity of people coming through the doors proves one thing: there is no such thing as a ‘typical’ cyclist.

“We’ve helped kids with BMXs, elderly people on step-through bikes, women on their first ride in years. We’ve run all-female repair sessions and group rides through the city. Bikes are for everyone!”

Still, the job isn’t done. Malcolm is honest about Derby’s cycle lanes. “Some of it’s brilliant. But then you get to a busy bridge or roundabout, and the bike lane just disappears. If you’re not a confident rider, you’re not going to take that risk.”

That’s why Ayup, alongside Cycling UK, is advocating for better planning, especially in underserved areas of the city. “We want kids riding to school. Families getting out in the park. People choosing the bike over the bus because they can — not because they have to.”

Next steps for Ayup

The co-op is already planning its next steps: more events, more volunteers, and hopefully, more consistent funding to keep Big Bike Revival sessions going through the winter. “If we had the resources, we’d do it every month. Every week, even. The demand is there.”

For Malcolm and the team, it all comes back to a simple idea: that everyone deserves the freedom to move. “People thank us like we’ve done something huge. But all we’ve really done is help them get back on the road. And that can be enough to change someone’s day – or their life.”

In a city where traditional bike shops are closing and public services are under pressure, Ayup is offering something different: community, reliability and transport that doesn’t cost the earth. Because sometimes, all it takes is two wheels, a few volunteers, and someone saying, “Ayup – let’s fix that.”