Local Makerspace Visit

This summer I unlocked the power of biking! However, I realized there were many things that I did not know how to do, including basic bicycle maintenance. When I visited the bike stores around me, they were indeed male-dominated spaces where I felt rather intimidated, which was also reflective of the experiences of my queer friends around me. In some ways, my date Z inviting me to Women and Trans Night at OCB felt like it opened a portal to a different world. Even though I just sat around and passed Z the tools, observing how Z built their bike, how shop manager Laine provided personalized instructions, and being in a quieter space with less people around made the experience more comfortable and welcoming. This past summer, I had attended a Critical Mass Bike Event where some of my friends and I built a lil queer biking squad of our own and joined everyone else on a night ride around Vancouver. It was really encouraging to see all kinds of people on their bikes come out together for a common cause, and solidified the core ethos and values of bike culture -- biking should be accessible for everyone!

Reflection

Bike Culture & Makerspaces

Gender Gap in Bike Culture

Fixed-Gear Bicycles

2429 Main Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V5T 3E1

Women & Trans Night @ Our Community Bikes

Critical Learning Task: A Visit to a Local Makerspace

Bike Date with a Fixie Cutie

My first visit to Our Community Bikes Access Night was actually a date with a cutie! My date Z wanted to learn how to put together a fixed-gear bicycle and invited me along for the ride. They had more experiences with bikes and knows their way around the anatomy and all the bits and pieces of a bicycle. The shop manager Laine was super welcoming, and only stepped in to give a helping hand (and some elbow grease) when requested. I am fairly new to bicycle maintenance, and so I mostly observed from my seat on my tall stool, and passed them the tools they needed. The

About the Space

Mission & Values

Resources & Programs

Enable

Give bikes to low-income individuals to help them access social and job opportunities. Create and share pedal-powered tools for use in rural and local communities.

Educate

Teach people bike repair skills and basic cycling safety. Encourage the use of bikes and pedal-powered tools to reduce the impact of climate change and help the environment.

Empower

Help people gain experience by teaching them to fix their bikes themselves. Offering bike repair as a form of occupational therapy for those with disabilities and provide job training for those who have trouble finding work opportunities .

• Fixies are simple and minimal in build, meaning they are light and easily customizable

• Fixed-gear culture is predominantly often associated with the "hipster" subculture and the aesthetic appeal

Fixed-Gear Bicycles

aka "fixies"

Fixed-gear bicycles are a single-speed bikes, with no freewheel for coasting, and often without breaks. It takes skill to ride and demands a unique connection to the road. Fixed-gear bike culture prizes individuality and self-expression, turning it into a staple for urban cyclists and a symbol of street cred for thrill-seekers and DIY- enthusiasts alike.

Access Nights Striving to provide a safe space for all people and make bike repairs more accessible for all, Access Nights welcome specific groups of people who are interested to learn with, and from their peers.

Resources & Programs

OCB provides...

• Vancouver cycling maps
• List of bike collectives and community bike shops
• DIY Tools
• Workshops, courses and youth programs

Read more on Cycling's Gender Gap: Breaking the Cycle of Inequality by Aimee Gauthier from the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy

Next

This Youtube video provides a comprehensive explanation to the gender gap in and inequalities in the utilization of bicycles in many urban cities all over the world. With that in mind, in the nicher fixie bike culture, it is an even more male-dominated space. With the community stereotypically associated with "masculine" traits (e.g. risk-taking, speed, urban grit, hypercompetition, etc.) it often alienates and discourages others from joining. Many bike shops, clubs and events also unintentionally cater to men's preferences as well, not to mention "gatekeeping" technical knowledge, gear specs, skills, etc.

Our Community Bikes (OCB) is a community bike shop for DIY bicycle repair and affordable bike maintenance and sales. They provide refurbished bicycles and education in mechanical skills to empower people and to enable their access to community services and opportunities.

Our Community Bikes About Us

About the Space

Our Community Bikes

OCB works to increase access to bicycles and the opportunities that affordable, independent transportation can give people,

Bridging the Gap - Inclusive Community Building

Factors Reinforcing the Gender Gap

• Women-led workshops and meet-ups, and having diverse leadership and visibility can lower the intimidation factors, build camaradarie, and create mentorship networks for long-term engagement

• Creating safe spaces and intentional communities, such as Access Nights for specific demographics, lowering prices to sliding scales, can foster a welcoming accessible environment

• Barriers to entry and gatekeeping especially when it comes to technical skills, independence and knowledge around using the tools and machines

• Limited visibility and representation of women/QTBIPOC demographics without visible role models, both cultures can feel exclusionary

• Cultural and environmental factors (i.e. gender roles, socialization, etc.) and stereotypes pose as intimidating barriers

Bike culture and makerspaces share common ground in how they foster hands-on skill-building, community and creativity.

Parallels - Bike Culture & Makerspaces