The power of the pedals

Women, trans and queer bike programming aims to create ‘gender parity’ in cycling community

An east Hamilton bike shop has launched a series of events aimed at creating “gender parity” in the cycling community.

New Hope Community Bikes on Main Street East recently announced the return of its women-identified, trans and genderqueer (WTQ) programming, which includes skill-building group rides and basic bike repair courses.

Rebecca Murray, program co-ordinator, said bike shops and cycling have been historically “maledominated” spaces where some folks may not be completely comfortable due to past experiences.

Their programming aims to flip that script, she said, by creating a “safer space” for women and for folks to learn about and become more familiar with the “chaos” of a do-it-yourself bike shop like New Hope.

With the basic bike repair course, Murray said participants are shown how to do a full tune-up on their bikes — which includes checking their bearings for wear, changing their tires, patching their tubes and tuning their breaks.

Not only do they come out with a fully-tuned bike, but Murray said it helps people learn to “advocate”

for themselves at a bike shop by practising in a more inclusive environment that’s also supportive.

Having been a part of the cycling community for a number of years, Murray says she’s heard “horror” stories from folks in about their experiences at bike shops.

“Going to the bike shop shouldn’t be a stressful situation,”

she said, noting that they also want to create “gender parity” in the community. “(The course) really helps people come in with their own agency and their own power over their own bike.”

Another part of their WTQ programming is aimed at getting folks back on their bikes after years away from riding and empowering those that ride “casually” to feel more confident taking up space on the road, she said.

According to Murray, womenidentified

folks typically stop riding bikes in Grade 8 and don’t pick it back up until they are in their 20s.

As for male-identified folks, they tend to “consistently” ride bikes throughout that whole period.

Murray said through their skill-building courses, they take participants through exercises such as cornering quickly and emergency braking in a safe manner — both of which come in handy while cycling in the city.

“It’s about getting people stoked to be on their bikes,” she said. “And it allows people to ride more confidently.”

The hope from that course is that WTQ folks will be more apt to join in on group rides. For those rides, Murray is hopeful that they’ll be able to help people tackle more problematic areas of the city that pose concerns for cyclists.

“If you’re on your own getting buzzed by cars, that’s a lot more stressful than if you’re with five other people,” she said.

“It’s all about creating safer spaces where people can build up their confidence.”

The first basic bike repair night is set for Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m., while the first bike handling fundamentals course will be on July 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information, visit newhopecommunitybikes.com online.