Image: Leigh and family with a Pedal Power e-bike

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to glide up Stroud’s tricky hills without breaking a sweat? Or perhaps you’re curious about e-bikes but not quite ready to make the leap? This month marks a whole year since we rolled out our Pedal Power project, and there’s never been a better time to give it a go. 

It all started with a handful of e-bikes in Brimscombe, Minch and Stonehouse, and a group of dedicated volunteers and partners who believed in making greener, healthier travel options accessible to everyone. Thanks to their passion — and some help from brilliant local organisations like The Bike Drop, Minchinhampton Community Hub and Mentoring at Bridge — our project has gone from strength to strength. 

But what difference does borrowing an e-bike really make?  

In just a year, our bikes have clocked up a whopping 12,500km — that’s as far as Stroud to Jakarta — and saved around 3000kg of carbon compared to the same journey by an average car.

Beyond cutting emissions, the scheme encourages fitness, reduces congestion, and helps people feel confident enough to invest in their own bikes – a win for your health, your wallet, and the planet. 

Images: launching the Horsley bike, Phil on his loaned Gazelle, and John from Pedal Power

Here’s what some of our riders have to say

• “It has got me back on a bike. It has made my journey towards electric bike use, and managing Stroud hills, one step closer.” – Julie 
  
• “Great service – and really reasonable. It was a great test to hire for the week rather than shell out thousands to find it not work for me.” – Andy 
  
• “Being able to have one for 30 days gave me a much better idea of how useful it might be and what it might be like to own one. The only downside was I really didn’t want to give it back!” – Helen 
  
• “A great service! Loved having the loan E-Bike as a way to get around, from dropping the little one off at playgroup, to picking them up from grandparents, cycling to parks, commuting to work and not forgetting the little trips to the shops.” – Jack 
  
• “This is a brilliant scheme which has restarted me cycling and removed the barrier of my fear of the local hills.” – anon 
  
• “The perfect way to help me decide if the investment in an e-bike was worthwhile.” – Phil
   

Saddle Up

Now, thanks in part to GCC’s Pedal Eazy programme, our fleet has grown to 18 e-bikes — ready and waiting at pick-up points in Stonehouse, Stroud, Brimscombe, Minchinhampton, and Horsley, with another soon to launch in Rodborough. We’ve even got an accessible e-trike coming for central Stroud. We’re thrilled to see our e-bikes in such high demand that, as John Tierney puts it, “We regularly have to disappoint customers because all our bikes are on hire.” Not a bad problem to have!

If you’re considering greener travel, looking to boost your fitness, or just want to see what e-bikes are all about, why not join the growing number of locals trying out Pedal Power? You could even be inspired to become a volunteer and help bring the joy of cycling to even more people in our community. 

And if you’re in Rodborough, don’t miss the chance to try our newest bike at the reopening of newly retrofitted Rodborough Village Hall on 5th October. Pop along, have a chat, and see just how much fun an e-bike can be. 

Ready to ride? Book a bike

Interested in volunteering? Say hello