Transforming Kampala for Bicyclists and Pedestrians

This article from The Guardian does an excellent job capturing the current struggle to create safe travel corridors for cyclists and pedestrians in Kampala, Uganda. Thankfully, the projects have been approved and should be under construction soon. When they are finished, they will be some of the finest models of bicycle and pedestrian street redesign in the world. I can hardly wait to post before and after photos on our Street Design page.

To go from such a chaotic, dangerous situation to this modern, high-standard design will not only inspire cities throughout the developed world, but will show developing cities they no longer have any excuses. Thanks to Kampala’s courage, any city that remains dangerous to cyclists and pedestrians will know they are being left in the dust.

But as you will read in the article, even as the projects are moving forward, many voices are still shouting concern. I especially appreciate the defense of the projects that points to the 60% of Kampala’s travelers who do not drive.

One Street board member, Amanda Ngabirano is quoted several times. Here’s my favorite: They’ve deliberately picked the most “hostile” and “complicated” part of the city to start with: “where the people are, and where there is demand,” she explains. “Once we succeed there, we will be able to change other places very quickly.”

This underscores what a terrific street redesign model this will be, not only for the rest of Kampala, but the rest of the world.

Then there’s this quote from Amanda, referring to current cyclists: “When it’s not safe it’s for the person who has no other choice, and the person who has no other choice is poor, you cannot deny that relationship.”

And that is why this article and these projects are such a great fit for this blog. They are defying poverty with streets designed for all bicyclists, especially those who must ride. Enjoy!

Sue

Defying Poverty with Bicycles PowerPoint

I’ve posted a few times about attending the Velo-city conference in Nantes, France this past June. While there, I had the opportunity to present on One Street’s Social Bike Business program. I was very pleased by the response from attendees, many of whom spoke with me afterward about their own, similar program or their dreams of launching one. Some asked for a copy of the presentation. I’ve also had this request since returning to Arizona.

So I just uploaded the PowerPoint presentation to our Social Bike Business web page (linked above) and am also posting it here for those of you interested in seeing it. You’ll find an overview of the program as well as some excellent model programs from around the world.

Enjoy and let me know if you’d like more information about any of it.

Sue

DIY Cargo Bikes with Custom Sidecars

At One Street we’re always looking for easy projects that make bicycles even more efficient transportation machines. Our One Street Components program identifies particular parts that need to be redeveloped and simplified. But turning a regular bike into a cargo bike using common items can be a daunting project. This is because a wheel usually needs to be added to support the load. By adding it to the back, the drivetrain becomes terribly complex. By adding a wheel to the front, the steering becomes complex.

Fortunately, there’s s third option: sidecars. Motorcycles have used them for decades, but sidecars are rare on bicycles. I’m not sure why, because this sure seems like a simple solution for a cargo bike conversion.

Here are some great examples of DIY projects:

• Bicycle sidecar for carrying a child

• Bicycle sidecar for carrying a dog

• Customized bicycle sidecars

Whether you take on a sidecar project or just enjoy the designs, these examples show how looking beyond the usual bicycle world can offer great inspirations for transportation bicycle projects.

Enjoy! And if you know of similar DIY cargo bike projects, please post them in the comments section.

Sue

Bike Works in London as Social Bike Model

I’m back from my big trip to Europe and the UK and now enjoying the inspiring memories. While in France and England I was able to visit with several bicycle organizations and bike shops.

One in particular stands out as particularly inspiring. Bike Works, a social bike business in London, presents a humble storefront and website, but even as I pushed open the door, I realized it was special. The bike shop at the front is clean and welcoming, offering both new and used bikes as well as a nice assortment of parts and accessories.

I spoke with one of their staff about their work with disadvantaged London residents, especially those who have been out of work for some time, which makes finding a job harder. They train them in bicycle mechanics so that even someone who never held a wrench will graduate knowing they can repair most bikes. Each receives a well-respected certificate and help from Bike Works finding a job. The staffer said with a laugh that they keep the best graduates to work at Bike Works. They also offer cycling skills courses for people of all abilities, even those with significant disabilities.

In the back, there’s a long building packed with bicycles, frames, and parts neatly sorted into easy-to-find sections. One half of this building is dedicated to a repair and rebuilding shop where their trainees rebuild donated bikes to sell and support their programs.

While all of this was very impressive to me, a small detail may be the piece that most stunned me – their displayed of used parts for sale. I can’t count the number of arguments I have had with well-intentioned leaders of volunteer-run bike programs who refuse to sell bikes and parts. They believe that by giving away everything their good intentions will be repaid by recipients helping to build the program. Instead, after some time, these leaders are usually left doing all the work and without bicycles or parts to fulfill their mission. I also go over this problem in great detail in our book, Defying Poverty with Bicycles.

 

But at Bike Works they not only sell used bikes and parts at market prices to sustain their programs, they do so in style. Their used parts are packaged with Bike Works branding and displayed professionally amidst their new parts. A small detail that shows that Bike Works is serious about serving the needs of disadvantaged people. Well done!

Do you know of other great models of social bike businesses? Please note them in the comments section.

Sue

Social Bike Models at Velo-city Conference

In just a few days I will be on my way to Nantes, France to take part in the Velo-city conference. I enjoy attending this international bicycle conference, not only for reconnecting with my bicycle friends from around the world, but for its concentration of knowledge on the latest improvements for bicycling. There will be lots of sessions on changing cities to encourage more bicycling as well as programs that inspire more people to ride.

On the last day of the conference, I will have the opportunity to present about Social Bike Business and Defying Poverty with Bicycles. I will be on a panel with three other organization leaders from Brazil and Mexico to discuss ways that bicycles can bring about social change in communities.

As part of my presentation, I will offer overviews of noteworthy social bike businesses on five continents. So, I thought I might just share these model programs with you:

Neighborhood Bike Works - USA:

• For urban youth in underserved neighborhoods of Philadelphia
• Two locations open regular hours
• Adult bike repair classes taught by the youth
• Earn-a-Bike program
• Summer camps and rides

www.NeighborhoodBikeWorks.org

Utica Bike Rescue - USA:

• For refugees and at-risk youth in Utica, New York
• Bikes for disadvantaged people through partner groups
• “A hand up, not a handout”
• Open weekdays
• Bicycle mechanic classes
• Earn-a-Bike program
• Summer bike camps

www.UticaBikeRescue.org

Bike Works - UK:

• For people with disadvantaged backgrounds in London
• Registered as a social enterprise
• All profits toward mission
• Jobs for disadvantaged
• Bicycles for disabled
• Mechanic courses
• Mobile bike repair

www.bikeworks.org.uk

Recicleta - Chile:

• Seeks out abandoned bikes in Santiago
• Offers mechanic training to fix the bikes
• Matches bikes with people in need
• Workshop space
• Community programs

www.recicleta.cl

Rickshaw Bank - India:

• Social business for rickshaw drivers in Assam India
• Improved rickshaw design, built by disadvantaged
• Loans to drivers to buy their own rickshaw as they use it
• Careers in business
• Insurance and health care
• Family support
• Replicating in other cities

Google and YouTube

Bicycling Empowerment Network Namibia:

• Ready-made bike shops delivered as shipping containers with 350 bikes, tools, and shop equipment; container to shop
• Business and mechanic training for local bike shop owners
• 33 bike shops in Namibia
• Bicycle ambulances and bikes for healthcare workers
• Expanding the program to other African countries

www.bennamibia.org

Do you know of other model social bike businesses that serve disadvantaged people, pay employees, and are open regular hours? Please note them in the comments section.

I hope to see some of you in Nantes!

Sue

Bicycle Manufacturing Video from 1950s

As the manufacturing of bicycles continues to shift away from the countries where they will be ridden, I still find solace in this old video of manufacturing bikes here in America, for Americans.

From the commentary, I can guess it was made in about 1952 as the pride for American manufacturing was peaking. You'll need to look close through the poor quality film to see the machines and workers creating every part from frame, to fork, to chainring, to wheels. 

Not long after this video was made, pride in local manufacturing began to erode with the lust for higher profits offered through overseas manufacturing. Bicycle companies all over the world were lured into this rush and many of those who didn't follow, such as the company featured in this video, perished.

One Street's Social Bike Business program is pushing back against this trend by offering nonprofit bike programs a means for manufacturing their own bicycles. It seems like pebbles thrown into a torrent, but if we gather enough pebbles, the flow could shift back to bicycle factories like the one featured in this film. Such a shift would bring back not only jobs to those countries that make the shift, but the pride in manufacturing our own bicycles for our neighbors.

Do you know of other bicycle manufacturing videos from this time period that show this sort of local pride? Please post the link in the comments section.

Sue

Social Bike Business at Velo-city

The Velo-city conference is fast approaching in early June so I’ve been busy arranging meetups and preparing my offerings. I’ll be presenting on One Street’s Social Bike Business program during the Friday parallel sessions. A nice surprise is that I am not the only presenter on bicycles and social issues. That Friday morning, One Street board member Amanda Ngabirano will speak during the plenary session on bicycles in sustainable development. During the Friday session that follows, I’ll be joined by another One Street board member, Michael Linke, as well as other leaders of social bike programs in our session called Pedaling Towards Social Change.

You can see the conference schedule here. At least on Friday, I look forward to connecting with many like-minded bike program leaders. On other days, I also see several speakers from developing countries. This gives me hope that this Velo-city will have more emphasis on serving the bicycling needs of disadvantaged people than I have seen at previous Velo-city conferences.

One unexpected and fun encounter at the conference, which I have already enjoyed, is that my Airbnb host in Nantes is Mirella at Chronovelo, a local cargo bike delivery service. That’s her in the photo. She and her company are working at the conference to haul around conference necessities. Pretty cool, eh?

One month and I’ll be on my way to Nantes! Oui, Oui!