The Hiplok team recently visited the Cyclists Fighting Cancer (CFC) HQ in Stratford to spend some time getting involved with one of the charity's main jobs, building bikes.
CFC supports children living with cancer, helping them manage some of the physical and emotional challenges that can come with treatment. One of the ways they do this is by providing bikes to children, helping them get outside, stay active, build confidence and, importantly, have some fun.
As an official CFC partner, we wanted to get a better understanding of what goes on behind the scenes and have a go at the bike building process ourselves.
Building bikes with a story behind them
The bikes arrive at CFC ready to be built, but each one comes with a little more than just the parts needed to put it together. Each bike has a story attached to it, telling us something about the child who will receive it.
Some of the stories were about children wanting to stay active with their parents, while others were about children going through difficult treatment but wanting to continue doing something they enjoyed before their diagnosis.
Hearing these stories was a good reminder that each bike has a real purpose and is going to someone who is looking forward to getting out and riding it.
The CFC mechanics talked us through the process and helped us along the way. And while a few of the Hiplok team know their way around a bike, it was interesting to learn from the mechanics while getting stuck in ourselves.
By the end of the visit, we had built around 16 bikes. It was a good opportunity to get some hands-on experience and see a little more of the work that goes into getting each bike ready to go.
Ben, co-founder at Hiplok, said “It was incredible to see CFC's work in action and hear the stories behind what they do first-hand. Getting involved and actually building the bikes was a really special experience. It was emotional at times, especially hearing the personal stories of the people we were building the bikes for, but we all left feeling very privileged to be involved with such a great charity.”
Seeing bikes adapted for different needs
One of the things that stood out during the visit was seeing some of the different types of bikes and equipment CFC provides.
Among these were the Infusion Trikes, which CFC brought into the UK from the Netherlands for the first time. They are designed specifically for children undergoing lengthy chemotherapy sessions, giving them a way to stay mobile and active while receiving treatment in hospital.
Following an initial trial at Sheffield Children's Hospital, CFC has now provided 21 Infusion Trikes to paediatric oncology units around the UK.
CFC has also provided 11 paediatric oncology units with child-sized exercise equipment imported from the USA. This includes recumbent and semi-recumbent bikes, steppers, elliptical trainers, total body cycles, moon walkers and small Radio Flyer trikes.
The equipment is used by children during hospital stays and outpatient visits, helping make movement and exercise a more normal part of their cancer journey.
More than 1,000 bikes in 2025
Including the Infusion Trikes and the bikes they provide to children, CFC delivered more than 1,000 bikes in 2025.
Spending time at their HQ gave us a better idea of the work that goes into making that happen, from building and preparing the bikes to understanding the individual needs of the children receiving them.
It was a worthwhile day for the Hiplok team and a good chance to spend some time with the people behind the charity's work.
If you'd like to find out more about Cyclists Fighting Cancer and the different ways you can support them, visit our CFC page.
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Ben and Stuart Take on The Double Peak 200km Ride for Cyclists Fighting Cancer