Bike Film Festival

The Bicycle Film Festival is an annual, curated film festival focused on sharing a range of new bike films. Each festival offering is unique, and the films included are selected from submission and the final collection are then toured internationally to sell out crowds.

Brendt Barbur is the Founding Festival Director. He was inspired to create this event in 2001 after a traffic accident while cycling in New York City.

The Bicycle Film Festival is a platform to celebrate the bicycle through various forms of artistic expression, including music, art, and, notably, film and has significantly propelled the urban bike movement as well as promoting lesser-known types of bike riding.

Image: Bicycle Film Festival

This festival now spans 90 cities across the globe and the BFF has garnered a vast audience of over 1 million individuals. It has become one of the foremost art and cultural event advocating sustainability. The Bicycle Film Festival also has offshoot links with associated workshops, screenings, panel events, concert, food events and art exhibitions worldwide.

I really appreciate this event because it showcases new and original films that you cannot see anywhere else. the festival covers such a wide range of experiences, places and styles and it really gives you an insight into how important bicycles are to so many people. It is really a celebration of people, place and riding – it is affirming and heartwarming.

The Bicycle Film Festival’s YouTube channel is a testament to the range of interests, skills and quality of bike films being produced by enthusiasts. Here are a few of the offerings over the years:

My Newest Publication: Using Velo-onto-epistemology to reimagine the candidate-supervisor-relationship

a woman (Sherilyn) stands in front of a bike. They are on a seaside footpath. it is sunny, she wears a bike helmet and there is another bike behind her.

Regular readers of this blog know that I am doing a bike-focused PhD in Education. In a nutshell, my project explores how bicycles feature in West African girls’ access to secondary education.

It is a great project and I love working on it.

I’ve been developing a research methodology called velo-onto-epistemology (VOE) as part of this project. I know it is a mouthful, but the article explains what it means.

I am delighted to share my latest publication which introduces my novel bicycle-focused research approach for the first time.

I wrote this paper with my incredible supervisor Dr Sherilyn Lennon. In this paper, I take Sherilyn for a bike ride as a way to put to work my VOE research methodology and destablise the traditional power hierarchy of the PhD candidate-supervisor relationship.

To show how velo-relationality works differently, we juxtapose – or ‘recycle’ our experiences next to each other (see below) in what we call ‘tandem writing’.

This article is an engaging read.

It is theoretical enough to be rigorous and interesting, but relatable for the everyday reader-rider.

Below is the abstract and a copy of the paper.

Feel free to download a copy (third icon on right below).

Check it out!

Ride on!

Enjoy!

ABSTRACT

Traditionally, the candidate-supervisor-relationship is predicated on a supervisor as teacher/expert – candidate as learner/novice model. But what becomes possible when the materialities of this power dynamic are destabilised and reimagined? This article draws from emerging feminist ontologies to introduce the concept of velo- onto-epistemology [VOE] as a means of re-cycling candidate- supervisor-relationships. VOE acknowledges the agency of the bicycle in moving and being moved. This novel approach is used to explore how stor(i)ed encounters and in-the-moment bodily responses enact current-future becomings. Through re-cycling, the candidate-supervisor-relationship is dis-articulated and re- articulated in ways that enable alternative and more equitable understandings of the world to emerge.

Keshia Roberston: Black Wheelwomen Legacy Shero

Keshia Roberston: Black Wheelwomen Legacy Shero. Bicycles Create Change.com 24 March 2023
Source: Bike Summit 2023

The US National Bike Summit is an annual conference event that brings together bike advocates and enthusiasts from across the country. Now in its 23rd year, will be held from March 26 – March 29, 2023. This year the summit will be held in Washington, DC and the program offers a range of engaging activities, including in-person workshops, mobile discussion groups, biking opportunities, and networking events. Its primary focus is to foster the development of a Bicycle Friendly America that caters to the needs of everyone. In order to accommodate participants both physically and virtually, all sessions, panels, plenaries, and keynote speeches will be live-streamed online.

I was super excited to see this year that Keshia Roberson was one of the Key Summit speakers.

Keshia will be hosting the They Were Seeds: The Buried Legacy of Black Wheelwomen.

This session explores the legacy of Black women cyclists and how their roots have inspired future generations of diverse riders.

See here for more on this session.

Keshia Roberston: Black Wheelwomen Legacy Shero. Bicycles Create Change.com 24 March 2023
Image: Bike Summit 2023

Keshia Roberson

The incredible contributions of Black women in cycling deserve our recognition and celebration. Throughout history, remarkable figures like Kittie Knox and Ayesha McGowan have shattered barriers and blazed a trail for Black women cyclists.

Their groundbreaking achievements continue to inspire a new generation of Sheroes who are dedicated to creating more opportunities for Black women and girls to embrace the exhilaration of biking.

The remarkable Keshia Roberson founded Major Knox Adventures (MKA) with the aim of honoring the legacy of these trailblazers.

MKA is dedicated to providing affordable bike trip experiences, ensuring that women of color can partake in the transformative joy of outdoor adventures. It’s important to acknowledge the representation and contribution of African-American women cyclists which has been historically lacking and sorely underrepresented.

MKA seeks to change that by fostering inclusivity, creating a welcoming environment, and empowering Black women to experience the outdoors in all its splendor.

It would be amazing to hear Keshia Roberson present the They Were Seeds: The Buried Legacy of Black Wheelwomen at this year’s 2023 Bike Summit.

It is great to see a virtual conference option as well….mmmm….maybe next year….

Keshia Roberston: Black Wheelwomen Legacy Shero. Bicycles Create Change.com 24 March 2023
Image: Major Knox Adventures

5 Cyclists Project

As regular readers of this blog know, I have a particular interest in decolonial herstories and in uncovering the lesser-known stories, contributions and experiences of women on two wheels… which is how I come to know about Keshia.

I contributed to a journal publication last year which looked at geography and collective memories through art – and in this article, I cited the incredible 5 Cyclists Project (included below and see the full article here), which is the inspiration for Keshia’s MKA 1928 Legacy Tour.


The 5 Cyclists Project showcases the incredible untold story of five African-American women, Marylou Jackson, Velva Jackson, Ethyl Miller, Leolya Nelson and Constance White, who in 1928, biked 250 miles cross-country. At the time, cycling was overwhelmingly white and elite, a dynamic that still remains today (Mackintosh & Norcliffe, 2007). The centrepiece 5 Cyclists photograph (Scurlock, 1928), challenges essentialising assumptions as to when, how and why certain bodies cannot move through landscapes. It questions mainstream notions of who a cyclist is, where they can go, how far they travel, what spaces they can access, and how mobility shapes environments encountered. This project reminds us that certain voices and lived experiences are systematically overlooked, and the need to shed light on the complex issues and legitimacy of racialised, gendered, and classed experiences.

by Nina Ginsberg
Read more here
.


I am truly inspired by the multitude of remarkable endeavours undertaken by bike activists, and it fills me with great admiration to delve into the rich legacy of extraordinary women in the world of cycling, both past and present.

The dedication and passion exhibited by individuals like Keshia is so needed today.

To Keshia and the Bike Summit community, keep shining and making a positive impact!

Costa Rica: bicycle policy, tax incentives and decarbonization by 2050

Latin America is driving the promotion the use of bicycles as a means of transportation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and creating cleaner and healthier societies. Costa Rica has a progressive national policy that promotes the use of bicycles and road safety education. Here is a little more about what is happening there. Very inspiring! Enjoy! NG.

Photo: Gabo G./Shutterstock

Costa Rica: leading the way with national bicycle policy

Costa Rica is driving bicycle riding and policy action in Latin America.

Costa Rica is leading the way with its national policy to promote the use of bicycles.

The country is offering tax incentives for companies that encourage their staff to use bikes. This initiative forms part of the strategy to decarbonize the country by 2050.

More and more businesses are providing exclusive parking slots, showers, and changing rooms for their employees, among other facilities.

The aim is to encourage more people to use bicycles instead of cars, which generate more than 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in Costa Rica.

Road safety education

To further promote the use of bicycles, the government is calling for better street infrastructure and road safety education.

This education will be mandatory for all students in public and private schools. The government is also encouraging and regulating municipal systems of public bicycles. Public and private initiatives that promote the use of bicycles are already booming in Costa Rica.

BiciBus, a company that provides advice to those who want to replace their cars with bikes, is one of them. Another is the Cycle-Inclusive badge, which is granted to cycling-friendly businesses.

In addition, a team supported by both BiciBus and Cycle-Inclusive travelled 917 kilometres by bicycle from San José to Panama City to raise awareness of the role of bicycles in creating cleaner and healthier societies.

This initiative shows the positive impact that bicycles can have on communities and how they can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Making positive change

The initiatives highlighted in the UN Environment Programme report demonstrate the positive impact that bicycles can have on communities.

Costa Rica’s national policy to promote the use of bicycles, better street infrastructure, road safety education, and municipal systems of public bicycles are all effective ways to promote the use of bicycles as a means of transportation.

This report is a perfect example of how bicycles can create positive change, and this initiative is a model that other places should follow.

By encouraging the use of bicycles, communities can live better lives while creating a cleaner and healthier environment for future generations.

An example for other countries

These initiatives taken in Costa Rica to promote bicycle usage are a remarkable example of how a country can take concrete steps towards decarbonization and creating a more sustainable future.

By offering tax incentives to companies that encourage bicycle use by their staff, improving street infrastructure and road safety education, and promoting public and private initiatives that support cycling, Costa Rica has set an impressive benchmark for other countries to follow.

It’s heartening to see the positive impact that bicycles can have on communities, and how they can play a crucial role in mitigating climate change.

This case study from Costa Rica provides valuable lessons and inspiration for other cities and countries looking to embrace clean mobility and create healthier and more sustainable environments for their citizens.

Photo by Laura Dixon

Initial source idea for this post: UN Environment Programme

#andshecycles, Irish girls and Green-Schools Travel

#andshecycles, Irish girls and Green-Schools Travel. Bicycles Create Change.com 15th November 2021.
Irish Riders. Image: #andshecycles

In Ireland, fewer than 1 in every 250 school girl rides a bike to school. This is despite the fact that bikes are an environmentally friendly and healthy mode of transportation. While the number of boys who cycle to school has been steadily increasing over the years, the number of girls remains relatively static. So why aren’t more girls cycling?

An Taisce is an Irish heritage charity that is working to address this issue. Their campaign is called #andshecycles aims at exploring the root cause of what makes teenage girls hesitant in commuting to their schools and colleges on bicycles. It was important to find out what was the cause, so the campaign involved interviewing many students, teachers, parents, and psychologists to get a solid grasp of what was going on.

One reason may be that teenage girls feel unsafe cycling on busy roads. They may also feel self-conscious about their appearance, especially if they don’t have the right equipment or clothing. Additionally, some girls may simply not have access to a bike.

The most common causes turn out to be peer-pressure, self-consciousness and harassment, which makes girls reluctant. Many girls said they feel ‘judged and intimidated’ by boys and men when cycling to school.

#andshecycles, Irish girls and Green-Schools Travel. Bicycles Create Change.com 15th November 2021.
Image: Sticky Bottle

Many young girls expressed their concerns with the school uniforms which made it difficult for girls to bike. Some added on a lighter note that the helmets and high vis jackets can also scare off people from riding bicycles. It usually collides with the fashion statements. However, Caitriona Buggle from the campaign expressed that the addition of colourful helmets could make a statement that ‘Safety can be Sexy.’

Whatever the reason, it’s clear that more needs to be done to encourage Irish girls to cycle to school. The #andshecycles campaign is a step in the right direction, and with more awareness and education, hopefully more girls will soon be cycling to school safely and confidently.

An Taisce’s campaign #andshecycles was launched at Dublin’s Science Gallery. Many young girls attended the campaign and it went viral on social media.

The campaign’s panelists stressed the fact that girls needed more role models on wheels. It is necessary for an active and healthy lifestyle. Young girls were encouraged to get back on their bicycles.

Sylia Thompson from The Irish Times published an article (and video) on this issue and reported Jane Hackett, manager of the Green Schools travel programme as saying: “We have been working with schools around the country to increase cycling numbers for over ten years. Because of this work we realised that although teen girls wanted to cycle the numbers weren’t increasing at the same levels as their male counterparts. So we asked why, and #andshecycles was born.”

Let’s hope the #andshecycles campaign gets more Irish girls on bikes!

A solar-powered tricycle that waters hard-to-reach urban planters

A solar-powered tricycle that waters hard-to-reach urban planters.  Bicycles Create Change.com 7th November 2021.
Travis using his bike. Image: Change for Climate

In the bustling city of Edmond, it can be difficult to keep up with watering all of the urban planters. However, one man has come up with a solution: a solar-powered tricycle that can reach even the most hard-to-reach planters.

Edmond local, Travis Kennedy, has devised an ingenious solar-powered plant watering bike after noticing that the big watering trucks that serviced the curbside planter boxes couldn’t reach them all.

He came up with the idea after meeting a local cafe owner who was using an e-bike to deliver coffees – and so put two and two together!

With the help of Travis Kennedy’s bicycle and some solar power, Edmond residents are now able to water their hard-to-reach urban planters from the bike lane.

The tricycle has a 70-liter water tank run by a solar-powered electric pump. The attached hose pushes the water with the help of this electric pump. The bike is one-seater and it carries its solar panel and is a great investment in the environment. It is outfitted with a tank of water and a hose, allowing users to pedal around and water their plants while they get some exercise. The solar-powered pump ensures that the tricycle can be used even on cloudy days and doesn’t require any extra energy to operate.

The tricycle is also available for use by anyone in the Edmond community, and it has already been put to good use by residents who are passionate about keeping their plants healthy.

In addition to watering plants, a similar style of tricycle could be used for other tasks such as delivering food or supplies to people in need and so is a valuable asset to the Edmond community.

With this new invention, keeping Edmond’s urban planters and community happy is a breeze!

I can’t wait to see more of these bikes around!

Nice work, Travis!

Africaps – Ankara cycling caps with passion

Africaps - Ankara cycling caps with passion. Bicycles Create Change.com 20th October 2021.
Image: Africaps

Regular readers of this blog know my bicycles-for-education PhD fieldwork was with the local people and riders of Lunsar, Sierra Leone.  

The Lunsar Cycling Team has been gaining increasing attention recently, especially with the upcoming, ever popular annual Tour de Lunsar cycling event.

I was delighted to see AFRICAP is a Tour de Lunsar event supporter. AFRICAP cycling caps was founded by Hammer (from Sierra Leone!) who started it out of a love for cycling and a desire to bring something special to the sport.

Africap was created to merge two passions: African prints and cycling. Cycling caps are not traditionally made with African prints, so Africap saw an opportunity to change that. They create beautiful and stylish cycling caps made from traditional African fabrics.

Africaps - Ankara cycling caps with passion. Bicycles Create Change.com 20th October 2021.
Image: Africaps

Ankara Prints

Each Africap product is made with a unique African print. The prints are sourced from all over the continent, so no two products are exactly alike.

These cycling caps are handcrafted from Ankara material which is a traditional African fabric. Ankara textiles are wax-printed cotton fabrics commonly used across West Africa and each region has its own distinctive design. The material itself is great as it is very light, airy and absorbent which helps keeps riders cool.

Each cap is named after a particular region that the fabrtic is from. Africaps are not factory made, but released in limited editions so are collector’s items and highly sought after.

Africaps - Ankara cycling caps with passion. Bicycles Create Change.com 20th October 2021.
Image: Africaps

There are so many different African prints and textiles, it can be hard to know where to begin. One of the things that makes African prints so special is the range of colours and designs. Whether you’re looking for something bright and bold or more subdued and traditional, there’s an African print out there for you.

Ankara prints are unique for many reasons. One reason is that they are handmade. African prints are also usually made with bright, bold colors that reflect the vibracy and diversity of African cultures. Ankaras often have geometric patterns that are created by both hand-painting and block printing. African prints usually have a lot of symbolism. For example, certain animals may be used to represent different ethnic groups or ideas. All of these factors combine to create some truly beautiful and unique fabrics.

Africaps - Ankara cycling caps with passion. Bicycles Create Change.com 20th October 2021.
Image: Africaps

Africap’s STORE has a range of musettes and their groovy cycling caps are named after the regions the material comes from –such as Bo, Ngor, Cocody, Abduja, Odu and Regent.

I was super impressed to see that Africap supports sustainable practices and that no plastic materials are used during production or sales cycles. I can see why these caps have quickly become a favorite among cyclists in Africa and for those ‘in the know’ internationally.

Africaps is working to expand its reach beyond Africa, and has already partnered with several international cycling teams.

The company’s mission is to promote cycling in Africa and to help African cyclists reach their potential. And it was great to see them doing this with their renewed support of Tour de Lunsar 2022.

See more about Africaps and Hammer in Sylvie D’Aoust’s video below.

2021 Chicks in the Sticks. Singlespeeding Qld’s all-female 3 hr Enduro event.

2021 Chicks in the Sticks. Singlespeeding Qld's all-female 3 hr Enduro event. Bicycles Create Change.com 12th October 2021.
CITS Friends – A big thanks to Michelle & Nick from Pedal Inn (Brisbane)

Last week, I participated in Queensland’s premier all-female 3 hr Enduro (mountain bike) event – Chicks in the Sticks 2021.

…and I had a blast!

I was super excited this year to see for the first time, a new singlespeed-only category which I feel I had a small hand in encouraging over the years (see more below). So of course, I went to help populate the inaugural division and support the event.

This year I rode singlespeed as a solo 3-hr enduro.

And I rode it wearing a collaborative ‘Celebrating First Nations MTB’ outfit.

2021 Chicks in the Sticks.Singlespeeding Qld's all-female 3 hr Enduro event. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th October 2021.
L-R: Seb Mitaros, Michelle Woods, Nina & Michelle Sando

Event Highlights

It was great to see four other singlespeeders also doing solo 3hr. The singlespeed division was called ‘clipped wings’. While we were lined up at the start line, I turned on a mobile speaker I had attached to my bike and played a bike-themed, race-appropriate playlist – which was awesome! It got us all hyped and in the mood. Of course, I played Queen’s Bicycle Race while we were waiting for the starters gun. Then we were off!

My plan was to go out hard early for the first lap, then ease off and enjoy the rest. I was keen to see how I felt during the 3hrs as I hadn’t been riding a lot and it was a hot day – so I reminded myself I was riding, not racing.

At the start line, I shot out like a bat out of hell and gave the division a good run for their money. I pushed hard for the first lap and keep the tempo high. Just before the second lap, I was overtaken by a singlespeeder, which was my cue to ease off and get into a comfortable groove to cruise the rest of the event.

Having music keep my spirits high, and I made a point of chatting and encouraging other riders along the trail.

In time, Michelle from Pedal Inn (who is a friend) caught up to me. I asked her if she wanted to overtake, but she said no. Pedal Inn was sponsoring the event and she didn’t want to podium as it might look a little dodgy. Plus, like me, she was digging the tunes and just wanted to support the division!

So we ended up riding together for the rest of the event. Which was awesome!

By the fourth lap, I was getting a little tired from the heat and sugar overload, but I kept my head positive and legs moving. The track was made for singlespeed riding and although there were a few diversions around A lines I usually ride, I was happy with how it all unfolded.

I had a great time and completed five laps to finish 3rd.

A massive, big thanks to husband who was my event support and most especially to Michelle for her good company on track. What a superstar!

Congrats also to all the riders, friends and family who attended, as well as to the event organisers and volunteers.

  • 2021 Chicks in the Sticks.Singlespeeding Qld's all-female 3 hr Enduro event. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th October 2021.
  • 2021 Chicks in the Sticks.Singlespeeding Qld's all-female 3 hr Enduro event. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th October 2021.
  • 2021 Chicks in the Sticks.Singlespeeding Qld's all-female 3 hr Enduro event. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th October 2021.
  • 2021 Chicks in the Sticks.Singlespeeding Qld's all-female 3 hr Enduro event. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th October 2021.
  • 2021 Chicks in the Sticks.Singlespeeding Qld's all-female 3 hr Enduro event. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th October 2021.
  • 2021 Chicks in the Sticks.Singlespeeding Qld's all-female 3 hr Enduro event. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th October 2021.
  • 2021 Chicks in the Sticks.Singlespeeding Qld's all-female 3 hr Enduro event. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th October 2021.
  • 2021 Chicks in the Sticks.Singlespeeding Qld's all-female 3 hr Enduro event. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th October 2021.
  • 2021 Chicks in the Sticks.Singlespeeding Qld's all-female 3 hr Enduro event. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th October 2021.
  • 2021 Chicks in the Sticks.Singlespeeding Qld's all-female 3 hr Enduro event. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th October 2021.
  • 2021 Chicks in the Sticks.Singlespeeding Qld's all-female 3 hr Enduro event. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th October 2021.

*Images by Nina Ginsberg and Official RATS Event Images by Element Photography.

Previous Chicks in the Sticks

I’ve been supporting this event for many years.

My first CITS event was in 2016 with a mate Corin and another friend Claire as support. We were Team Bicycles Create Change! Our approach was casual, relaxed and have fun. Corin rode her MTB and I was on my singlespeed. Completely unfazed by other riders in ‘full gear’, I rode in less than traditional MTB biking attire, including a flower-decorated bike, helmet, and stretch pants, with not a stitch of lycra or a camelback in sight – which raised quite a few eyebrows. Read more about the 2016 CITS here.

For my second CITS, in 2017, I went to support the event and cheer on the riders. Because I was not on the bike this time, I had more time to chat with riders, families, and event volunteers and get a whole new perspective on the event. Off the bike, I was able to help out and enjoy the color, costuming, and fun in a completely different way – like being able to ‘watch the start’ (which I videoed) as opposed to ‘be in the start’. Read more about the 2017 CITS here.

In 2018, I was back on the singlespeed doing the 3hr solo. It was quite a different experience doing the full 3hr by yourself: pacing, food, ride plan, and mindset played a big part in completing the ride well. As previously, I kept reminding myself that I was there to support the event and not race and so I made an effort to connect with others and enjoy the ride – and not get sucked into chasing and racing. It was a super hot day and that had a big impact on riders. But I drew on my experience, knowing these trails are built for singlespeeds -and (as usual) I had a blast! Read more about 2018 CITS here.

2019 saw a new singlespeed mate, Jen and I team as team and we were the only riders and team on singlespeeds. Somehow, I managed to talk Jen into team-theming as boogie boarders (feigning a sport event confusion, ‘but we are here now with our SS, so we might as well ride‘) dress-ups. Suffice to say, we had far too much fun! Bless you, Jen! We entered as a soft-boiled double yokers team called (again) Bicycles Create Change and even though we were cruising and ‘riding not racing’ we still ended up coming second in our division – wow! We also ended up receiving an on-the-spot award for being the only all-Singlespeed team of the day! A good way to promote singlespeeds at the event – as we saw in the 2021 reiteration in which the event had for the first time an official singlespeed division! Woohoo! And yes, I do feel like we had a small role to play in making this happen!! Read Jen’s guest post of how the 2019 CITS event went here.

The 2020 event was cancelled because of COVID.

So, 2021 was the event’s well-anticipated return! And it did not disappoint.

See you there for 2022!

Chicks in the Sticks 2018. Bicycles Create Change.com 27th October, 2018
Image: Chicks in the Sticks

Decolonise mountain biking. Art bike for a 3hr Enduro

2021 Chicks in the Sticks. Singlespeeding Qld's all-female 3 hr Enduro event. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th October 2021.
Official Event Image by Element Photography

Celebrating First Nations in MTB

As regular readers know, I have been involved in a number of decolonial projects this year – including putting together the Cycle Shifting: Refiguring First Nations presences in Morton Bay Bikeway project.

The annual Chicks in the Sticks event was coming up and I was registered. This year, I wanted to continue conversations about the unbearable whiteness of cycling and lack of support/inclusion of First Nations riders, decolonising MTB, celebrating First Nation experiences and better recognising First Nations connection to country at MTB events.

CITS is Queensland’s biggest, annual all-female 3hr Enduro mountain bike event. Those who know me know I like to bring the fun – so a theme bike and outfit was in order, but not anything mainstream.

Chicks in the Sticks – Annual All-female 3 hr Enduro Event

At this event, there is a big emphasis on fun, inclusion, and ‘giving it a go’, so there is lots of costumes and colour: – there is a profusion of ladybirds, bees, rainbow tutus, Where’s Wallys amongst the more ‘serious’ riders.

In previous years, I have dressed up. For me dressing up means making-collating-constructing the outfit in a new and creative way, from second-hand materials (no buying anything new) and that uses the theme (if there is one) in an original way. For example, for the last CITS, Jen (my riding buddy) and I went as boogie borders (so good!). We had a great time – read more about how we went here.

I wanted to continue the good vibes, but also raise awareness of First Nations experiences. But ‘Decolonise MTB’ was not the right approach for this event.

So I came up with an idea to promote First Nations experiences in a way that was positive and clear, but not confrontational. My idea consisted of a costume that was comfortable to ride it that matched a uniquely decorated bike highlighting my key theme.

To bring my vision to life, I enlisted the help of two incredible women to make my idea happen. A massive thank you to both Alison and Nix for their collaboration!

My Outfit

The outfit centred mainly on a custom-made T-shirt. This was the visually impactful piece and meant I could still ride safety and comfortably. Alison is a creative mate who I have collaborated with on a number of previous projects, including prepping for Bike Hack 19. Alison was integral in producing my T-shirt vision.

The T-shirt was a bright yellow and had connecting circles and indigenous artwork prints on the front and the words ‘celebrating’ over the same indigenous print panel on the back. I specifically chose ‘celebrating’ as a present verb (ie doing) and it was a positive message. The print was sourced from a First Nations art Collective (to support artists) and the other material (black spots and yellow T) were sourced from Opp Shops.

My Bike

Then my artist friend Nix (who you’ll remember from the New Materialists Garden Retreat and the Ride4Justice + UN International Day of Forests Night Ride we did earlier this year).

Nix is a proud Quandamooka woman who is highly creative. I had the idea of decorating my bike in a way that combined the approaches of my previous Art Bike Projects CONS_U_Me Blues with the Kids Bikes are Hard Work …but also it needed to be lightweight, snag-free, and still easy to ride during the event.

We used recycled clothes from Opp Shops to decorate the bike in the colours of the Australian Aboriginal flag (red, black, and yellow) by strapping the frame in red and black with yellow hanging tassels (emulating the flag’s yellow sun) in the middle.

We added a large ball under the seat in the Torres Strait Islander colors.

On the handlebars we had a hint of the theme colous for front-facing reference.

We then decorated the helmet to match.

See the stages of development below.

It was a great project to collaborate with others and it ticked all the important boxes for me like being based on recycling and sustainable principles, increasing awareness for First Nation experiences, creating a new and original outfit to ride in, supporting the event by dressing up and bringing the good vibes, creating something we collectively made that was low-cost, sustainable, and low-tech, and I got to share quality creative time with people I admire.

A massive, big thank you to Alison and Nix – I love what we co-created!

In the next post, I’ll let you know how the event went.

To get more info about this event – see the official CITS website.

2021 Australian Walking and Cycling Conference

2021 Australian Walking and Cycling Conference. Bicycles Create Change.com 27th September 2021.

It’s that time of year again!

Woohoo!

The 2021 Australian Walking and Cycling Conference is on! Thursday the 30th of September and Friday the 1st of October – and this year it is all online!

This year’s theme is:  Global Lessons, Local Opportunities.

I have been to this conference a number of times in the past and I’ve always enjoyed it.

There is always a good mix of research, community, international and local perspectives, sustainability, urban planning, and new and interesting ideas.

I am definitely going to miss not seeing delegates in person, or doing the side-conference activities and events – they are a real highlight!

But even without the trimmings, I’m excited about this year’s program.

I’m looking forward to connecting with some old conference mates and meeting some new people and hearing what some of ‘the big issues’ are in cycling research.

I’ve been pouring over the abstracts and speakers, checking out the new projects, selecting what sessions to go to, and preparing notes to add to chat discussions during presentations.

Below are a few extra details -see more on the AWCC official website here.

I’ve listed the program at the end of this post for those interested.

For anyone going – I’ll (virtually) see you there!

2021 Australian Walking and Cycling Conference. Bicycles Create Change.com 27th September 2021.
AWCC 2019. Source: AWCC

Conference vision

The simple acts of walking and cycling have the potential to transform the places we live, our economies and how we engage with our environment. The Australian Walking and Cycling conference explores the potential for walking and cycling to not only provide for transport and recreation but solutions to challenges of liveability, health, community building, economic development and sustainability. As one of Australia’s longest-running, best-regarded and most affordable active travel conferences, we bring together practitioners and researchers from Australia and across the world to share their work and engage with conference participants.

The Australian Walking and Cycling Conference aims to send zero waste to landfill.

2021 Australian Walking and Cycling Conference. Bicycles Create Change.com 27th September 2021.
AWCC

Keynote speakers

I am very excited about the keynotes speakers – especially Meredith. I have been following her work for a while (total researcher fan-girl crush!) and she is kick-ass! Meredith is also a consummate speaker, so I can’t wait to hear her present on her current work. Double Woohoo!

Meredith Glaser is an American urban planner, lecturer, and sustainable mobility researcher, based in the Netherlands since 2010. At the Urban Cycling Institute (University of Amsterdam), her research focuses on public policy innovation, knowledge transfer, and capacity building for accelerated implementation of sustainable transport goals. She is one of the world’s most experienced educators for professionals seeking to learn Dutch transport planning policies and practices. She also manages academic output for several European Commission projects and sits on the advisory committee of the Cycling Research Board. Meredith holds master’s degrees in public health and urban planning from University of California, Berkeley.

Fiona Campbell has been working for the City of Sydney since 2008 and is the Manager Cycling Strategy. She is deeply committed to making Sydney a bike-friendly city and to helping others achieve similar goals. Fiona is currently managing the roll out of 11 new City of Sydney cycleway projects, three of which are permanent designs to upgrade temporary Covid-19 pop-up cycleways. Fiona mostly rides a Danish (Butchers and Bicycles) cargo trike, and on weekends accompanied by two Jack Russells. Fiona will present on “Global lessons, local opportunities”. This title is also the Conference theme.