What started as a pastime for a young Soweto tourist, has turned into a bicycle tour agency that offers free riding lessons to locals looking to learn and improve their pedalling skills.
But there’s a catch, locals need to donate books to ‘Book Ibhoni’ before being allowed to navigate the saddle around Orlando West, starting from house number 7189 on Vilakazi Street, a stone’s throw away from the well-known tourist allure, Mandela House.
Since 2015, Mpumelelo Mthintwa, the Marketing Director of Book Ibhoni, which loosely translates as ‘book a bicycle,’ has donated dozens of books collected from his clients to various community libraries in support of the #FeesMustFall movement, which advocates for free quality higher education.
Mthintwa says the Book Ibhoni initiative birthed the free bicycle riding lessons after the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) offered him bicycles to help support the idea of teaching members of the community how to ride.
The donation came shortly after the JDA extended bicycle lanes in Soweto from Orlando and Noordgesig on the western periphery to Bara and Maponya Mall on the middle south-eastern side.
The free bicycle riding lessons programme started in 2021 when Mthintwa began teaching pupils from three different schools in nearby Pimville how to ride.
“We had people coming from Pretoria just because they heard about the lessons on the City’s Twitter page, Facebook account and from our social media platforms. Our social media page plays a significant role in the business because that is how we have grown so much,” he explains.
Book Ibhoni offers free bicycle lessons to children and adults who want to learn how to ride a bicycle as either a mode of transport or as a pastime. The company uses effective and safe methods to get individuals to be adept at cycling in no time.
Lessons take place at Klipspruit Sports Centre every Saturday between 10 a.m. and midday. Participants are kitted out with a bicycle and helmet; those who have their own are invited to bring these along. There are plenty of bicycle trainers or instructors on sight, and there’s no need to fill in documentation or pay any fee to join.
Mthintwa asserts that it takes 45 minutes on average to learn how to ride a bicycle, but for some, it takes a maximum of two days. The lessons include balancing, paddling, and learning the rules of the road and all the intricacies of navigating the two-wheeled saddle.
“We have created our business model to fit all types of people. For instance, if we teach you how to ride a bicycle for free, then we sell you a bike from Book Ibhoni once you know how to ride,” says Tinyiko Nkuna, the Sales Director at Book Ibhoni.
Nkuna says Book Ibhoni aspires to change stereotypes about cycling being an elitist sport.
“Cycling as a sport does not belong to a certain racial group, people of status or a specific demographic group, it’s a sport that needs to be enjoyed by different people from different communities regardless of where they come from,” he adds.
With South Africa considered one of the top 30 obese countries in the world, Nkuna says Book Ibhoni also focuses on encouraging participants to lead healthy lifestyles through cycling.
“With the country facing a high unemployment rate, we are using bicycles to eke out a living. We want to share information with the next generation, but it starts with you knowing how to ride a bicycle,” he adds.
Residents interested in learning to ride a bicycle or want more information about the free bike-riding lessons programme should visit its Facebook and Instagram pages @Sowetobicyclenetwork or WhatsApp 061 371 9013; alternatively, email Sowetobikenetwork@gmail.com.
Written by Gontse ‘GeE’ Hlophe
7/02/2022