Cytech Training Returns to Darlington as Activate Cycle Academy Reopens Workshop
Cytech Training Returns to Darlington as Activate Cycle Academy Reopens Workshop
Posted on 20 Jun 2025
Activate Cycle Academy has reopened its Cytech training facility in Darlington, offering a full range of courses from Home Mechanic up to Cytech Technical Three.
The academy, a Cytech training provider and member of the ACT, has reinstated the workshop inside the ZyroFisher building in Darlington.
The workshop is now led by new trainer Chris Borrowdale, a former British Army instructor and experienced downhill racer with a background in outdoor adventure.
Borrowdale gained his cycle mechanic training and Technical Trail Leader qualifications while in the military and brings a wealth of leadership and mechanical experience to the role.
“During my time in the forces, I was incredibly lucky to take part in and gain qualifications in loads of adventure training, including my cycle mechanic training and my Technical Trail Leader,” Mr Barrowdale said.
After leaving the army in 2017, Borrowdale worked and travelled abroad, including a summer as head bike guide in Greece, where he managed a busy hire fleet and developed the skills of his team.
“Taking on this role felt like something that had been a few years coming,” he added.
The facility first opened in 2022 but was temporarily closed while the academy searched for a new trainer.
Reacting to the reopening, Jonathan Harrison, Director of the ACT, said: “It’s fantastic to see Cytech training return to Darlington, helping ensure high standards of cycle maintenance training are accessible to more people across the UK.”
Courses at the Darlington workshop are now available to book through the Activate Cycle Academy website.
Members of the ACT get exclusive access to Cytech accreditation. To learn more, visit the Cytech website.