Beryl's Night
Beryl’s Night is a monthly bike maintenance session for women, and all non-binary and trans folk to come and use the workshop. The aim of Beryl's Night is to create a space to learn, fix, teach, hang out, laugh, help each other, high five, ask for help and make friends.
Introducing Team Beryl
Team Beryl is a group of volunteers who are passionate about the intersection of bikes and gender. We organise Beryl’s Night and other cycling events throughout the year.
Our mission is to make bike workshops, events, and activities inclusive and accessible to all by attempting to break down the barriers which prevent women, non-binary and trans people from engaging in cycling and mechanics
Beryl's Night
Beryl’s Night is a monthly session for women, and all non-binary and trans folk to come and use the workshop.
Taking place the first Thursday evening of every month, we cover specific themes related to cycling and bike maintenance.
Expect to learn, get greasy mitts, eat cake, and make friends in the cycling world.
What's coming up......
Hey folks! There will be no Beryl's Night for the next few months but we promise it will be worth the wait as for Septembers session we're heading out for a lovely social ride!
Date: Saturday 6th Sept 2025
Timing: Meet @ 10am with approx finish at 4pm
Meeting point: Broken Spoke HQ on Osney Lane (OX1 1NJ)
Destination: Abingdon
Cycling level: Intermediate (You know how to cycle and are comfortable on a bike)
Difficulty level of the ride: Beginners
Distance: 2x 13 km
Approx cycling time: 2x 1 hour
Terrain: Mostly cycle pass along the Thames. A segment of the journey is in a forest passway. Thin tires might make it difficult.
What to bring:
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Your Bike! - Before we all head out we will do a brief pre-ride safety check but please make sure your bike is roadworthy and suitable for the activity.
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Water bottle
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Appropriate footwear and clothing
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Snacks for energy and/or some lunch (there will also be opportunity to purchase some lunch in Abingdon)
Helmet mandatory except for people from Sik religion, with tricycle, with medical attestation for not wearing a helmet.
Team Beryl-led
Mechanic Supported Workshops
Owing to Broken Spoke’s mechanics traineeship for women, trans and non binary folk, Team Beryl and the wider Broken Spoke community has had a boost in the number of qualified and skilled cycle mechanics who don’t identify as cis-men. For an industry with a gender diversity problem, this is a big win!
Team Beryl regularly leads Broken Spoke Mechanic Supported Workshop sessions. These are open to all - like our standard Mechanic Supported Workshop - but the session lead mechanic on the day and the volunteers supporting will all be members of Team Beryl.
Next Team Beryl led DIY session will be Sat July 5th.
Team Beryl Sessions
The story behind the name
Beryl Burton was an English racing cyclist and one of Britain's greatest athletes. She dominated women's cycle racing in the UK throughout the 1960’s/70’s and 80’s, winning more than 90 domestic championships and seven world titles, and setting numerous national records.
One of Burton's most famous idiosyncrasies was offering witticisms to riders she caught. Dave Taylor, press secretary at Cycling Time Trials, remembers: "The only experience I had with Beryl was being caught by her in a ‘25' in Essex. As she passed me she said ‘Eh lad, you're not trying' where upon she disappeared up the road." She inspires us and we'd like more people to know about her, and others.
