Freshfields Bike Club have managed to pull off a master stroke, with a bit of help, to restore a 1980’s Raleigh Tomahawk bike, which will now be shipped to America in time for a very special 30th Birthday. Freshfields Bike Club is held every Friday for adults with Learning Disabilities to learn bike maintenance and to ride safely.
Last Christmas a carer of one of Freshfields students approached the Bike Club tutor Ian Kirkbride about the possibility of restoring the Tomahawk, originally bought for his son’s 8th Birthday. He wanted it restoring for his 30th in November this year, and the bike club agreed to try. The bike has been stripped down taking care to preserve as many original parts as possible, shot blasted and repainted in yellow and silver.
Sadly Ian was not able to see the finished bike as he passed away suddenly last month after suffering a heart attack and Freshfields asked Burnley Cycle Centre to help with the finishing touches before they handed over the bike.
Mr Sean Price said his son David will be so pleased to see it again after all these years of being stood at the back of the shed. He now is preparing to send it to Milwaukee in the USA where it will hang in his son’s bar ‘3 Lions’ along with the photographs that show its restoration.
Centre Manager Gail Harvey-Clapham said ‘I was a little worried when Ian took on the challenge but week by week we’ve seen the changes happen. Then tragedy struck when Ian passed away and I thought we’d never do it in time. Thankfully Gareth at Burnley Cycle Centre was able to complete the work and we managed to get it to the customer. Would I do it again? Probably not, but you never know’