25.2
Hours a week spent online by the average UK child aged 8–14.
Source: Ofcom, Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes 2026.Phones aren’t going anywhere. We use them too. But 25 hours a week online is a lot of time not spent outside, getting muddy, learning something new or riding with your mates.
Bikes Over Likes is our attempt to tip the balance. We’ll be raising money through prize draws, merch and support from the wider bike community.
Once the money is raised, we’ll work with trusted community projects and review verified nominations to provide safe, correctly sized bikes to children who’ll genuinely benefit from them. Our first aim is to get bikes out in time for Christmas, then keep the project going beyond that.
We’ll also show you what we raise, what we spend and where the bikes go through our newsletter and updates on The Ride Companion podcast.
We’ve already seen the difference the right bike can make.
In December 2025, we donated a bike to eight year old Leo. He’d recently fallen in love with mountain biking, watching everything he could find online, then heading into the woods to ride and absolutely loving it.
But his BMX wasn’t really up to the job, and a proper mountain bike was a stretch for his family.
With help from Marin, we surprised Leo with his first proper mountain bike: a Marin Bayview Trail 24.
Now the aim is simple: help more kids like Leo.
Marin has given us permission to offer Davi’s personal bike as the first Bikes Over Likes prize.
All money received from the prize draw will go into the Bikes Over Likes fund and be used to purchase bikes for children in time for Christmas.
The bikes will be donated through approved charities and community projects, or following verified nominations.
The prize draw is hosted by Crowdfunder. Eligibility, closing date, free-entry route and full terms will be available on the Crowdfunder campaign page.
£30.00
The Bikes Over Likes T-shirt is a shirt that does good things. Every purchase helps turn support from the bike community into real bikes for children.
£10 from every shirt sold goes into the Bikes Over Likes fund.
Purchasing merchandise does not provide entry into the prize draw unless expressly stated in the official prize-draw terms.
Parents, guardians and people who know a child facing a genuine barrier to cycling will be able to submit a nomination.
Applications will be assessed fairly and sensitively. Submitting a nomination does not guarantee that a bike can be provided.
We want to work with trusted charities, schools, youth organisations, community projects, bike shops and brands.
You could help us identify children, supply bikes or equipment, provide servicing, support fundraising or help a young rider get started safely.
We’ll share how much the project raises, where the money is used and how many bikes it helps fund through The Ride Companion newsletter, social channels and podcast.
Bikes Over Likes is an initiative created by The Ride Companion. Its purpose is to help more children experience riding by raising funds for safe, suitable bikes.
No. Bikes Over Likes is an initiative operated by TRC Media House Ltd. We aim to work with established charities and community organisations when distributing bikes.
We plan to use a combination of carefully reviewed nominations and referrals from trusted community partners. Applications may require supporting information so that we can verify genuine need.
The fund will primarily be used to purchase safe, suitable bikes. Where appropriate, it may also support essential equipment or preparation needed to get a child riding safely. Any use of funds will be reported transparently.
No, unless that offer is expressly included in the official Crowdfunder prize-draw terms. The merchandise store and prize draw are treated as separate ways to support the project.
Let’s give kids something better to follow.