Written by Ross Chalmers
AN EDINBURGH bike charity has launched a crowdfunder after their workshop was affected by flash flooding.
The Bike Station’s basement workshop in Tollcross was forced to close for eight days, after torrential rain caused their underground workshop to flood on 19 August.
Their team was able to get the shop back up and running in “record time”, but the work stoppage caused a 30% drop in bike repairs compared to the previous month.
Thousands of pounds of revenue were lost at what is usually the workshop’s busiest time of year.
Bike Station mechanics at work © Andy Catlin
The charity refurbishes, sells and maintains pre-owned bikes in Edinburgh and Perth, while running community events and classes, teaching people how to fix and maintain bikes.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the bike workshop said: “The water was ankle-deep on South Bridge, the steps on Victoria Street were a waterfall, and our beloved basement workshop didn’t fare any better.
“We were forced to down tools and shut our doors for eight days to look after our team, clean up, replace tools and repair our workshop at the Tollcross branch.”
They added: “Thanks to a dedicated and gargantuan effort by The Bike Station team, we have been able to rebuild our workshop in record time.
“We’re so proud to have opened the doors to Tollcross again, but the work isn’t finished yet.
“Eight days of closure in our busiest time has a big impact – August should be busier than July, but this closure has led to around a 40% drop in the people getting on bikes, and an approximate 30% drop in the number of bikes refurbished at Tollcross this month compared to last.
“Not to mention thousands of pounds in lost revenues which help us to run our community programme, helping kids and adults from all walks of life to discover freedom on two wheels.”
They say that a donation to their crowdfunder will help the charity continue their free bike library for kids, as well as their cycling confidence and bike maintenance workshops.
They have so far raised just over £2,000 towards their goal of £10,000.
They asserted that Edinburgh’s flirtation with extreme weather this summer has underscored the importance of their mission.
They warned that extreme weather is predicted to continue and worsen due to climate change, adding that we are currently experiencing a historic, record-setting El Niño.
“This extreme weather event makes us more determined than ever to carry on our work helping everyone to enjoy a sustainable, and joyful, mode of transport,” they said.
The Bike Station, now based in Tollcross, was founded in 2001, initially starting as the Castle Cliff Bicycle Workshop on Johnstone Terrace, before moving to a basement in Waverley Station in 2002.
In the succeeding years, they moved to Causewayside, opened branches in Perth, Glasgow, and Gorgie, and eventually completed their move to Tollcross in June 2025.
This is not the first time the charity has had to seek public support following a setback; in 2016, they suffered a devastating fire in their Causewayside shop.
They were able to get up and running again shortly afterwards in a different Causewayside warehouse space, but it took them until May 2017 to get the original shop back online.
Their stated goals are to contribute towards “equality in active travel” and a “circular economy” where recycling and repurposing are prioritised.
Ross Chalmers is a journalist focusing on local Edinburgh news, transport, the environment, the arts, and housing.
He graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with a degree in journalism in Summer 2025 and began working at Deadline News as a reporter in August.
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