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24 Apr 2026

Cycling enthusiasts across the UK are being invited to vote for their favourite independent bike shop as the first ever Local Bike Shop Awards enters its final stage.

19 Apr 2026

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17 Apr 2026

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17 Apr 2026

An independent bike shop has reopened its doors less than 24 hours after a ram raid saw around £40,000 worth of stock stolen and a further £50,000 in damage caused to the premises.

16 Apr 2026

The ACT is urging independent bike shops to enter the first ever Local Bike Shop Awards before entries close on Sunday 19th April.

16 Apr 2026

Consumer finance is entering a new phase in the UK, shaped by tighter regulation, evolving customer expectations, and increased scrutiny on outcomes. We’ve explained the key things you...

10 Apr 2026

It’s easy to forget the moment your love for bike shops began. Mat Clark, owner of BRINK - a UK-based business specialising in cycling retail, brand strategy, and industry insight -...

8 Apr 2026

Bike frame and fork protection specialists BikeWrap has confirmed its sponsorship of the Cytech Pub Quiz, part of the build up to Local Bike Shop Week next month.

2 Apr 2026

Bikebook has announced a new integration with Shopify

1 Apr 2026

An awards scheme celebrating independent bike shops that go above and beyond for their communities launches this week.

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Activate Cycle Academy to open a new north-east Cytech training facility

Posted on in Business News , Cycles News

CACAytech training provider Activate Cycle Academy (ACA) is opening a new cycle mechanics training workshop in Darlington, County Durham.

Based within ZyroFisher's Head Office, one of the country's leading distributor of cycle parts, accessories and clothing, this brand new workshop is the latest addition to the expanding number of Cytech training workshops.

Cytech ZyroFisher

From left to right: Jonathan Harrison (ACT), Suzanne Read (ACA), Tom Ainscough (ZyroFisher), Rob Haycock (ZyroFisher), Jack Swain (ACA), Nancy Buckley (ACA).

Managed by the Association of Cycle Traders (ACT), Cytech's mission is to raise the standard of professional cycle technicians across the globe. The first-rate training facilities now operate in four continents and new workshops are expected to double by the end of 2022.

Matt Grant, Sales and Marketing Manager at ACA said "We've been looking at opening a training centre in the north-east area for a while now, and when the opportunity arose to utilise some space within ZyroFisher we just couldn't say no. Cytech remains the leading training and accreditation scheme for technicians within the cycle industry with demand growing significantly year on year, so the increase in training capacity that the new workshop will bring will help us better serve the industy."

Rob Haycock, CEO at ZyroFisher adds, "The new facility at our Darlington HQ is ACA's fifth workshop in England, and the second they have opened in the past 12 months. We are excited to be able to provide this purpose-built workshop which offers the very latest state-of-the-art cycle maintenance training facility. All trainees can expect to be working with, training on and using the very latest tools from Unior and equipment from some of the world's finest bicycle manufacturers and brands when they attend a Cytech course."

Cytech ZyroFisher Workshop Suzanne Read, Operations Manager at ACA comments, "We have experienced a three-fold increase in the number of apprenticeship enrolments in the past 12 months, so this new workshop will better serve and cater for the training needs for all our apprentices and local bike shops in the north-east area. A more northern based workshop is something we've been looking to bring online for a number of years, I am glad that it is finally coming to fruition!"

The new Darlington workshop is due to open for practical training on the 21st February 2022. The Cytech journey begins with Theory one online; to celebrate the new location and until the end of February, Cytech are offering £30 off the UK Theory one online course which can be completed online and in your own time, to get you started with your journey. The Theory one distance learning course precedes the Technical one practical course and the two together combine to give you the full Cytech Technical one qualification. For more information head over to the Theory one website: cytechtheoryone.co.uk and to access the discount just use the promo code DARLINGTON at the payment review page. Offer expires 28/02/2022.

For the practical Cytech courses that follow Theory one the dates for the new Darlington workshop have been released. For more details, please contact the ACA sales team on 01865 550324, email: cycles@activatelearning.ac.uk or, check out their website; https://activatecycleacademy.com/cytech-courses/.

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