Design Musings

Forest Cycle Hire wanted a website to portray the active mountain bike trails for keen enthusiasts as well as being inviting to family visitors. I set about doing this by highlighting 'adventure', 'group rides' and 'family days out' on the homepage by using big images with links through to the relevant pages of the website. The website is very clear and easy to use because it has a very definite structure, used throughout. The wood background was requested by the client, and helps set the scene as it acts as a perfect frame for the site. The site features an online shop that allows new bikes to be bought through their shopping cart. There is also a selection of used bikes available. But the emphasis is always on cycle hire in Devon, so that, while prominent, the bike sales never dominate the site. Marie Lawley

Well, I have managed to get a cold. Serves me right for running out of petrol in the middle of Dartmoor! I was travelling so far away from my usual haunts as I had planned to meet the owners of bike hire firm who have opened a new cycle hire centre, and needed their website altering. Cycle hire is really taking off, and receiving a great deal of focus in the media. The National Lottery awarding Sustrans a huge amount of funds recently being an example. There is a lot of development in Cornwall too, with new trails and equipment available for casual riders and those looking for more adventure. Check back soon as I will keep you posted as to the developments on this site, letting you know what design is selected and when their new site will be online.

Cycle hire in Cornwall is very popular, in fact, most of the websites we had put together before we started up Pickle Design properly were for cycle hire centres! Where we are based on the North coast is particularly well populated by bikes. Wadebridge is in a great place for cycling, right in the middle of the main stretch of the Camel Trail, and that means there are a lot of hire centres here. Trail Bike Hire is located in Padstow, at the beginning of the trail though. Quite a simple design, but hopefully effective for that reason. We did a photo shoot for Jim and Chris at Trail Bike Hire last autumn, just before it got really cold wintry, still a few leaves on the trees. Only one shot has been used on the site though, the homepage, the rest will hopefully be added at a later date. They do feature in the leaflet heavily though. A friend of Marie’s did the shoot on one of Jim’s bikes, and produced some great results.