From broom wagons to bicycle breakdown cover

In cycling lore, few images are as evocative as the voiture balai, or broom wagon, trailing behind the riders in the Tour de France.

Originally a humble vehicle designed to sweep up riders who’d dropped out due to exhaustion or mechanical failure, the broom wagon embodied both the unforgiving nature of the race and its camaraderie. The tradition has since evolved, but the spirit of support it symbolises lives on in the ETA’s Cycle Rescue.

For everyday cyclists, there’s no peloton to re-join when something goes wrong - only the sometimes daunting reality of being stranded with a broken chain or a puncture far from home. That’s where Cycle Rescue steps in, offering a reassuring safety net. Launched 30 years ago, it’s the modern-day broom wagon, ready to sweep up not Tour riders but ordinary cyclists in need of a helping hand.

By providing breakdown cover for cyclists, services like Cycle Rescue  do more than offer peace of mind; they encourage more people to cycle, knowing that support is just a phone call away. In an era when urban cycling is increasingly seen as a solution to traffic, pollution, and climate change, this kind of backup isn’t just practical - it’s essential.

The broom wagon of yesteryear may have carried a faint whiff of failure for professional riders, but today’s equivalent for everyday cyclists is something altogether different: a liberator, helping more people embrace the joys of cycling without fear of being left behind.

More than a breakdown service

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The real value of Cycle Rescue lies in its simplicity and reasonable price. At only £24 per year, Cycle Rescue is an affordable safety net. Whether you’re commuting, running errands with a cargo bike, or enjoying a weekend ride, it means you’re never left stranded. For a growing cycling population, that’s not just convenient - it’s empowering.

The ethical choice

The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance , breakdown cover  and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.

The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK's most ethical provider.

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