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4 Aug 2026

The Association of Cycle Traders (ACT) and the Bicycle Association (BA) are delighted to announce that the E-Bike Positive campaign has been shortlisted in the Cycle Advocacy category at the...

4 Aug 2026

The Metropolitan Police have seized more than 2,500 illegal electric bikes and e-scooters so far this year – already exceeding the total number seized during the whole of 2025.

3 Aug 2026

The Bikeability Trust has launched Cycles for Children, a new national fundraising appeal designed to help children continue cycling after completing their Bikeability training.

27 Jul 2026

 What is Sofa to Saddle? Think couch to 5K but with bikes! Sofa to Saddle is the new app that is going to have everyone talking, and cycling.
 

24 Jul 2026

Cycle finance values rose by almost 18% year on year in Q2 2026, according to new data from ACT service partner V12 Retail Finance, suggesting consumers continue to make higher-value cycling...

23 Jul 2026

West Midlands Police has dropped charges and reimbursed the owner of a £6,500 e-bike after admitting a test used to seize and destroy the legally compliant machine was inaccurate,...

23 Jul 2026

ACT parent company Bira has called for wider business rates relief for the high street. It comes after pubs, clubs and live music venues were handed a further 20% cut.

21 Jul 2026

There has never been a better time for local bike shop owners to invest in the next generation of cycle technicians. Here’s how your shop can benefit from the government’s new youth...

15 Jul 2026

The ACT has welcomed new rules protecting Buy-Now, Pay-Later shoppers, which came into force this week.

14 Jul 2026

New polling reveals the public cannot tell a road-legal e-bike from a non-road-legal one, as the two main cycle industry bodies, the Bicycle Association (BA) and the ACT, launch a new safety...

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Cytech Training Returns to Darlington as Activate Cycle Academy Reopens Workshop

Posted on in Business News , Cycles News

Activate Cycle Academy has reopened its Cytech training facility in Darlington, offering a full range of courses from Home Mechanic up to Cytech Technical Three.

Activate Cycle Academy

The academy, a Cytech training provider and member of the ACT, has reinstated the workshop inside the ZyroFisher building in Darlington.

The workshop is now led by new trainer Chris Borrowdale, a former British Army instructor and experienced downhill racer with a background in outdoor adventure.

Borrowdale gained his cycle mechanic training and Technical Trail Leader qualifications while in the military and brings a wealth of leadership and mechanical experience to the role.

“During my time in the forces, I was incredibly lucky to take part in and gain qualifications in loads of adventure training, including my cycle mechanic training and my Technical Trail Leader,” Mr Barrowdale said.

After leaving the army in 2017, Borrowdale worked and travelled abroad, including a summer as head bike guide in Greece, where he managed a busy hire fleet and developed the skills of his team.

“Taking on this role felt like something that had been a few years coming,” he added.

The facility first opened in 2022 but was temporarily closed while the academy searched for a new trainer.

Reacting to the reopening, Jonathan Harrison, Director of the ACT, said: “It’s fantastic to see Cytech training return to Darlington, helping ensure high standards of cycle maintenance training are accessible to more people across the UK.”

Courses at the Darlington workshop are now available to book through the Activate Cycle Academy website.

Members of the ACT get exclusive access to Cytech accreditation. To learn more, visit the Cytech website.

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