A couple are launching a new shop after family cancer diagnoses offered a "wake up call" to act on their dreams.
Dropbar Bike Repair will open in North Watford's Mowat Industrial Estate, Sandown Road, on October 21.
Keen cyclists Andi and Shaun Forsythe had always planned to start their own bike shop, with the goal of eventually expanding it to a community hub. But after both had a parent diagnosed with cancer this year, they decided not to put it off any longer.
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When the business opens it will be dedicating at least 10 per cent of its profits every month to cancer charities, starting with MacMillan Cancer Care.
“We’ve taken a lot of support from cancer charities,” Andi, 35, said. “Both our parents have worked a lot and haven’t been able to enjoy their retirement so it was also wake up call that we can’t put off doing what we want to do.”
The couple lived in Watford for nearly 10 years before moving to Bushey to start their family. Shaun, 37, has been a bike shop manager and mechanic for years in London, with regular customers including Watford Paralympian Blaine Hunt, while Andi is a local author and marketer.
Andi said: “We’re really excited, very nervous as well. We’ve left our jobs to go all in on this. It is quite nerve-wracking but we definitely feel it is the right time to do it.
“We’re just excited to build it up and be involved in the local cycling community.”
Services offered will include bike maintenance classes, brake checks, servicing, and ‘bike MOT’ check-ups, aiming to provide a place enthusiasts with premium bikes can trust to take care of their prized possessions.
Dropbar Bike Repair plans to offer more services, such as bike building, in the future and then expand to act as a community hub to host talks, workshops, and community rides. It could also eventually include a café, as Andi and Shaun first met and came up with their goal as baristas.
Shaun said: “Cycling is such an escape for us, a way to get out, improve our mental health and interact with the community.
“There's really nothing like it. It can be magical. We want to help other people find that peace.”
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