Imagine cycling from one side of Australia to the other! Bicycle Queensland members Nellie and Richard Logan will be riding more than 4000km over 28 days, on September 17 this year. They will help raise funds for children facing poverty. 

The pair will be accompanied by 25 other riders starting in Cottesloe Beach Perth, WA, and will ride across the country to Newcastle, NSW. The team will ride an average of 160km daily with their biggest day just under 200km! The average cyclists normally ride between 40-60km a couple of days per week, followed by a 70-100km ride on the weekend. 

“This upcoming ride is going to test us mentally, physically, and emotionally. We will be stretched beyond our limits,” says Richard and Nellie Logan.

The team will be riding through all kinds of weather, across the harsh Australian outback. The terrain will vary from flat and hilly to mountainous. There will be a support team to ensure the group remains safe on the roads, well-fed and hydrated. 

We are so proud that Nellie and Richard are embarking on this journey. They will be raising funds for highly vulnerable children living in poverty. Richard and Nellie, along with their team, aim to raise $1 million in funds. This money will be used to support vulnerable children in Compassion’s programs who have been severely impacted by COVID-19 and now are suffering under the current global food crisis. This is such a powerful opportunity to make a difference.

To help break the cycle of poverty you can sponsor a child or donate to Compassion’s Critical Needs Fund.

If you’re looking to become a BQ member like Richard and Nellie, join us this September and receive 35% off!

A big thank you to all the schools and communities that took part in Bicycle Queensland’s Bicycle Skills and Road Safety Program over the last few months. We would like to make a special mention of our supporting partners, KrushOz for supplying some excellent prizes on the day, and My Bike Shop in Mitchelton for handing out some discount vouchers and giving all the bikes a safety check prior to running our sessions at St Peter’s Chanel School.

As children become more mobile and explore urban traffic environments, embedding safe walking and cycling behaviours in children is vital in laying the foundations for safe independent mobility throughout life. BQ’s school and kindergarten programs engage students in the Australian Curriculum and Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guidelines designed road safety practices.

We’d like to thank Yeronga State School and St Peter’s Chanel School, The Gap, Sanctuary Early Learning Adventure Maudsland and Mermaid Water as well as Highfields Child Care Centre for their organisation and support. In these sessions we covered,

• Helmet fitting
• ABC bike safety
• Controlled and emergency braking
• Signalling
• Understanding road signs
• Stranger danger

It’s proven that the knowledge we teach students in our program build confidence and skills on and around the bike as well as preparing them for slow traffic environments. The more children who ride, scoot, or walk to school, the fewer cars there will be on the roads and the less traffic congestion there will be around schools. Students who actively travel arrive awake and alert—improving their concentration, recall, and ability to understand the material being taught.

“My 6-year-old daughter has been reminding us how to use the 2-finger rule to ensure our helmets are fit correctly” – Kate, Parent

“The information about road safety and route planning gave my son the confidence to ride to school for the first time.” – Jenny, Parent

“I really liked the emergency braking. It was heaps fun. I learned how to stop fast and avoid obstacles.” – Oliver, Student

“…the kids at the school benefited greatly and my 2 kids are constantly reminding me with the useful tips they learnt (for in the car and on the bike!).” Fiona, Parent

Towards the end of the year, we will visit a few more schools across South-East Queensland and look forward to the next round of Community Road Safety Grants opening so we can build on the success of 2021. Keep your eye on the Community Road Safety Grant webpage for more info or get in touch at info@bq.org.au to book in your school or community.

New research suggests that a staggering one in two people know someone with a hearing loss, yet it can take years of struggle for many of us to do something about our hearing health.

John Swete Kelly, 65, had noticed a gradual deterioration in his hearing that constantly left him puzzled in group conversations and avoiding crowded venues, as “it was easier to disengage than engage”. As an avid cyclist, John found himself starting to miss other cyclists’ communications when out as a group.

John has seen major changes in his day-to-day life from his hearing aids. The aids are specially programmed to assist him while riding his road bike.

“Hearing loss or not, staying safe on the road is critical,” said John.

“My new hearing aids are specially programmed to automatically adjust depending on the environment I’m in. I also have a specific manual program added for my cycling, which I can activate via an app. This allows me to hear everything around me and has also helped with reducing wind noise.

I can now hear cues from other cyclists very clearly when I’m riding, whereas before I may not have known what was being said.”

Regular check-ups could save your hearing

Hear and Say Adult Hearing Rehabilitation Program Manager, Georgia Cambridge said that because a hearing loss could occur at any age and often progressed unnoticed, adding a regular hearing check to the to-do list was vital.

“Your hearing health impacts all aspects of life, particularly when you’re out on the road riding with friends or on your own,” said Georgia.

“It’s common not to notice a hearing loss until it begins affecting your lifestyle or interactions with others. In a sport like cycling it’s especially important to ensure you’re proactively staying on top of your hearing. It makes a world of difference knowing what options are available if an issue is identified.”

For John, his hearing aids have reopened a world of sounds that had started to slip away.

“It’s made a huge difference, allowing me to fully engage in conversation again. Rather than switching out of a conversation because I couldn’t hear the whole story, I’m fully immersed.

I would strongly recommend that people take the opportunity to get their hearing tested. Once you actually find out about what technology can enable now, it’s quite amazing.”

Bicycle Queensland’s Director of Education, Patrick Trowse, said that staying safe while cycling should be riders’ number one priority, and commended riders like John for keeping on top of their hearing health.

“There is a misunderstanding that people with hearing loss can’t cycle, but John is a perfect example of defying that. With the right gear and support, John can continue to ride a bike safely just like anyone else,” said Patrick.

Until the end of October 2020, Hear and Say are offering Bicycle Queensland members one free 30-minute hearing screen. To book your screen, please call Hear and Say on 07 3850 2111 and mention this offer. 

The impact of COVID-19 has seen more people cycling to improve mental and physical health. As we transition to a new normal, we encourage everyone incorporate cycling into your daily routine in order to promote a healthy lifestyle. This means

We are passionate about people cycling, however we want to make sure your ride is fun, easy and above all, safe. That’s why we’ve created a quick video series that covers the bike basics on safety, etiquette as well as what bike gear to wear and more. Watch all 5 in order below:

Bike Basics Part 1: Helmet Fitting

Bike Basics Part 2: ABC Bike Check

Bike Basics Part 3: What to Wear & How to Prepare

Bike Basics Part 4: Planning Your Ride

Bike Basics Part 5: Etiquette and Safety

For more educational resources like road rules and bike security, head to our education page here. Additionally, if you have any suggestions or want specific resources for your workplace or school, get in touch!