BUILDING THE VELODOME

The Velodome was an idea birthed by cyclist and gardener, Kate Knowles. Comprising of old bicycle wheels connected together to form kind of wheel-y igloo, the velodome was relocated from the allotment site in Pontcanna to the Global Gardens Flaxland site with the support of a freewheeling cycling fleet.

With a bicycle-trailer laden with wheels, Jack, Lucia, Arthur, Kate and Suneil harnessed their pedal power in traversing the city across Bute Park and the Taff river. With the wheels safely transported, we got to work digging a trench one-third of a wheel deep and then began to assemble the dome, carefully placing the wheels in an almost complete circle, with a small gap for the entrance.

Perhaps slightly ambitious, we made the circumference of the dome slightly larger than the original which meant that we had to pause construction to source some more wheels.

But thanks to Arthur’s Punk Bike comrades, we were speedily provided with a good selection of wheels. So on the 15th April we connected the Velodome and planted a Hop as the first climber to attempt to traverse the spokes. Raise those fists in the sky!