Deal Done over Peartree Pint

Award winning filmmaker Chas Nairn (right) has agreed to make a film with the Bike Station. After last week’s World Premiere of his new film Extended Family he was approached with the idea of documenting The Bike Station‘s next Build a Bike Course which is being run with a group of young people from Granton in North Edinburgh.

The aim is to produce both a guide to what the course actually teaches and also record how those taking it develop from being fairly inexperienced bike fixers to more competent mechanics. In addition it is hoped that some of the footage will be used in conjunction with film of other Edinburgh projects such as those like Craigmillar Cycles, to highlight some of what is happening in Edinburgh.

Chas met the Bike Station’s Training Manager Steve Hynd (left), who will run the course, in the Peartree’s Beer Garden to discuss the plan. Filming starts tomorrow, Chas will show extracts from his new film, including scenes from Glentress. A day there is part of the Build a Bike course.

Mass On Friday

It’s the last Friday of the month tomorrow so there will be another Edinburgh Critical Mass starting from the Foot of the Mound about 6.00.

Last week the Bike Week Film Festival showed a Critical Mass film called You Never Bike Alone. Afterwards there was a good discussion about how to make CM in Edinburgh better – and encourage more people to join.

EBWFF organiser Maggie Wynn says “the general consensus was that the CM is more effective if it’s celebratory, rather than confrontational, and in the long term should attract families. With this in mind, maybe meeting at 5.30pm on a Friday, at the Mound isn’t the best place to start the event! However we’ll start from there this month, as that is the current recognised meeting point.”

She hopes people will come, “bring a friend, dress colourfully and enjoy a summer evening ride in celebration of cycling”. Many of the people in the audience for You Never Bike Alone said they would try to come – and look out for each. One problem of CM (in Edinburgh) is that newcomers sometimes few like outsiders, and don’t quite know what is going on. Maybe a new influx of people will change this…