Exploring the cycling heritage of Forest Gate with the Memory Bike

A bike assisting a project about cycling, could there be a better match? It’s no wonder Frames of Mind enthusiastically responded to the most recent call for projects to use the Memory Bike - a bicycle-mounted recording and listening station, which is part of the UCL Urban Room.

Frames of Mind, based in Stratford, Newham, empowers communities through creative digital engagement. Their latest Heritage Lottery funded project Full Cycle, explores Forest Gate’s unique cycling heritage. As ‘the gateway to Epping Forest’, Forest Gate used to be the cycling epicentre of London. The project aims to connect new audiences with the heritage on their doorstep and get people peddling.

Working with local residents, primary school children and cycling organisations they co-devised a cycle-safe bike trail map with eight QR code stops, at site-specific locations, taking participants on an immersive journey of multi-media material filmed interviews, archive photos, and animations.

The Memory Bike, which is equipped with recording tools and a mobile table and stools to facilitate interviews and oral histories, was a welcome addition to Full Cycle. It attended events such as the bike trail launch and the car-free street party celebrating the project, where attendees were invited to share their cycling experiences and favourite bike rides.

Frames of Mind co-founders Bo Chapman and Zoe Flynn said:

“The Memory Bike had a great impact on our project Full Cycle. The equipment that came with the bike was a high standard, and we made use of the Rode and radio mics as well as the Zoom recorders when conducting interviews with Newham residents, so it added production value to the material we captured for the trail. Perhaps most importantly the bike is a real people magnet and a great conversation starter, meaning we were able to interview more people at our events and talk to a more diverse range of people, about their experiences of cycling in the area.”

The project hopes to utilise the Memory Bike’s visibility once again at the Full Cycle Community event on 3^rd November. If you’d like to attend, you can sign-up here.

Further information

The Memory Bike has been designed by students and researchers working in The Bartlett, UCL’s Faculty of the Built Environment and The School for the Creative and Cultural Industries, it is supported by UCL Special Collections.

• Find out more about The Memory Workshop and Memory Bike.