Cycle training companies merge

The Be Confident Group has announced that BikeRight will be absorbed in a deal which will create the UK’s largest cycle-training company. 

London-based training provider Cycle Confident will gain access to BikeRight’s hubs in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Bradford. A statement said that BikeRight will continue to operate as an independent brand, managed by Be Confident Group’s existing board, but will now "benefit from access to improved infrastructure and shared services as part of the nationwide group".

Cycle Confident was established in 2008 by David Showell and has 17 employees and over 200 freelance cycle trainers. BikeRight was founded in 2000 by Liz Clarke and Jo Somerset and has over 70 employees. Clarke and Somerset will work closely with the Be Confident Group team over the coming months to ensure a smooth transition, added the company statement.

Showell said: “BikeRight is a fantastic company which has had significant success in delivering cycle training services in the North and Midlands. It’s the perfect complement to our current London-based services."

He added: "By bringing BikeRight under the Be Confident Group umbrella, we’ll be able to deliver even more quality training at scale, helping achieve our mission of empowering everyone in the UK to cycle confidently and safely.”

Clarke said: “Jo and I are incredibly proud of the work our team has done over the last 18 years. Before stepping down we wanted to make sure the company we’ve worked so hard to build was in safe hands, and we believe we found the best possible partner with the Be Confident Group. David and the team will bring the additional skills needed to guide BikeRight, on to its next stage and grow it into a mature business.”