Bike safety popular at business awards

A business that has helped train thousands of riders to travel safely has taken out top prize in the Bicycle Business category of the City of Sydney Business Awards.

BikeWise, which was also named a runner-up in the overall Business of the Year category, has helped everyone from school children to big businesses enjoy the benefits of Sydney’s bike boom.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the company was commended by judges for its engagement with the community and its advocacy work.

“BikeWise has helped thousands of people to enjoy the benefits of riding in Sydney,” the Lord Mayor said.

“As our network of bike paths continues to grow, more and more people are taking to two wheels and BikeWise provides an invaluable service in helping them to do so with confidence.

“BikeWise is an example of a truly community-minded business, donating time for school programs and offering support to other businesses that are keen to get staff riding. By promoting the use of cargo bikes as a means of transport in both the corporate world and wider community, they are helping make bike riding a practical alternative.

Owner Patrick Jones, who set up BikeWise with his wife Jo four years ago, said he was inspired to launch the business after living in Amsterdam and seeing how city riding could become a convenient way of life.

“I saw people over there like my grandma riding, people in suits, people going about their everyday business - and that’s when the penny dropped and I realised riding was just a normal way to travel,” Patrick said.

After a stint working as a school teacher, Patrick trained to be a riding instructor and, on returning to Australia in 2008, launched the company. In the past four years he has seen the bike scene in Sydney change dramatically.

“It used to feel like you could recognise nearly every cyclist you saw on the streets of Sydney, but now Sydney is buzzing with all sorts of people new to two wheels,” he said.

“The bike lanes are helping people to realise that it’s a great way to get around, and the fact that Sydney supports a business like BikeWise shows what a rich sector bike businesses are becoming.”

The City’s 2012 Business Awards were said to be the biggest yet with a record 883 businesses nominated and 60,000 Sydneysiders casting a vote.