Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam was presented with his official bicycle by Dublin Cycling Campaign on Wednesday 28 January at the Mansion House.

The bicycle was handed over by Dublin Cycling Campaign volunteers Mairéad Forsythe, Miren Maialen, Colm Walsh and Will, and by Bike Hub team members Conor Cahill, Stephen McManus and Gary.

The upcycled bike was donated by social enterprise The Bike Hub who are celebrating 1,000 bikes distributed through its Upcyclers project, started in 2020. Founder Stephen McManus said, “this bicycle is very special to us. It is our 1,000th bike that has been given a second life with the help of our wonderful community of volunteers and staff. There’s a bright future for Circular Economy in Dublin and this is illustrated by this significant achievement”

Our volunteers were glad to meet the new Lord Mayor to thank him for all the infrastructure that has been developed in the city in recent years to make active mobility more accessible to more people. The official bicycle provides the Mayor with a sustainable mode of transport that is efficient, healthy and emissions-free. As we face up to the climate crisis the bicycle is a visible manifestation of a new era where officials in authority lead by example in efforts to tackle climate change.

The Lord Mayor said:

I’m very happy to accept this official bicycle from Dublin Cycling Campaign. Cycling is a cheap, quick and efficient way of getting around the city. Over the last few years Dublin City Council have been working hard to make active mobility more accessible to more people. When more people can make more of their journeys by walking, wheeling, or cycling, this has positive effects on traffic congestion, air quality, and road safety. This benefits everyone who lives, works or studies in our city, as well as making it a more attractive place to visit

Vice-chair of Dublin Cycling Campaign Siobhán McNamara said, “We’re delighted to present the Lord Mayor with this bicycle, and we thank the Bike Hub for donating it. As well as being good for physical and mental health, cycling is an important part of decarbonising our transport system and can be accessible to people of a wide range of ages and abilities if the appropriate infrastructure is in place. We appreciate the leadership of elected representatives such as Cllr McAdam who are happy to make some of their journeys by bicycle, and the work being done by Dublin City Council to make active mobility safer and more attractive for people of all ages and abilities.”