Limerick students design and build Euro 2020 soccer bespoke team bikes

Ballyhoura Development CLG supported High Nelly Bicycles in the development of the Bicycle Engineering Academy (BEA), a centre of excellence based in Limerick. The first training institute of its kind in Ireland and Europe.

With the support of LEADER Funding through LCDC, Ballyhoura Development supported High Nelly Bicycles to complete the tutor training and acquisition of tooling needed for the BEA to provide training in Bicycle Engineering.

It is with this training and equipment that students at the pioneering BEA training centre in Limerick have designed and manufactured bespoke bicycle units for the teams competing at this year's belated Euro finals that take place across Europe and Russia.

A bespoke bicycle unit during construction

The design is unique and pioneering which is exactly what the Bicycle Engineering Academy is all about with the first fully qualified bicycle engineers in Europe graduating this year from the academy.

"The concept was floated by a German event management company to us in March 2020 just before the pandemic hit. The bicycle engineering students took on the project producing several solutions for the international event's organisation however the lockdown cancelled the event and that was the end of the project. In April 2021, the organisers made contact again and asked if we could fulfil the pioneering idea for the partaking of twelve countries including Russia, Paris, Rome and many more. It is an honour to be recognised internationally as a market leader from Ireland '' says Paul Mannering of the Bicycle Engineering Academy.

The 120 unique folding bicycles & trailer units are on hire to the teams and will be returning to Ireland after the Euro soccer championships to take on a second life which is yet to be decided by the students at the academy.

With support from Ballyhoura Development, Limerick and Clare Education & Training Board the Bicycle Engineering Academy have brought the talents and creativity of Ireland to Europe and beyond. Ballyhoura Development will continue to support the growth and development of the Bicycle Engineering Academy.

 

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                                    An example of a bike in use and a workstation of the tools used by students to bring the idea to life.