Better late than never as the expression goes. Here are the recaps of the presentations at BIKE MINDS Ottawa from April 2, 2025 at the Ottawa Bike Cafe. If you are inspired by the talks, we have good news for you. On April 29, 2026, there is another BIKE MINDS event. For full details and how to register (it is free, but we’d like to know how many people we can expect), go here and look under upcoming events.
BIKE MINDS – Ottawa
29 April 2026
Our next BIKE MINDS event is on April 29, 2026. Once again, we’ll be meeting at the Ottawa Bike Café on 79 Sparks Street in Ottawa.
We decided not to have a theme this time, but pivot to a variety of topics instead. More like a live 3D magazine with positive cycling stories.
Our Sponsors
The Biking Lawyer, personal injury lawyers for injured cyclists and vulnerable people, is sponsoring our website. The Ottawa Bike Café, surrounded by classic bikes from Retro-Rides, generously offers their space, labour and A/V equipment for free.
Each story will be allocated approximately 8-10 minutes. At the end of the storytelling, there will be an open question period, where members of the audience and storytellers will be able to ask you questions.
Schedule of the evening
Note: We are starting at 7:00 pm
6:30 pm – doors open for our event. This is the time to buy your food and drinks if desired
7:00 pm – stories start (with a 15 minute social break halfway)
8:00 pm – stories end/mingling time
8:15 pm – café doors close
The Storytellers
James Lin
Road cyclist, aspiring Ironman, supporter of active transportation
James started road cycling in 2024 after going on a bike tour through the Netherlands and Belgium. Since then he has completed the CN Cycle for CHEO and the Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour, biked among sand dunes in Abu Dhabi, and currently has his sights set on the 2026 Ottawa Ironman Triathlon. You can read more about his journey at James Cycling Journey.
Xiaobin Wang
Active City Wander, Human-paced Explorer
Xiaobin thrives on active transportation, whether it’s biking, walking, or any other way to get around that makes discovering new places feel more engaging and rewarding. Whether rolling through a city or wandering on foot, Xiaobin loves the small discoveries that turn streets into stories. By day, Xiaobin works as an urban mobility engineer shaping people-friendly streets; by heart, Xiaobin just enjoys soaking in the world at a human pace, one ride or walk at a time.
Mathieu Bouchard
Proud father, 4-season cyclist, university professor
I moved with my family from Montreal to Ottawa in the summer of 2024 to start as a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Strategy and Organization at the University of Ottawa’s Telfer School of Management. My family and I were used to living without a car in Montreal and meet our mobility needs through biking, walking, and car-pooling, and we loved our life that way. When preparing our move to Ottawa, we made it a family priority to keep living without a car and organized our daily life around active mobility, despite Ottawa’s cycling infrastructure and culture being way behind that of Montreal.
Since then, I have begun getting involved in Ottawa’s cycling advocacy/activism community, and am currently developing a qualitative research program on cycling activism for sustainable transportation systems, with a focus on what is happening in Ottawa and Ontario. I am a four-season cyclist firmly committed to transforming Ottawa into a healthier and more sustainable city through active mobility. Over the 25 years I have lived in Montreal beforemoving to Ottawa, I have seen how cycling has transformed that city for the better, although much remains to do, of course. I know we can do this in Ottawa as well, and I’m determined to be part of that transformation.
Samuel Benoit
Dad, federal bike lobbyist, silly person
Samuel Benoit thinks bikes are great and has supported various projects aimed at helping get more people on them. He currently serves as Executive Director for Vélo Canada Bikes, where he is working to strengthen federal support for everyday cycling, mobilizing cycling research and supporting the grassroots bike advocacy community. Before that he organized cycling tours for the youth-led environmental organization The Otesha Project, ran the community bike shop Right Bike and promoted walking and cycling to school with EnviroCentre. Many years ago he cycled from Toronto to Ottawa with his bestie Eric. Their shoes got wet on the first day and didn’t fully dry out for three days. Samuel’s shoes are now dry and he lives in Overbrook with his wife and two boys.short bio
“The Biking Lawyer” sponsors our website. The Biking Lawyer are personal injury lawyers for injured cyclists and vulnerable people, deeply committed to the betterment of our communities. Our passion is fighting for cyclists against motorists and big insurance companies. Bike crashes call for a high level of expertise. We are different from other law firms in that we are committed to cyclists. Our dedicated team of cycling injury lawyers are experienced in investigating crashes in order to build a strong, cycling specific case. If you have been in a bicycle crash do not take chances with poor advice and uneducated opinions. Contact our team. We will advise you on the process and ensure that you are legally protected.
Reserve your spot today
As usual, you can sign up at our Eventbrite site now. There is space for about 30-40 people. Entrance is free, but please cancel your reservation if you decide not to go after all. If it is fully booked, don’t hesitate to sign up on the waiting list. If you are in luck, someone cancels and you might get a notification that places are opening up again.
Looking forward to see everyone again soon.
Bikes + Career
Update: the event will be taking place inside due to the somewhat unpredictable weather forecasts.
Our next BIKE MINDS event is on June 19, 2025. Once again, we’ll be meeting at the Ottawa Bike Café on 79 Sparks Street in Ottawa.
This month’s theme is:
BIKE MINDS + Career
This month BIKE MINDS is collaborating with the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) to put on BIKE MINDS + Career. The event will feature four people who have made a profession of working on bicycle facilities, programs, or in some other capacity advancing the state of the bicyclosphere.
BIKE MINDS + Career is a place to hear how some have built their career with the help of bikes and how others have used their life experiences to improve active transportation for the next generation.
Each story will be allocated approximately 8-10 minutes. At the end of the storytelling, there will be an open question period, where members of the audience and storytellers will be able to ask you questions.
Schedule of the evening
Note: We are starting at 7 pm instead of 6:30 pm (below is the new schedule)
6:30 pm – doors open for our event. This is the time to buy your food and drinks if desired
7:00 pm – stories start
8:00 pm – stories end/mingling time
8:15 pm – café doors close
Listen to the introductory remarks here.
The Speakers
Farid Mullally
Nature enjoyer, violinist, transportation engineer
In high school, I had to write a primary research essay on something. I chose the benefits of segregated cycling infrastructure. Little did I know that it would get me my first co-op in civil engineering, and would send my career into the world of transportation planning and design.
Farid grew up in Ottawa and graduated from University of Waterloo in civil engineering. He works in the field of planning and designing our transportation systems to be more sustainable in everyway, which includes bikes. Farid is fascinated with the decisions we make that shape our built environment and affect the way we act as humans. He loves to be a part of forming vibrant communities and transforming society for the better. He also enjoys staying active outdoors in all seasons and sharing the joy of music with others. Here is Farid’s presentation.
Erin Blay
Multimodal Mama
As a transit planner and lifelong “fair-weather” cyclist, I explore how cycling has shaped my personal journey and deepened my belief that no one is one mode—and that resilient cities are built through intentional choices that center human movement and the lived experience.
Erin is a transportation planner with over fourteen years of experience making it easier for people to get where they need to go. She’s worked with cities, towns, Indigenous communities, and regional agencies to improve transit service, support rural and intercommunity travel, and design infrastructure that works for everyone. Alongside her transit work, Erin champions cycling and other active transportation options as part of a more connected, inclusive, and sustainable transportation system. A Registered Professional Planner and member of the Canadian Institute of Planners, Erin is passionate about creating practical, people-first solutions that support mobility, equity, and resilience in communities of all sizes. Here is Erin’s presentation.
François Pirart
Active Mobility Advocate, Strategic Thinker, Happy Father
François Pirart is originally from Belgium. He studied geography and environmental planning in Belgium, England and the Netherlands. He came to live in the National Capital Region in 2010. Since his arrival, he has been involved in numerous sustainable transportation projects, including leading the City of Gatineau’s “Plan directeur du réseau cyclable”. He is now Senior Transportation Planner at the NCC where he leads long-term planning projects, such as the Parkways Planning and Design Guidelines. Here is François’ presentation.
Melcsi Tasnádi
Ocean, autumn, Magyar Mum
Melcsi has been riding a bike since they were a child. Taking transit to school or hopping on their bike to get to their kayak trainings alone from the age of 11 provided a sense of freedom, fun, and adventure. Outside of work, Melcsi enjoys travelling, swimming in the Balaton, gardening (though right now it is confined to house plants in a flat), and spending time with family and friends. Melcsi’s favourite way of exploring new places are by foot, transit/train, and bike.
Melcsi was born and raised in Budapest, Hungary. Melcsi’s vault into planning walkable/cycleable and child-friendly cities, and carving out a specialization in mobility planning was sparked by the lack of options, disjointed and unsafe walking and cycling network while living in downtown Toronto. Melcsi decided to pursue a degree in urban planning from the University of Waterloo. Melcsi has previously worked for the City of Ottawa as a co-op student, and currently works in the private sector as a mobility planner. Melcsi thrives on making cities more child-oriented, green, and fun where walking, cycling and transit are intuitive, reliable, convenient, and ordinary. Melcsi’s presentation is not online at her request.
Robin Bennett
adventurous, urban cycling advocate, urban planner
I emigrated from England as an infant to Eastern Ontario and lived in rural villages due to father’s career as a large animal veterinarian. Started cycling early in life for pleasure and to get to activity places like beaches or the local city, which was Cornwall, 30 km away. I became more aware of the efficiency of bikes for transportation when I borrowed my cousin’s bike in England and delivered it to his summer home in Belgium via Netherlands and Germany in my late 20’s.
After this experience, I have used bikes whenever possible to explore many cities for fun and as part of my career as a bicycle transportation planner. During my 20s, I worked three years in the Arctic, followed by four years of backpacking around the world, using bikes wherever convenient.
I gained my Master of Urban Planning at McGill by the late 1980’s and ended up in Ottawa in the mid 1990s. After several years volunteering and eventually chairing the former Regional Cycling Advisory Group, I was hired as the city’s first Cycling Facilities Coordinator, starting in January 2000 and retiring as a Project Manager within the Active Transportation Planning unit in March 2025.
I remain passionate about urban transportation cycling in Ottawa and the potential to address a multitude of urban problems through significantly increasing the number of residents who choose it as a means of transportation. Here is Robin’s presentation.
Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals is a community of practitioners working to create more walkable, bikeable places. We foster peer knowledge sharing, advance technical expertise, and support the professional development of our members who work in government, consulting firms, and in non-profit organizations in the fields of transportation planning and engineering, urban design and planning, public health and active living.
Reserve your spot today
As usual, you can sign up at our Eventbrite site now. There is space for about 100 people as we are aiming to do the event outside this time (Weather permitting). Entrance is free, but please cancel your reservation if you decide not to go after all. If it is fully booked, don’t hesitate to sign up on the waiting list. If you are in luck, someone cancels and you might get a notification that places are opening up again.
Overcoming Obstacles
After exactly five years since our last in-person event, BIKE MINDS returned to the physical stage on Tuesday January 28, 2025 in Ottawa, in the cozy, intimate setting of the Ottawa Bike Café. Here’s a recap written by our volunteer Suzanne.
I really enjoyed the Bike Minds session last night. I felt like, if we had heard the stories in advance we might have chosen a different theme title called “Changing Our Path”. All of the speakers shared their life journeys, with a notable mention to how cycling contributed to changing a potential path that they were happy to diverge from.
Gene, mentioned how fixing his bike wheel, out of desperation and lack of funds, as a teenager got him a job and exposed him to a different community that might have contributed to saving him from a life of crime. HIs gratitude and joy with finding his people in the cycling community, and having some fun adventures, were evident in the big smiles shown on every one of his slides.
It was wonderful meeting everyone on Tuesday. Great blog as well. I look forward to the next event. – Gene
River shared their journey of discovery through, riding long distances to manage their anxiety and substance abuse to embracing life as a non-binary person with ADHD and Autism. They reflected on being vulnerable, but feeling at home with their new identity and discoveries through bikepacking and unicycling.
Cassie talked about recognizing transportation inequity when she became a mom, and started trying to navigate the city with a stroller and small children. This led her to returning to school to get her masters and becoming a cargo-bike riding, transportation equity advocate with organizations such as Kidical Mass, For Our Kids Ottawa, and School Streets Ottawa.
Thanks to the whole Bike Minds team for a really well-run event. I thought the atmosphere was perfect and appreciated lots of great conversations after the stories.
And thanks to the other storytellers. I really appreciated hearing your stories and being able to share the stage with you. See you out on the bike paths! – Cassie
Mike’s path correction is ongoing. He is biking away from cancer. Mike shared his story of an ordinary life, interrupted by cancer, and how cycling may have saved him once, and hopefully twice. In the face of a devastating diagnosis, cycling gave him something that he could control and is here to tell us his story.
Good news! We are now planning our next BIKE MINDS Ottawa event. Join our mailing list to hear about it first, and feel free to submit your own story at any time.
Bikes + Leadership
It’s hard to believe that Bikes+Leadership marked our fifth event in our vitual series that began last summer. On June 24th, we heard stories from leaders across Ontario, Canada who are enabling and encouraging more people to get around by bicycle.
Jamie Stuckless kicked things off with a recollection of her impressive career as a champion of local cycling initiatives all across Ontario and how she has grown along the way. Lanrick Bennett Jr. then added the story of how his daughter, after discovering a love for cycling, went on cycling “strike” and became active in her community in advocating for more safe cycling infrastructure.
Third, we heard from Christopher McGarrell, who shared how he started cycling with a friend to get out of a rut during the pandemic in 2020, which evolved into open rides and eventually the Mandem Cycling Club with dozens of people joining each ride and over 5,000 followers on Instagram. Fourth was Hans Moor, who shared the story of Ottawa’s first protected bike lanes and his advocacy leadership in making them a reality as head of Bike Ottawa.
Finally, we concluded the evening with a virtual mingle and some questions from the audience.
Jamie Stuckless (3:26)
Jamie Stuckless is a policy advocate and transportation professional who is passionate about supporting people making change in their communities. She has turned her love of cycling into a decade long career in Ontario’s active transportation sector, leading successful advocacy initiatives to fund hundreds of kilometers of cycling infrastructure, increase active transportation to school, and engage thousands of stakeholders in meaningful policy discussions.
Through Stuckless Consulting Inc. she now works on transportation and sustainability projects across North America.
Go directly to Jamie’s story HERE.
Lanrick Bennett Jr. (18:17)
Lanrick Bennett Jr. is the Managing Director at 8 80 Cities. He held previous positions as the Hub Manager at Artscape Wychwood Barns, Regional Advisor in the Ontario Provincial Government and Education Officer at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is a year-round urban cyclist who champions protected cycling infrastructure in multiple forms.
Go directly to Lanrick’s story HERE.
Christopher McGarrell (32:47)
Originally from Scarborough, Christopher is the founder of Man Dem Cycling Club in Toronto. Founded in the summer of 2020, the club is open to anyone who enjoys riding a bike, and it quickly grew to over 1000 members.
Go directly to Christopher’s story HERE.
Hans Moor (45:58)
Hans Moor, known by the alias HansontheBike, lives in the National Capital Region of Canada. From 2010 to 2015, Hans was president of Bike Ottawa, Ottawa’s not-for-profit, volunteer-based safe cycling advocacy group. He has maintained a blog about cycling since 2010 with over 300 posts and works seasonally in Ottawa as a bicycle tour guide. Hans’s work has earned him the City Builder Award from the Mayor of Ottawa and several other awards. Ottawa’s mayor once tweeted that “Hans is more popular than I am“.
Go directly to Hans’s story HERE.
Join the BIKE MINDS Movement
Special thanks to the volunteers that made the event possible: Catherine, Rie, Suzanne, Gerry, and Robert.
Spreading the joys of cycling through storytelling has proven to be a powerful tool for empowering people to bring change to their communities. Why not join the effort? Here are some ways you can join the movement:
- Complete Our Feedback Survey: provide input to inform our future events
- Submit Your Story: be considered as a storyteller for a future event
- Join Our Team: join the team of volunteers that makes the series possible
- Host a BIKE MINDS: host your own affiliate BIKE MINDS event. Get in touch and we’ll tell you more
Our next event will be sometime in Fall 2021. We are always accepting stories – consider submitting yours today!
Want to keep the stories rolling? Check out more recaps and videos from our past events below:
Bikes + Children, Pt. 2
Our first Bikes + Children episode was so inspiring we just had to host a second one! Children, Part 2 was the theme of BIKE MINDS’ fourth virtual event on April 21st, 2021.
Chris and his daughter Emily shared a fun story of their bike trip abroad where, despite Emily renting a bike that was too small for her, their family cycled 200km over four days – with lots of ice cream along the way.
Céline inspired and amazed us all with the story of her family’s nomadic life, having cycled 74,000km over 10 years, with two daughters born along the way.
Next, Robin brought about a different type of inspiration, sharing her story about her family’s multi-year switch to biking that started with her husband joining a charity ride and ended with her family ditching their SUV and living car-free.
Cécile closed off the evening with a suspenseful story of her son’s first leap of independence riding to school on his own for the first time, and the flurry of thoughts she felt as she anxiously waited for him to come home that day (spoiler: he made it, smiling from ear to ear!).
Chris and Emily McCue (2:43)
The McCues went on a family cycle trip in Normandy France when Emily was 8. It was 200km in 5 days and she rode it on a 20” bike. There were some tough times along the way, but they saw and experienced great things. Emily’s longest day was 65kms.
Chris McCue is an avid cyclist and an occasional photographer & guitarist, though if you ask him, he will say he’s more of a guitar owner than guitar player. He also enjoys spending time with family, camping, canoeing and hiking.
Emily McCue is eleven years old and is a competitive swimmer. Emily has many hobbies such as playing ukulele, knitting, all types of art & reading. Emily really enjoys cycling with her family & friends, and has completed some cycling and triathlon events.
Go directly to Chris and Emily’s story HERE.
Céline Pasche (11:44)
For the last 10 years, Céline and her family have been nomads on the roads of the world. They have cycled 78,000km on four continents, from China to Alaska, from Syria to New Zealand. Celine’s two daughters, Nayla and Fibie, were born along the way. The Pasches are now exploring the Great Northern Horizon.
The family documents their travels on their website, As A Way Of Life. They speak at events and webinars on a range of topics and have even published a book, Nomads in the Heart of the Elements.
Go directly to Céline’s story HERE.
Robin Richardson (24:45)
Robin has lived and cycled in small towns and big cities in California, New Jersey, Washington, and Ontario. After their family ditched their SUV for an active travel lifestyle, Robin became more active in her efforts to improve safety for active transportation in Toronto, and joined the Bike Brigade, a volunteer organization which makes deliveries to folks in need. Her next project is to offer a selection of electric cargo bikes for rent, helping people see how easy it is to swap car trips for bike trips. Her mission is to entice more people to give cycling a try!
You can find Robin on Twitter and Instagram @CanadaRobin, and you can keep up with her new cargo bike loaning company @HappyFietsCA.
Go directly to Robin’s story HERE.
Cécile Lecoq (38:44)
Cécile came to Ottawa from France as an exchange student in 2006 and never left. She’s passionate about sustainable mobility and determined to walk, bike and bus the talk. Her family has been happily living car-free for the past two years. Apart from cycling, reading about transit and listening to urbanism podcasts, Cécile enjoys spending time with her two boys, learning to play the guitar, and (hopefully soon) going to the theatre.
You can find Cécile on Twitter @cecile_lecoq.
Go directly to Cécile’s story HERE.
Join the BIKE MINDS Movement
Special thanks to the volunteers that made the event possible: Catherine, Rie, Suzanne, Gerry, and Robert.
Spreading the joys of cycling through storytelling has proven to be a powerful tool for empowering people to bring change to their communities. Why not join the effort? Here’s some ways you can join the movement:
- Submit Your Story: be considered as a storyteller for a future event
- Join Our Team: join the team of volunteers that makes the series possible
- Host a BIKE MINDS: host your own affiliate BIKE MINDS event. Get in touch and we’ll tell you more
Our next event will be sometime in Summer 2021. We are always accepting stories – consider submitting yours today!
Want to keep the stories rolling? Check out more recaps and videos from our past events below:
Bikes + Children
What could possibly be more positive and inspiring than stories related to kids and cycling? Children was the theme of the third BIKE MINDS virtual event on March 5th, 2020, and the Zoom audience was buzzing in anticipation.
Bradley shared the story of helping his special needs daughter find freedom and joy through cycling and eventually bike camping, bringing many of us to tears – especially when his daughter made a surprise appearance at the end! Next, Janice shared how, after realizing some of her students did not have access to bicycles, she started a massive community initiative that delivered 150 bikes to members of her community in one summer. Third was Karly, who shared their story of realizing the power of cycling through a bike trip with a supportive uncle, despite not seeing themselves as athletic. We closed off with Lotte, who travels the world teaching the Danish Cycling Games to school children, starting movements everywhere and sparking the next generation of bicyclists.
Bradley Fisher (2:15)
Bradley Fisher is a lifelong Chicagoan, teacher, husband, and father of two amazing daughters. He’s determined to live a life infused with adventure, nature and discovery. Passionate about inclusive bicycle travel, he’s never happier than riding with his special needs daughter, whether on a quick errand, a day ride, or a week long tour through the mountains of Idaho on their adaptive tandem, aptly named “Lilia’s Wings”.
Bradley is a member of the Out Our Front Door exploratory adventure organization. You can reach out to him at bradley@oofd.org, and learn more about OOFD’s Bike Camping for Everyone adaptive program here.
Go directly to Bradley’s story here.
Janice Battista Lowe (14:33)
Janice Battista Lowe is a high school teacher out of Malton, Ontario where she has been an educator for over 12 years. Janice has a specialty in Youth Outreach and started a community based organization called The G.L.E. Movement, which stands for Grow, Lead, Excel. Janice’s venture into the cycling community was sparked by the pandemic and the lack of bicycles in her school community of Malton. This then propelled her Summer Cycle 2020 initiative to target that need.
This past January, Janice was awarded the 2020 Phil Green Award by the City of Mississauga’s Cycling Advisory Committee, an award that recognizes a Mississauga resident or group who has shown exceptional effort to promote cycling in the community.
Go directly to Janice’s story here.
Karly Ross (26:16)
Karly Ross has been riding a bike since they were a child. From fun adventures with family to adapting to restrictions on urban mobility, they see cycling as a source of freedom and adventure. Beyond biking and growing food in their garden, they also tutor math and study computer science, all while playing with data and fostering community development as a member of the board of Bike Calgary. Drawing on early experiences of bicycling, these days their main passion is active transportation narratives and connecting others with the stories that inspire and illuminate mobility choices and challenges.
Go directly to Karly’s story here.
Lotte Bech (37:43)
Lotte Bech is Architect and Urban Planner and Consultant in Urban Cycle Planning. She is a member of Cycling Embassy of Denmark and the International Committee of the Danish Cyclists’ Federation. She is promoting Cycle Culture with Danish experiences on cycle education for children. She is a Cycling Games enthusiast sharing the method “Learning by Playing” on events, workshops and pilot projects in schools. So far cities in Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Taiwan and Japan are practicing the Danish Cycling Games. She also organizes “Bikeable City Masterclasses” in Copenhagen for foreign urban planners, politicians and NGOs.
You can access the book by the Danish Cyclists’ Federation with 20 cycling games for children for free here.
Go directly to Lotte’s story here.
Join the BIKE MINDS Movement
Special thanks to the volunteers that made the event possible: Catherine, Rie, Suzanne, Gerry, and Robert.
Spreading the joys of cycling through storytelling has proven to be a powerful tool for empowering people to bring change to their communities. Why not join the effort? Here’s some ways you can join the movement:
- Submit Your Story: be considered as a storyteller for a future event
- Join Our Team: join the team of volunteers that makes the series possible
- Host a BIKE MINDS: host your own affiliate BIKE MINDS event. Get in touch and we’ll tell you more
Due to popular demand (and more great story submissions), BIKE MINDS will return in Spring 2021 with a second edition of Bikes + Children. See you there!
Want to keep the stories rolling? Check out more recaps and videos from our past events below:
Bikes + Empowerment
How has cycling empowered you to bring change to your own life and the lives of others? Empowerment was the theme of the second BIKE MINDS virtual event, and storytellers from across the world were challenged to ponder these questions when they shared their stories.
Bikes + Empowerment was held on November 18, 2020 at 8PM EST continued the BIKE MINDS Virtual series, which kicked off in August 2020 with Bikes + Fate. With the help of BYCS and the Bicycle Mayor program, we assembled a diverse range of storytellers from Ecuador, Argentina, Mexico, Australia, and Japan.
The Zoom chat was abuzz throughout the event, with reactions of inspiration, laughter, and support. We heard stories from a lifetime cycling advocate, a mother who was determined to continue cycling after having children (and purchased the only cargo-bike in her city to do so), an entrepreneur who has helped his community rediscover the bicycle through tourism, an architect who is fostering a cargo-bike culture in Japan, and a beach-loving Australian who created a community bike ride that is for everyone.
Areli Carreón (4:15)
Areli Carreón is a founding member of Bicitekas A.C. in Mexico City, which has promoted the use of bicycles as a means of transportation and as a means to create more humane cities since 1998. Areli was elected Bike Mayor of Mexico City during the 6th World Bycicle Forum in Mexico City. She is co-author of Mexico City’s Manual of Urban Cycling, among other documents on urban cycling and public policy. She is a member of the civic coordination of 35 organizations promoting the recognition of the right to safe, accessible, and sustainable mobility in the Mexican Constitution that will mandate the passing of the first Road Safety Law in Mexico.
Go directly to Areli’s story here: https://youtu.be/WAYqNiL20FQ?t=255
Jimena Perez Marchetta (20:12)
Jimena Perez Marchetta is a bike-enthusiast, passionate social worker and feminist who believes in the power of teamwork, towards encouraging sustainable mobility in the region. She is the co-founder of “Argentina en Bici”, a national organisation created by civilians. Also, with some of her friends she created “Las Bicibles Salta”, in the city of Salta, Argentina. Jimena is Bicycle Mayor of Salta City and has a diploma in Leadership for Transformation (UPAP-UNSAM). In 2020 she was elected as a remarkable woman of transport by the TUMI organization. In 2017, Jimena co-designed and installed the first private-use bike hangar in Latin America.
Go directly to Jimena’s story here: https://youtu.be/WAYqNiL20FQ?t=1212
Cristian Saenz de Viteri (28:08)
Cristian Saenz de Viteri is General Manager of Iguana Bike Tours S.A., a teacher at the University of Guayaquil, and bicycle mayor of Guayaquil. He is Ambassador in Fundación Enseña Ecuador and a member of the international network “Teach For All”. He is an engineer in International Business Management (UCSG) and holds a master’s degree in Educational Management and Leadersip from the UTPL and a diploma in Public Policies.
Go directly to Cristian’s story here: https://youtu.be/WAYqNiL20FQ?t=1688
Jullietta Jung (47:58)
Jullietta Jung is a beach-loving, Korean-born, Australian living in Sydney Australia. By day she leads the work at Transport for NSW to look at data to develop cycling insights. She’s been working there for the past 5 years in various transport planning roles. By night Jullietta is better known as the founder of Sydney Night Rides, a community of people who enjoy riding bicycles. Sydney Night Rides is not a cycling group and it’s not an advocacy group. It’s a safe space for people to enjoy a ride around Sydney at night.
Go directly to Jullietta’s story here: https://youtu.be/WAYqNiL20FQ?t=2878
Gakusen Iwasa (58:11)
Gakusen Iwasa is from Yokohama, near Tokyo, Japan. He’s part of the new generation of urban visionaries and bicycle advocates in Japan. In 2017, he took the master class by Copenhagenize Design. Then, Gakusen started to import the Danish cargo bike “Omnium” in order to make cargo bikes more popular in Japan. Now, he’s tackling making streets more friendly for people through the Cycling Embassy of Japan. He’s also interested in holding a Bike Minds event in Japan.
Go directly to Gakusen’s story here: https://youtu.be/WAYqNiL20FQ?t=3491
Special thanks to the volunteers that made the event possible: Catherine, Rie, Suzanne, Kayla, Francisco and Robert.
Join the BIKE MINDS Movement
Spreading the joys of cycling through storytelling has proven to be a powerful tool for empowering people to bring change to their communities. Why not join the effort? Here’s some ways you can join the movement:
- Submit Your Story: be considered as a storyteller for a future event
- Join Our Team: join the team of volunteers that makes the series possible
- Host a BIKE MINDS: host your own affiliate BIKE MINDS event. Get in touch and we’ll tell you more
BIKE MINDS will return in Winter 2021 with another virtual edition with the theme Bikes+Children. See you there!
Bikes + Fate
How did unexpected or unplanned events lead you to cycling and where you are now? Were there any random encounters or coincidences in your past that helped to create your love of cycling? Fate was the theme of the first BIKE MINDS virtual event, and storytellers from across Canada were challenged to ponder these questions when they shared their stories.
Bikes + Fate was held on August 12, 2020 at 8PM EST and signaled the debut of BIKE MINDS into the “virtual” event space. Our team of volunteers gathered stories from across Canada, from Olds, Alberta to Halifax, Nova Scotia for another night of stories.
Despite lacking the usual comforts of our in-person events – laughter, applause, and sometimes beer – the event was a hit. We heard about the interface of cycling with physical ability and migration, raising children who cycle through the winter, and the challenges and rewards of fostering a culture of cycling in one’s own city.
Matt Pinder hosted the event and opened with a powerful speech drawing attention to the need for actively anti-racist behaviours from everyone involved in cycling, if we truly want to create a space that is comfortable for everyone. He challenged the audience with the questions: “Does your community group have diverse representation where people are not being tokenized? When you make a demand of your politicians do you first reflect on your privilege and the impact of your requests on communities more vulnerable? Do you partner with or volunteer with organizations that focus on equity or that serve communities facing systemic oppression?”
Jillian Banfield (8:55)
Jillian Banfield is Halifax’s Bicycle Mayor. A disabled woman who found the freedom of movement – and the love of her life – through cycling, she passionately advocates for all the things that make active transportation more accessible.
Go directly to Jillian’s story here: https://youtu.be/1qP6ENG6xBg?t=535
Erin Riediger (21:00)
Erin Riediger is an architectural intern from Winnipeg, with a passion for humanist architecture and safe equitable cities. Erin’s podcast, Plain Bicycle follows a group of Canadians who travelled to the Netherlands to fill a shipping container with second hand Dutch bicycles, with the hopes of importing everyday cycling culture into North America.
Go directly to Erin’s story here: https://youtu.be/1qP6ENG6xBg?t=1260
Saba Shahsiah (34:45)
Saba is a member of BIKEPOC, a social cycling group creating safe spaces where BIPOC women, trans, femme and non-binary identifying folks in Toronto can ride their bikes and be empowered together. Riding a bike for her is an act resisting the status quo, and a tool for her independence and agency.
Go directly to Saba’s story here: https://youtu.be/1qP6ENG6xBg?t=2085
Felix Lee (51:17)
Felix Lee is a quirky cyclist who is passionate about all things single speed. He is a racer, an organizer, and a Cycling Canada official. He lives in rural Alberta with horses and chickens and cats.
Go directly to Felix’s story here: https://youtu.be/1qP6ENG6xBg?t=3077
Arcy Canumay (59:45)
Arcy Canumay grew up cycling on the neighbourhood streets of Metro Manila in the Philippines. For 5 years, he lived in Tokyo Japan and regularly cycled to the train station and around his neighbourhood. Now in Canada with his family, he is the Bicycle Mayor of Waterloo and is actively working with organisations and the community to make cycling a safe transportation option for everyone in the city.
Go directly to Arcy’s story here: https://youtu.be/1qP6ENG6xBg?t=3585
Kelly Granigan (1:11:52)
Kelly Granigan is a Professional Engineer by trade. In her personal life, she is passionate about the environment, and finding creative ways to save a little more money, while increasing overall happiness for her family. She lives with her partner and 2 kids in Edmonton, Alberta. Edmonton is a very car-centric city, but Kelly and her family find joy in moving about via foot, bike, and transit, year round.
Go directly to Kelly’s story here: https://youtu.be/1qP6ENG6xBg?t=4312
Special thanks to the volunteers that made the event possible: Catherine, Rie, Gerry, Suzanne, Kayla, and Robert.
The BIKE MINDS team hopes to host another virtual event this Fall, but we need more stories to make that happen! Do you have a bike-themed story to share? Submit it here: https://bikeminds.ca/submit-a-story/
Bikes + Limits
Mar 3, 2020 @ Curbside Cycle, Toronto
Story & photos by Robert Zaichkowski. Originally posted on Dandyhorse.
The BIKE MINDS storytelling series has covered a wide variety of bike related stories since its inception in 2018 involving themes such as belonging, travel, career, and growth. The storytelling event even launched in Ottawa this past January with a second Ottawa event currently in the works. The theme for the Tuesday, March 3, 2020, event at Curbside Cycle was “Bikes and Limits” – illustrating how the power of bikes can be pushed to the limits, though there was no limit to the energy of the event’s emcee Janet Joy Wilson.
Jun Nogami
Jun Nogami – a University of Toronto engineering professor and author of the Biking in a Big City blog (and a regular dandyhorse contributor) – kicked things off in the fast lane by talking about the World Human Powered Speed Challenge, for which he is the U of T team’s faculty advisor and a chief timing official. The challenge is held annually at Battle Mountain, Nevada, on a straight section of State Road 305 known as the world’s fastest track. Riders have five miles (8 km) to accelerate and a 200 metre window where their speed is recorded before slowing down for one mile (1.6 km). The bikes are essentially recumbents with an aerodynamic shell. While earlier bikes such as the one Canadian Sam Whittingham used to reach 82.82 MPH (133.26 km/h) had clear windshields to see through, newer “camera bikes” and their aerodynamic improvements broke the record by at least 3 MPH (4.8 km/h) when first introduced in 2015 with the current record standing at 89.59 MPH (144.17 km/h).
Anne Fleming
Anne Fleming’s story was about a kayaking and mountain biking trip she and her husband took in Newfoundland 20 years ago, which she started with a brief aviation history about Gander. The town of 11,000 people welcomed over 6,000 during the September 11 attacks and was an important refuelling stop for early transatlantic flights since the airport was built in 1935 including during World War II. The area was known for wood, bogs, lakes, and rivers while a long hill – which Fleming likened to Poplar Plains – tested her limits. When the “tick mist” cleared, she saw the remains of a DC-4 plane crash from 1946 which she was not prepared to see, but her guide told an inspiring story. The crash prompted the largest rescue effort at the time which helicopters had to be de-assembled before being delivered to Newfoundland. 18 survivors were rescued over two to three days and the crash was featured in a CBC Land and Sea episode in 1992.
Mark Franklin
Mark Franklin is the founder of Career Cycles and spoke at a past BIKE MINDS event in 2018. His talk focused on his experiences as a trip leader for Backroads Active Travel based in Berkeley, California in which he led 25 people on a ride from Banff to Jasper. The job posting for trip leaders called for those serving others, hard working, sophisticated conversationalists, and problem solvers to meet the demands of an upper middle class clientele. After the application and interview, candidates then had to go to California for a weekend event where 60 people would compete for ten spots. They would respond to situations such as a suitcase being left behind, trying to raise and lower helium sticks, and go through tests involving problem solving, teamwork, mechanics, and public speaking. Franklin later designed his own trips including career counselling and left the audience with a new word – liminal – which refers to a transitional stage.
Najia Zewari
Najia Zewari moved from Afghanistan to Canada six-and-a-half years ago and co-founded the ck out of the Gateway Bike Hub in Thorncliffe Park. She reflected on how she felt depressed upon moving to Canada given she couldn’t connect with her surroundings. Through the Afghan Women’s Organization, she was among 15 women who took up CultureLink’s Bike Host program and Evergreen Brickworks also helped with bike training. Despite only being aware of her surroundings in 2017, Zewari’s experiences led her to learn bike mechanics through the Gateway bike hub, a group ride to Open Streets, and work with Markham Cycles before the Women’s Cycling Network started in October 2019. Zewari noted how the bike was a tool for empowerment and helped connect her with more communities.
Michael McMahon
Michael McMahon is a self professed “web geek” and talked about riding the BT700 with Melanie Chambers in which BT stands for butter tart. The BT700 is a 770 kilometre bike loop in Southwestern Ontario which starts and ends at St. Jacobs – a Mennonite community north of Waterloo – and passes through Owen Sound, Collingwood, and Orangeville. The ride is held at the end of the season with trail apples, tastings of beer, wine, and cider, crazy elevation gains, and close friendships made from such intense experiences. While there were several highlights, McMahon also mentioned some challenges such as how bringing a backpack was not a good idea, his tires were too narrow to handle some of the rougher terrain (40 mm tires were recommended), and some of the nights were as cold as 1’C in Mono Cliffs.
The final BIKE MINDS Toronto event for 2020 called “Bikes and Boundaries” will take place at the Ontario Bike Summit on Sunday, April 5 with tickets being available on March 20. The emcee left us all with a final message: We all can be “spokes” people for change, one story at a time.
BIKE MINDS 