A handmade plateful of bikes and dogs

A handmade plateful of bikes and dogs.  Bicycles Create Change.com. 19th June 2021.
All artwork/images by Quivering Bee on Etsy

Dear Quivering Bee,

I am a community bike rider and researcher living in Brisbane Australia. I live with a gorgeous kelpie named Zoe and a bike named Kissime and we have spent many happy years riding bikes together.

I have a blog and we regularly post about dogs and bikes, see for example:

We recently came across your Etsy page and saw your handmade dog-and-bike plates.

And we love them!

You have a good selection of dog breeds including Daschunds, Retrievers, Boston Terriers and Dalmatians. Some of them have hats or scarves and they ride different bikes.

Very savvy to have different sizes and shapes of plates, platters and serving trays, too.

We love your other bike riding animals – especially the elephants, flying pigs and octopus!

Zoe was delighted to hear customers can custom order for a ‘girl dog’ too – but wondered how that might change the illustration.

Congrats on your impressive range of other designs including, nautical and underwater themes, butterflies, farm animals, florals and botanicals, Alice in Wonderland, heaps of land and sea animals, insects, anatomical body parts and metrics, skulls, and of course bees!

We appreciate the effort you take in hand making each plate in your US studio – and that you have created endearing designs that are quirky and whimsical and have that ‘ye olde timey’/vintage style about them.

A handmade plateful of bikes and dogs. Bicycles Create Change.com. 19th June 2021.

On your Esty site, it says your bike-and-dog plates are: artful, fabulously glossy, and highly durable range of kitchenware made out of ThermoSaf® Composite Polymer, which is also:

  • Microwave-safe.
  • Melamine-free.
  • BPA-Free.
  • Dishwasher-safe.
  • Formaldehyde-free.
  • Break-resistant.
  • FDA approved for food contact and oven-safe to 300 degrees (45 min. or less).

We saw you do request orders too: awesome for custom matching for decor, colour, bike and dog breed preference, use and style.

Will kelpies be added to add to the range? Zoe is happy to help if needed!

We know there are many people who love riding bikes and love dogs – thanks for offering such beautiful, original products that celebrate our combined passions!

We wish you all the very best for you and your business.

Keep up the amazing platefuls of bikes and dogs!

Warm regards, tail wags, and muddy trails.

Zoe the dog, Kissime the bike, and Nina the rider.

  • A handmade plateful of bikes and dogs. Bicycles Create Change.com. 19th June 2021.
  • A handmade plateful of bikes and dogs. Bicycles Create Change.com. 19th June 2021.
  • A handmade plateful of bikes and dogs. Bicycles Create Change.com. 19th June 2021.
  • A handmade plateful of bikes and dogs. Bicycles Create Change.com. 19th June 2021.
  • A handmade plateful of bikes and dogs. Bicycles Create Change.com. 19th June 2021.
  • A handmade plateful of bikes and dogs. Bicycles Create Change.com. 19th June 2021.

@bikeart.gallery makes me happy

@bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
Image: @biciman_

I am recovering from a 3-week intensive marking bender.

My eyes are itchy, my lower back aches and my approachablity is incendiary.

A tight uni turnaround to mark 28 x 6,000-word research reports and 28 x 2,000-word workplace assessments (both Masters level and worth 80% of the total course!) PLUS 21 x 3,300-word undergrad mixed-method research reports (worth 50%). Epic!

I am grateful for the work. Like many others, I’ve had no uni teaching or lecturing for Trimeter 1 due to university COVID response measures. No sessional work, only marking. Thank goodness for my educational consultancy. Tough times.

The students worked hard and so did I. There’s a lot riding on these assessments – and I take the job seriously. I’m not the kind of academic who breezes over assessments and gives 3 comments like: good or need more work here and interesting point– what the hell kind of feedback is that? So unhelpful! I am NOT that kind of marker – I hate that shit! So, I put in the work and gave each assessment my full attention.

And now….I am tired.

When I feel like this, I need bike art.

It ALWAYS makes me feel better.

Last time I felt like this, I wrote how @Artcrank makes me happy.

Other bike-inspired artwork that helps are:

So in a similar mood for @Artcrank, I looked for a new source to lift the spirits and remind me of the creative playfulness betwixt bikes, community, action, spaces, materiality, bodies and brazenness.

And this time, I found Global @bikeart.gallery on Instagram.

@bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
Image: @bikeart.gallery

@bikeart.gallery makes me happy

Here is a 100-word worlding I wrote after seeing @bikeart.gallery for the first time.

I love bikeart, too.

Eyes itchy, shoulders aching and approachablity is incendiary. Time for bike art. @bikeart.gallery – newly discovered on Instagram. Stickers, prints, icons, charcoals, photos, cartoons, designs, and paper cuts. I love bikes and I love art, too. Some super progressive bikeart, others not so. Hypersexualized disembodied females with-on bikes (really? still?!) – cringe-worthy. Elsewhere, I marvel at super spunky rider couples, surreal adventure rides, fantastical bici creaturing, and cheeky postmodern velo classical reinterpretations. A few memes. Close-ups, portraits and movement. Audaciousness. Lego, flames, tattoos, air travel, and (Fr)eddie Merxc(ury). @jctdesign’s spontaneous napkin doodle ‘unplug and ride your bike’ is good advice.

  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bi@bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.keart.gallery makes me happy
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.
  • @bikeart.gallery makes me happy. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th April 2021.

Cyclisk

Cyclisk. Bicycles Create Change.com. 31st January 2021.
Image: Diana Faw

What is it?

Cyclisk is a 65-foot high (five-story), 10, 000 pound (4,535 kg), Egyptian-style obelisk made from 340 recycled bicycles. This commissioned artwork was created in 2010 by artists Mark Grieve and Ilana Specto and installed in Santa Rose, California (USA).

EPIC!!!

Mark and Illana collected unusable bicycles and cleaned them up, then welded together into a steel superstructure to create a towering obelisk form.

This project is considered to be a landmark in gateway public work.

Here is more about it…

Cyclisk. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th January 2021.

Project background

The Santa Rosa’s City’s Art and Culture Element in the General Plan 2020 calls for creating inspiring places for the residents and visitors.

By law in Santa Rosa, any construction project costing over $500,000 must put 1% of their budget toward public art.

This has led to the creation of hundreds of benches and murals in the city, along with the Cyclisk.

The project site for Cyclisk was chosen because of its proximity to the Nissan car dealership, who funded the funded the “1% for Art” requirement.

Cyclisk is one of the largest public art projects in the region.

Once installed, it quickly gained news attention such as Wired’s Gadget Labs and Inhabitat won a number of awards, like AIA Decade of Design First Place Award, a Structural Engineers (SEAONC) award, and the prestigious Public Art Network Year in Review Award.

Cyclisk. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th January 2021.
Image: Inhabitat

Materials & Budget

The project budget was $37,000 and included expenses related to design development, engineering, collecting and disassembling bike parts from nonprofit bike bicycle groups, insurance, fabrication, special inspections, transportation, installation of the artwork, and all other project-related expenses.

All work was completed by artists and Grieve and Spector who chose not to take an artist fee in order to create the necessary scale required for such a work.

Architect Daniel Strening and ZFA Engineering also donated time to make the project happen.

Bicycles were collected from the debris bins of the following bicycle kitchens: Trips for Kids/Recyclery in San Rafael, Bici Centro in Santa Barbara, and Community Bikes in Santa Rosa, as well as individual donors who formed integral partnerships.

Every bicycle (and the monument’s one tricycle) were beyond the point of riding.

Besides bicycle parts, the monument was sprayed with a treatment to help preserve its color and integrity.

The towering traditional Egyptian-style obelisk made of reclaimed bicycle parts brings a sense of whimsy and regal ridiculousness to a previously downtrodden section of the City of Santa Rosa.

It also shows you can shape a landfill-bound material into a polished form.

According to the artists: Cyclisk creates a series of intersecting rhythms – a visual metaphor for the human experience exploring technology and the humanities – history and possible futures – individual as well as collective for the City of Santa Rosa landmark, evoking a “world of possibilities,” for years to come.

Cyclisk. Bicycles Create Change.com. 30th January 2021.
Image: My MOMA

Some content for this post sourced from CODAworx, Atlas Obscura and Santa Rose City.

Cycle Ink (Part 2): A tattooist’s POV on bicycle tattoo meaning and symbolism

Cycle Ink (Part 2): A tattooist’s POV on bicycle tattoos meaning and symbolism. Bicycles Create Change.com. 20th January 2021.

It’s been too long since our last cycle ink post!

By ‘cycle ink’ – I mean bicycle tattoos!

I first posted about Cycle Ink way back in August 2016, where I delved into the bike-tattoo world as an antidote for too much solo work time. And boy did it do the trick!  

In that post I asked the question:

If you got a bike tattoo, where and what would you get?

Then for variety (and for those who did not want to commit to the permanency of a tattoo), I had a look at some bike-themed temporary tattoos – many of which you can get online. These are great for experimenting if you are thinking of getting a permanent one – as well as scaring loved ones, parents and those who think you (will always be) a straighty-one-eighty. So wrong!

And the last bike tattoo post was on a very specific (or should I say body located) subset of this genre – the thigh bicycle tattoo. Thigh tattoos are unique and unusual, but for bike riders who often wear short-legged clothing or who see their upper legs a lot as they ride – having a thigh tattoo makes sense. 

Cycle Ink (Part 2): A tattooist’s POV on bicycle tattoos meaning and symbolism. Bicycles Create Change.com. 20th January 2021.

Bicycle Tattoos: Meaning and symbolism

While checking out bicycle tattoos online recently, I came across a US website called TattooSEO which is a tattoo networking site. They had an article entitled Bicycle Tattoo. which was about the meaning’ and ‘symbolism’ of bicycle tattoos. It was interesting to hear ideas on design and choice from the tattooists/designers’ POV. It is a little simplistic, but I think it is a good entry point for discussions with ‘customers’ about what they want and considerations regarding choice, design and representation. Keep in mind that this site is for tattooists and those interested in tattooing, not necessarily bike riders. I thought it gave an interesting alternative perspective, so I have included their post here (my own highlighted words) in full below.  Enjoy! NG.

Lovers of bicycles big and small are fantastic candidates for the bicycle tattoo, which can be designed in thousands of different ways. Not only that, these bike tattoos can also bring with them plenty of great meanings that a lot of people could work with. On this page we will take a look at some of those meanings and ways that you can get your favorite bicycle tattooed on your skin.

The most obvious meaning attached to each bicycle tattoo is the love of riding. Whether you are a professional bicyclist or simply someone who loves to ride around and see the world on your bike, this could be a great tattoo idea for you. What’s pretty great about this meaning is that you do not have to add in any other images or any text to the design for people to recognize the symbolism of your tattoo.

Another cool bicycle tattoo meaning that you can use is “adventurous,” which tells outsiders that you have a love for getting out and exploring the world. Even if you only sometimes actually get on your bike and go for long adventures, the bike tattoo can work for you. It’s a great meaning for people who regularly take trips to the mountains, go out on the water fishing, or even simply travel the world.

Cycle Ink (Part 2): A tattooist’s POV on bicycle tattoos meaning and symbolism. Bicycles Create Change.com. 20th January 2021.

Some people will get their bike tattoos because it reminds them of some great times they had on their bicycles when they were younger. This is a kinda-sorta symbol of innocence that people can use to show that they still remember the good old days and they have not completely let go of their youth. The bicycle can work by itself when using this meaning, and you can also add in additional symbols of innocence if you want the meaning to be clear to everyone that sees your tattoo.

Another thing that can add to the meaning of your bicycle tattoo is the type of bike you have designed. For example, tricycles can be used to represent your innocence or even your love for your children, while a professional bike can show that you yourself love to get out and ride. Other options include classic bicycles and tandem bikes tattoos, which can bring with them additional meanings that you can attach to your design.

While most people get the bicycle by itself in their tattoos, others choose to add background landscapes or other images with their bikes. This is especially true in bicycle tattoos meant to represent adventure since they show the bike out in the world. In reality, you can include a landscape or some other background in any type of bike tat, but it’s important that you know the implied meanings that come with those backgrounds.

Cycle Ink (Part 2): A tattooist’s POV on bicycle tattoos meaning and symbolism. Bicycles Create Change.com. 20th January 2021.
Cycle Ink (Part 2): A tattooist’s POV on bicycle tattoos meaning and symbolism. Bicycles Create Change.com. 20th January 2021.

In most cases, people get full-bodied bikes in these tattoos, but others will only include a bicycle part or two in their designs. For example, you can get a bike gear or a chain as a cool alternative bike tattoo, yet you’ll still be able to retain all of the great meanings mentioned above. You might also opt to “chop” part of the bike off to either make it fit in your design or to add in additional effects.

It might not seem like it, but the bicycle tattoo can actually fit just about anywhere on the body. That’s really great since it gives you more flexibility with your design and you can make it fit where you want it. That doesn’t mean you should just design anything and expect that it will end up looking great anywhere on your skin, but it does mean you don’t have to worry about it not being able to fit anywhere.

Cycle Ink (Part 2): A tattooist’s POV on bicycle tattoos meaning and symbolism. Bicycles Create Change.com. 20th January 2021.

One of the most popular locations for bicycle tattoos is the arm since it is one of the best spots to show the bike “moving” across the skin. Those looking for a great forearm design might want to add the bicycle to their options, especially if any of its meanings work well for them. The leg is yet another great place to put a bike tat as it can work as a wraparound tattoo or designed vertically. If you want to enlarge your design, you can pretty easily make the bike work on the back or on the chest, too.

Bike tats can also be wrist or ankle tattoos since you don’t lose any meaning by shrinking them down a bit. The decisions people have to make with these designs are whether they want to have them go around their wrists or ankles or have the bikes pointing towards their hands or forearms. The wrist is a great spot for one of those bike part designs we talked about earlier, particularly a gear, a pedal, or a tire.

Cycle Ink (Part 2): A tattooist’s POV on bicycle tattoos meaning and symbolism. Bicycles Create Change.com. 20th January 2021.

Unless you are getting an extremely simplified design, you will want a really good tattoo artist to work on your bicycle tattoo for you. They will be able to help you fix up the design to look great on your skin, and they will be able to line it up so it works with the natural lines of your body. Don’t take the time to come up with a cool bike tat design only to have an inexperienced tattooist apply it for you. You should have no problem finding a good tattoo artist in your city, possibly one who has experience creating bicycle tattoos.

Bicycle tattoos look great and they come with some very interesting meanings, so it’s not a big surprise that so many people choose to get them. They work for adults of all ages since just about all of the meanings can make sense for all of us. Plus, as a bonus, you will find that just about all well-designed bike tattoos look fantastic on the skin. If you know that you will end up getting a bicycle tattoo, be sure to take your time during the design process to make sure that you have something that you will always wear proudly.

Cycle Ink (Part 2): A tattooist’s POV on bicycle tattoos meaning and symbolism. Bicycles Create Change.com. 20th January 2021.

Cycle Ink (Part 2): A tattooist’s POV on bicycle tattoos meaning and symbolism. Bicycles Create Change.com. 20th January 2021.
Cycle Ink (Part 2): A tattooist’s POV on bicycle tattoos meaning and symbolism. Bicycles Create Change.com. 20th January 2021.
Cycle Ink (Part 2): A tattooist’s POV on bicycle tattoos meaning and symbolism. Bicycles Create Change.com. 20th January 2021.
Cycle Ink (Part 2): A tattooist’s POV on bicycle tattoos meaning and symbolism. Bicycles Create Change.com. 20th January 2021.

Images sourced from: Sergios, Total Women’s Cycling and Next Luxury.

ECO-Cycle: Automated bike parking in Japan

A long time ago I read an article on Design Boom by Juliana Neira detailing an incredible underground automated bicycle parking system in Japan. The first installation was in 2013 and since then, many of these systems have installed around Japan. The ECO cycle system is a remarkable technological design and as our cities become more and more crowded, solutions such as these that are not common in Western countries (but are elsewhere) might offer some ideas for how innovative technological designs could help address issues of urbanization and contested spaces. Enjoy. NG.

Watch the video above for a great demo of how ECO cycle works.

Created by Giken, ECO Cycle was launched in 2013. It is as an automated mechanical underground parking lot for bicycles and today there are over 50 parking stations in Japan (with plans for global expansion on the way). 

ECO Cycle is an automated bicycle parking facility developed with the concept of ”Culture Aboveground, Function Underground”. With a compact entrance booth, it requires minimal space above ground and provides more than 200 parking spaces underground.

The entry to ECO Cycle is compact and unobtrusive. It has a unique press-in technology, making it a powerful option in urban districts where it is difficult to acquire land. The entrance/exit booths are above ground (at street level), while the rest of the ECO cycle structure is underground and it is completely computer-controlled automated. Surveillance sensors make sure the bikes are safe, eliminating theft through the use of a personal tag or card, making it easy for anyone to use.

Average storage and retrieval time is 13 seconds. (I know right….WHATTTTT!!!??) . To dock your bike, you push the bicycle forward to the front of the entrance door. The front wheel shutter opens, activated by the IC tag attached to the bike. When ready, you push your bike forward and insert the front wheel into the slot. After it has been inserted, it is clamped and fixed. You then step off the sensor map and press the ‘drop-off start’ button and the rest of the operation is completed by the machines which take your bike underground to storage.

You retrieve your bike by using your storage card and your bike is automatically retrieved for you. Amazing!!!

Gilken also says that ECO Cycle is earthquake resistant – a big plus in places like Japan where earthquakes are an ongoing issue.

ECO-Cycle: Automated bike parking in Japan. Bicycles Create Change.com 11th October 2020.
Image: Design Boom

I can see there are many benefits of ECO cycle not least of all because it saves (above ground) public space and offers great protection for bikes from theft, weather and damage.

From a sustainability perspective, I am concerned about the amount and source of power needed to operate the whole venture – it seems ironic to ride a bike to support the environment, only to have your storage methods produce a bigger carbon footprint than you just saved by riding.

As we move towards a more contested and complex future where riding bikes is going to play a critical role, it will be imperative to be open to experimenting with new designs that encourage biking, active transport and more sustainable practices. In highly populated cities (like in Japan) have accessible, cheap and reliable bike parking is a great way to encourage more people to cycle.

Although not 100% perfect, the ECO cycle provides an innovative example for considering new ways in which technology, space, people and bicycles might be better accounted for in large cities.

ECO-Cycle: Automated bike parking in Japan. Bicycles Create Change.com 11th October 2020.Iamge:
Image: Gilken
ECO-Cycle: Automated bike parking in Japan. Bicycles Create Change.com 11th October 2020.
Image: Design Boom
ECO-Cycle: Automated bike parking in Japan. Bicycles Create Change.com 11th October 2020.
Image: Design Boom
ECO-Cycle: Automated bike parking in Japan. Bicycles Create Change.com 11th October 2020.
Image: Gilken

Some content for this post was sources from Design Boom.

Got a Bicycle Diary?

Some people say making time for bike rides can be hard. But if your diary is a creative bike-inspired calendar all-in-one, then the job is not only easy, but imaginative and fun!

Making time for bike riding and art is a must.

Previously on this blog, I have shared some other of my fav bike inspired selections ranging from 5 Bikey Christmas Gifts, Trail Troll Art Installations on MTB trails, Temporary Bicycle Tattoos and the follow-up Bicycle Tattoos on THIGHS) and actual art bike rides like Melbourne’s Pink Flamingo Bike Rave (*sigh*!).

Yup, art and bikes just go together.

Below are 5 great bicycle diaries and travel journals.

Some you can still get while others were limited editions. All are the perfect place to block out happy hours on two wheels (alongside all the other things you need to get done too of course!).

Aside from having a bike theme – always check items are recycled and/or produced using sustainable and ethical practices – and support local artists where ever possible.

Keep any eye out for these in your local bookshops too (they need the business).

Or have a go at making your own!

1. Punctures & Panniers- Cycle Traveling Journal

This bike travel journal has it all! It is the brainchild of intrepid bike tourer Andre and was made possible in collaboration with artist Ania Butler. It has recycled paper and biodegradable inks. The design is clean and engaging and there is places in it to record your favourite routes, people you met, pages to doddle, log recipes, store contacts and more. This book was initiated by a kick starter and has something for every bike rider. A real gem!

Got a Bicycle Diary? Bicycles Create Change.com 5th July 2020
Punctures & Panniers

2. Bike Art – Just Ride 2018-2019 Weekly Planner

The Bike Art On-the-Go Weekly Planner is perfect for your bag, backpack, or briefcase. This is a 17-month calendar with funky graphics. This planner is fun and thorough with plenty of time management sections that will help keep you organized. Stylish design and kooky bicycle motifs will make you smile on every page. By Amber Lotus Publishing 224 pages.

3. Ashley Hackshaw: How to turn a book into an art journal

Ashley Hackshaw (AKA Lil Blue Boo) has a blog o(f the same name) where she shares art projects and creative ideas. In this post, she shows step-by-step how you can make your own art journals using composition books. Although not specifically a bike diary – I love that her example is!

4. Bicycle (Personalized) Embroidered Notebook Cover

Quirky, creative and unique. Personalized notebook covers are so handy. The best thing is they can be reused for different diaries and notebooks. This particular cover by Sierraistanbul is an embroidered, fabric, red bicycle with a nameplate ‘Nick’ – but you can get it customised for your own/other people’s name too.

5. Inner Tube Notebook Covers

You can also check websites and places like Etsy for inner tube book and diary covers. Or have a go at making your own. Check reviews first if buying online as sizes can vary especially if you add things into your diary and it expands. Inner tubes can be tricky to work with so double-check any zips and that seams are robust. Having said that- these are great products to have as they fully fit the bike-recycled mandate!

London’s Bicycle Library

This post is a great story of how a renovated double-decker bus is getting more Londoners on bicycles. This story comes courtesy of Inhabitat where it first appeared as a story on Architecture and was published under the title: The Bicycle Library Invites Londoners to “Borrow” Bikes Inside a Converted Double Decker Bus. What I find really exciting about this project is the array of thoughtful and useful services the London Bike Library offers. Read more about these services and more in the accompanying interview by Yuka Yoneda who interviews Karta Healy, the man who made it all happen. Such an inspirational story! Enjoy! NG.

London's Bicycle Library. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th April 2020.

London’s Bicycle Library

Most of us are no strangers to libraries where you can borrow books but what about libraries where you can borrow bikes? Well, that’s exactly what The Bicycle Library is (yeah, they didn’t get too creative with the name). Not only does this London-based business promote green transportation, it’s also situated in a converted double-decker bus.

Talk about giving re”cycling” a whole new meaning!

Inside the adapted bus, there is a “library“/gallery on the top floor with a showroom on the first level.

Londoners who need expert advice on which bike they should rent or buy can speak to an in-house “librarian” specializing in all things two-wheeled.

There’s even an array of actual books pertaining to – what else? – bicycles, on hand for reference. The first floor also boasts a shop with clothing and biking accessories.

Just as you would in a regular library, you can browse thorough different bikes, take them out and even test them out on the track outside.

There are seven types of bicycles to choose from: folding, MiniVelo, FGSS (Fix Gear Single Speed), Ladies Coaster, Mens Coaster, cargo and electric, so you’re sure to find one that’s right for you.

And if you find, after renting it for a while, that you’ve met your perfect bike match, the Bike Library even has a borrow to buy program so that you can make it your own.

London's Bicycle Library. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th April 2020.

Karta Healy Interview

Last week, we showcased the Bicycle Library, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like, and it was so unusual that we had to get in touch with its founder and pick his brain. We needed to know what makes a person wake up one morning and want to start a library where people take out bikes instead of books – and in a revamped double-decker bus, no less?! So we caught up with Karta Healy, the driving (or should we say cycling?) force behind this mobile resource, and found out the answers to those questions and more – read on to see what he said..

How did the Bicycle Library get its start?

Karta: It all started last September, when I did a cycle fashion show extravaganza during London Fashion Week. We rented two buses to showcase all my TWOnFRO designs and my friends’ brands such as Rapha, swrve, Cyclechic, Dashing Tweed, 4TN and Brooks.

The buses were a key part of our layout of a London city street within the hallowed halls of Smithfield Market. I set up a test Bicycle Library for our guests and everyone loved it as much as me. That got me thinking…

People love the fact that the Bicycle Library makes its home inside a converted double decker bus – can you tell us about where it came from and why you decided to revamp an old vehicle instead of opening up a more traditional storefront?

Karta: I fell in love with the size and space inside these buses – they carry a certain nostalgia for all of us. From there I searched for our bus -a Leyland Olympian. I found it after 3 months in Milton Keynes. Maggie she is called, because all of her identifying marks start with M, and also because we have a great poster of Margaret Thatcher on a bicycle!

Can you tell us a little about your in-house “librarians” and your borrow to buy program?

Karta: Librarians are there to assist you with any questions, which are answered via their expertise, as well as the books and magazines in the reference library, which is a complete selection of all the best books on bicycle design, culture and history.

There is also a set of iPads to browse all of our bookmarked cycling websites, which are organized according to the 7 sub categories of bikes we advocate for the city.

The Borrow to Buy program is a rent-to-own system with an emphasis on trying many types of bikes in a week, or every week. The total days of bike borrowing is subtracted from the price of the final decision – hopefully a bike for life!

London's Bicycle Library. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th April 2020.

What is your most popular bike right now? What is your own personal favorite bike to ride?

Karta: Our most popular bike category is the electric bike by far, and we have some very special models that really give a snap of the neck with a twist of the wrist. Also, the cargo bikes are very popular, especially the Bernds model with its super-sized wicker basket. My personal favorite is my bamboo bike I built for myself – it flexes enough to soak up the shite London streets’ surfaces, and is unique enough not to be stolen… yet.

What do you think is the biggest obstacle keeping people from riding bikes and how do you think we can change that?

Karta: Each city has a different set of challenges, and London, my city, is a battlefield. Cars are keeping cyclists from multiplying, and the HGV’s are subtracting us even. Best we ban smoking tailpipes in cities, just as we have rid bars of their cigarette fumes already. There are many reasons, safety being the obvious one, due to said motorists.

Another one is image – whether tribal, lycra, or hipster, none say: “I have a real job”. The stigma of sweaty dishevelled students with a hangover on creaking bicycles, although we were all happy with that at one time, has to be outgrown. The sense of aspiration and achievement are typically forsaken for the bicycle in image only. Nowadays there are so many premium, stylish options, even e-bikes that keep you from sweating.

The other obstacle is bike theft, which must be supervised by NATO or somebody with the balls to tackle it. Studies show that when someone has their expensive shiny bike stolen, they will go out and buy one half the price, when that gets stolen, they will find the cheapest possible bike which they will hardly use, and if that gets stolen, they are back on the underground, or even worse, behind the wheel of a car. Cities need to introduce valet parking for bicycles, supervised parking areas, and even automated underground systems like the ones in place across Japan.

We couldn’t agree more! Karta makes it sound easy but we’re sure it was tough work setting up this impressive roving cycle library so congratulations to him and his crew.

Kind of makes you want to set up your own Bicycle Library in your own city, doesn’t it?

London's Bicycle Library. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th April 2020.
London's Bicycle Library. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th April 2020.

All images from Inhabitat.

Bike Shop Artist Residency

Bike Shop Artist Residency Program. Bicycles Create Change.com. 17th May, 2019.

I love seeing art in bike shops.

Bikes and Art just go together.

It is a pairing that makes sense – like bikes and dogs, or bikes and coffee, or bikes and sunshine (*sigh*).

Free Cycles Community Bike Shop is in Missoula, (Montana, USA).

This shop is already a stand out example of a grassroots bike shop that offers a wide range of services, programs and events, including music, performances, theatre, food/organics, trivia, and film nights – in addition to its other bike-related workshops, community events, fundraising, education and outreach programs. Phew!

Free Cycles has a long history of supporting local and visiting artists by providing a performance space for their ongoing creative and artistic program.

To add to this, Free Cycles initiated an Artist Residency Program.

Such a great idea!

Biking is a creative act for many people.

Aside from being a great use of space, resources and networks, having a local artist in a bike shop is a great way to cross-pollinate, motivate and actively support community integration, extension and diversity. Very cool!

Bike Shop Artist Residency Program. Bicycles Create Change.com. 17th May, 2019.
Bike Shop Artist Residency Program. Bicycles Create Change.com. 17th May, 2019.

Video: Path Less Pedaled

Overview

This project facilitate the creation of art at Free Cycles Community Bike Shop in Missoula for public exhibition/interaction, with used bicycle parts from Free Cycles and recycled materials donated by Home ReSource.

The Artist in Residence Program create a more dedicated interaction between artist and place; practice and environment; art and bicycle; sculpture and community.

Bike Shop Artist Residency Program. Bicycles Create Change.com. 17th May, 2019.

What is the artists program?

The Artist in Residence Program at Free Cycles is a new initiative to connect Artists with the Missoula community through the love of cycling.

Artists are invited through a public art call, and when selected may spend up to one month in the warehouse studio.

Here Artists are granted the time, space, materials, and equipment to create.

Artist participants are able to source materials from the thousands of donated bikes in stock on the Free Cycles property, as well as donated and reclaimed construction materials from local materials giving partner Home ReSource.

Upon completion of their residency Artists in Residence are asked to provide one workshop day to staff and volunteers, one workshop day to be offered free of charge to the public, and one work of art suitable for installation on the Free Cycles 2 acre property.

In its initial year the program is set to offer residencies to four local artists.

The program’s goal is to be able to offer artists fair compensation for their educational work and provide a stipend for their time in residence with hopes that future funding can grow these amounts to seek artists in all stages of their careers.

Bike Shop Artist Residency. Bicycles Create Change.com. 17th May, 2019.

Why initiate an artists program?

The planning process for this project has been happening informally for many years.

By offering a community space, that encourages citizen interaction, Artists are attracted organically out of their love for creative process.

For more than two decades Artists have been creating with materials from Free Cycles, often in their own shops but sometimes on site.

With the recent purchase of the two-acre property and 28,000-square feet of building space this year has provided opportunity to formalize our artist oriented programming and increase our community workshop offerings.  

This program will ensure the future of the Free Cycles warehouse as a permanent part of the Free Cycles Community Bike Shop’s engagement at a pivotal time in the property’s future. 

Bike Shop Artist Residency Program. Bicycles Create Change.com. 17th May, 2019.

Who is ‘MIST’?

MIST is the Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation. MIST is a citizen-based non-profit organization in Missoula, Montana. They have a strong focus on making walking, bicycling, and public transit more complete, accessible and enjoyable.

They work to create a system of movement that is safe, equitable and environmentally sound. Four programs work towards these goals, of which Free Cycles Community Bicycle Shop is one.

Free Cycles Community Bicycle Shop seeks to create a healthy community through a wide range of strategies.

The goal of Free Cycles is to help Missoula, Montana transition to a more sustainable transportation system while simultaneously setting a strong example for other places. 

Through these programs will help individuals collaborate and work to be active stewards of the community with an emphasis on social and environmental justice. The idea is to work towards this mission through education, empowerment, and engagement.

The education programs strive to give people the knowledge to maintain their bicycle independently, use it safely, and eventually share their skills with others.

By increasing the accessibility of human powered transportation, the organisers seek to directly empower individuals from all walks of life with the ability to move themselves.

Bike Shop Artist Residency Program. Bicycles Create Change.com. 17th May, 2019.

Free Cycle Projects

These projects focus on community engagement to facilitate a sense of collective responsibility, a strong sense of place, and human connectivity.

Free cycles has had approximately 200,000 total participants to date. There have been 38,000 bikes donated since 1996 of which about half gone out as free bikes while about one quarter have been recycled and one quarter have been repurposed. About 6,000 have taken the BikeWell safety, maintenance, and orientation class.

Bike Shop Artist Residency. Bicycles Create Change.com. 17th May, 2019.
Bike Shop Artist Residency Program. Bicycles Create Change.com. 17th May, 2019.
Bike Shop Artist Residency Program. Bicycles Create Change.com. 17th May, 2019.
Bike Shop Artist Residency Program. Bicycles Create Change.com. 17th May, 2019.
Bike Shop Artist Residency Program. Bicycles Create Change.com. 17th May, 2019.
Bike Shop Artist Residency. Bicycles Create Change.com. 17th May, 2019.
Bike Shop Artist Residency. Bicycles Create Change.com. 17th May, 2019.
Bike Shop Artist Residency. Bicycles Create Change.com. 17th May, 2019.
Bike Shop Artist Residency. Bicycles Create Change.com. 17th May, 2019.

All Images: Free Cycle website or @freecyclemissoula (IG). This post was adapted from an article first published on Indiegogo.

Happy Fearful Mother’s Day Cycling Mums!

Happy Fearful Mother's Day Cycling Mums! Bicycles Create
The joy of being a cycling mum. Image: Trek Cycles

Today is Mother’s Day.

The idea of Mother’s Day is to honour mothers for all they have done.

Traditionally, family members give flowers, cards and gifts, or make mums breakfast in bed or take them out for lunch. Or something that is similarly supportive and nice.

I went online to see what was being peddled specifically for ‘cycling mums’.

I expected to see the normal product-pushing commercial crap (which was all there of course), but then I saw an article I found very disturbing.

It was on BikeRoar, a website touted as being an independent product resource website devoted to helping cyclists #BuyLocal – fair enough.

Published last year under the section heading TECH TIPS, it was written by Australian cyclist Jayne Rutter and titled 11 Mother’s Day gifts for cycling mums.

The list of 11 gift ideas looked innocent enough.

  • The first item was a water bottle.
  • The second was a free massage.
  • The third was a book.
  • The fourth ‘a 2-hour leave pass from the kids’ to ride to a local café
  • The fifth was a Run Angel Personal Safety Device

…………..and it was the last one that stopped me.

Happy Fearful Mother's Day Cycling Mums! Bicycles Create Change.com. 12th May, 2019.
Image: BikeRoar’s #5 top gift for Mothers Day

I didn’t read on.

There is so much wrong with this list.

First, the article is listed under ‘Tech Tips’. It has 11 items, but only one (#5 above) is actually a tech product. There is a Garmin mount (#6), but not the actual Garmin. Odd. I sincerely hope this is not because of some preconditioned, subtle, habitual, gender stereotype like women aren’t good at tech…. 1 out of 11?

But more than that, it was the actual product #5 itself I found unsettling.

I appreciate that this product comes from a place of concern.

But its very existence is a recognition that abuse of women is so widespread that no woman is safe – at any time.

Violence against women has become so commonplace that giving a personal safety alarm to our mothers is one of the top five gifts we can get her. Really? Top five. I find that so disturbing.

Have we become so accepting and desensitised that violence against women occurs so regularly that we are equipping our mothers with panic alarms – for when they ride their bikes in broad day light!

What the hell!!

Do you know any male cyclists who wear panic alarms?

I find it disconcerting that most people would not see, or question how disempowering for women this seemingly harmless Mother’s Day list and the giving of a personal alarm is. And therein lies the issue.

Happy Fearful Mother's Day Cycling Mums! Bicycles Create Change.com. 12th May, 2019.

Female bike riders are at risk

It can be hard to recognise and understand the scale of abuse women experience.

Women face physical and sexual abuse all the time.

Women constantly get unwanted comments, looks, sniggers, honks and disparaging, offensive, sexualised remarks like ‘I’d hold a knife to that’ (said by two men walking past Laura Bates*). We live in a society where ‘I feel rapey’ t-shirts are now sold on Ebay.*

If you think I’m over-exaggerating, have a look at the Everyday Sexism Project*.

As a woman, riding a bike makes you a target.

Or running.

Or walking a dog.

Or going to school.

Or going to the shops.

Or………………. well, you get the picture.

It can be challenging for the amazing men in our lives to understand the extent and danger to physical safety that just being a female is.

Just because you might not see it or experience it yourself, does not mean it is not happening.

Women routinely feel unsafe. We live in a culture where women are culturally trained to fear men, being outside, being mobile, being in public and being alone.

Verbal attacks, sexual assault, rape and street harassment are commonplace. Just ask a female friend or family member about getting public transport after dark.

Aside from all these issues, the personal alarm is also problematic because it puts the responsibility of criminal behaviour on the (would-be) victims. Women. As Laura Kipnis points out “I can think of no better way to subjugate women than to convince us that assault is around every corner”.

We place the responsibility of persistent and immediate danger on women, who then restrict their movements, reduce activities and live in a perpetual state of anxiety. That’s control.

Yup, the epitome of a modern, free, independent woman.

Another issue is that the personal alarm suggests that women are unsafe only when out of the house – like when riding a bike – and that attacks are only perpetrated on the street by strangers. Yes, this happens a lot, but it is not the full picture.

The idea that women are only unsafe in public is a fallacy.

A Personal Safety Survey conducted in 2012 by the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicated that most instances of violence against women were perpetrated by someone known to them: around 74% of women who had experienced violence in the last 12 months, and 87% of women who had experienced violence since the age of 15, reported that the perpetrator was someone they know.[8]

Happy Fearful Mother's Day Cycling Mums! Bicycles Create
Image: Lyndsay Williams. The Toronto Star.

Abuse of female cyclists occurs every day

Women know this abuse happens, but sadly, most men are unaware of the extent and impact gender and sexual harassment have on females and female cyclists.

A few recent news pieces have tried to highlight the issue:

Happy Fearful Mother's Day Cycling Mums! Bicycles Create Change.com. 12th May, 2019.

So, this Mother’s Day was frustrating.

I am angry that the happiness and warmth that should be the focus for Mother’s Day is undermined by seemingly ‘nice and thoughtful’ gifts which are actually unchecked, unspoken and unseen consequences of the misogynistic control and abuse of women.

Perhaps a more apt sentiment for today is Happy Fearful Mother’s Day Cycling Mums!

I have hope though.

There are many amazing women and men who call out any behaviour that would make a mother, any woman, or any person, feel uncomfortable.

I salute these people.

I hope our cycling community shows it’s strength, voice and action to make sure ALL riders, including women, are made to feel welcomed, safe and respected every time they ride.

Perhaps then, we’ll have no need of panic alarms for female cyclists.

Here’s to hoping.

Have a safe Mother’s Day all.

Resources:

Happy Fearful Mother's Day Cycling Mums! Bicycles Create Change.com. 12th May, 2019.
Image: Bill Penn
Happy Fearful Mother's Day Cycling Mums! Bicycles Create Change.com. 12th May, 2019.
Image: Rape and Domestic Violence Australia
Happy Fearful Mother's Day Cycling Mums! Bicycles Create Change.com. 12th May, 2019.
ABC Breakfast radio segment (above): Constant abuse stops women riding bikes

Bow Bells Ring

Bow Bells. Bicycles Create Change.com. 27th March 2019.

The other day I was riding my bike along the foreshore. It was a busy day, with cyclists, pedestrians and families all out enjoying the sunshine. It made me happy and I thought how nice it would be to interact more with the environment and people around me.

It reminded me of the Bow Bells Ring project by artist Colin Priest, which was an installation commissioned as part of the 2011 London Olympics.

I really love this creative and community-minded bicycle project.

It perfectly captures everything this blog holds near and dear. So for those who have not heard of this project before – here is ye olde favorite community bike project gem. Enjoy!

What is Bow Bells Ring?

The idea is simple. UK artist Colin Priest collected 100 bicycle bells of all kind of sizes, shapes and loudness and installed them strategically along well-used public paths.

Each bell was attached to a small wooden stick and had its number and a little blurb detailing the project.

Then, each bell was installed at critical experimental points along a public route linking the Greenway, Capital Ring towpath and Stratford High Street. Visitors could download an app to get a tour map of all the bell locations.

Cyclists, pedestrians and locals could ring the bells and interact with the project however they liked. Priest found that some of the bells were modified by passers-bys (de/increasing loudness).

This project not focuses on bicycles and active transportation, but also uses recycling and low-tech approaches. It is innovative and encourages community engagement and an appreciation for the local environment.

What more could you want in a community bike art installation?!

The aim was to highlight safety and interactivity, promote use of local public spaces, increase awareness for biking and community interaction, and to bring some happy cheer to the area.

The installation followed the main bikeways through some gorgeous parklands, along a river and through the urban green spaces. The bells were also thoughtfully situated in order to reflect the environments, the surrounding locals who live there and to encourage a little more participation as people moved through the social and environmental surrounds.

Below is a video of Colin Priest explaining his project.

Bow Bells. Bicycles Create Change.com. 27th March 2019.
Bow Bells Ring Map

This project was commissioned by View Tube Art, as part of Bicycle Wheel for the CREATE11 Festival. Bow Bells was funded by the Arts Council England.

This idea would be a lovely addition to any bicycle pathway.

I’d like to see more interactive bicycle-inspired community art installations like this.

Here’s to hoping!

Bow Bells. Bicycles Create Change.com. 27th March 2019.
Bow Bells. Bicycles Create Change.com. 27th March 2019.
Bow Bells. Bicycles Create Change.com. 27th March 2019.
Bow Bells. Bicycles Create Change.com. 27th March 2019.
Bow Bells. Bicycles Create Change.com. 27th March 2019.
Bow Bells. Bicycles Create Change.com. 27th March 2019.
Bow Bells. Bicycles Create Change.com. 27th March 2019.

All images are stills taken from the two View Tube videos included in the blog.