Local biking club YVR Fixed has been at the heart of OCB’s community for many years, and this winter, the collaboration continued. We caught up with their founder to find out how others can get involved in the fun!
Partnering with Vancouver’s local cycling communities is part and parcel of what Our Community Bikes (OCB) does. From Youth Club to Pedals for the People program, to the refurbished bikes sold in our shop, we exist to serve individuals and organizations across Vancouver who need access to affordable, safe and secure transportation… supported by the city’s incredible biking community.
So, when YVR Fixed coordinated an alleycat to help boost OCB’s Winter Fundraising Campaign, we were thrilled, but not surprised; it was the cherry on top of incredible support the cycling club has given to OCB for many years.
So who are YVR I hear you ask? Well, for anybody looking to get involved with the fixie scene, we spoke with club founder, Aska about how the group was founded, how they collaborate with the local community and how others can get involved.
Their moto? ‘As long as you love fixed gear, and want to hang out with rad people, then you are welcome!’
Quick lingo breakdown
- Fixie/Fixed gear- A fixed-gear bicycle commonly known in some places as a fixie is a bicycle that has a drivetrain with no freewheel mechanism such that the pedals always will spin together with the rear wheel.
- Alleycat- An alleycat race is an unsanctioned bicycle race. Alley cats almost always take place in cities, and are often organized by bicycle messengers. The informality of the organization is matched by the emphasis on taking part, rather than simple competition. The races normally run through cities, with checkpoints along the way but no set route. Solid traffic, pavements, red lights, and even stairs are all fair game, which makes the races unpopular with police, motorists or pedestrians – and normally illegal.
How was YVR Fixed founded?
When I found out about fixed gear bikes after high school I fell in love with it instantly. Like many people around the city, I mostly rode by myself, and that lasted for about half a decade.
It wasn’t until around 2017 that I wanted to find others that share the same passion for fixed gear bikes as I did. I didn’t know anyone in the community at the time. I looked online for fixed gear bike groups, but all I found were a couple groups that had become inactive, and Nightridersyvr, which was way out of my league at the time.
I thought to myself: There are fixed gear bike groups in other bigger North American cities, why doesn’t Vancouver have one? Given the counterculture quality of fixed gear biking and the city’s love for outdoor sports. It seems to be a prime location for this subculture to thrive.
Eventually, while I was building a new bike at Kickstand, when it was still at its old location by Commercial Dr, I learned from Eric M about the annual St. Valentine’s Massacre, the longest running alleycat in NA. That was my first alleycat race and my first exposure to a community bike event.
From there I met Matthew W., who would become the first member of YVRFIXED. We would meet up and ride around the city together, and in 2018 with the help of Cyrus S, the fixed gear meetups started. From Thursday meetups to the current Fixie Fridays. With a lot of passion and effort, the group slowly started growing every year, until it has become the entity it is today.
Why the fixed gear bike? What would you say to somebody to convince them to give fixed gear a go?
You will hear from someone who rides a fixed gear describe how you’ll become one with the bike, how it’s so much more exciting, and how simple and straightforward the riding is. It’s all true and so much more! A fixed gear bike will respond to everything you tell it to do. It’ll go as fast or slow as your legs will spin, it’ll turn on a dime if your heart so desires, and you will be part of a group of passionate cyclists who love cycling so much that they prefer to ride it in its purest form.
What are the main barriers for people getting into cycling in Vancouver?
With fixed gear bikes, money isn’t usually the factor that’s stopping you from getting into cycling. The biggest barrier for people getting into cycling in Vancouver is the lack of protection for cyclists riding in the city. Even though cyclists are legally allowed to ride on the main city roads, oftentimes cyclists are pushed to only ride on bike paths, which some are along the hilliest parts of Vancouver, or they contain so many roundabouts where car drivers can be seen speeding through them without regard to other road users. New cyclists can be easily intimidated by impatient drivers bustling through the city.
How are you folks involved in the local community? What other kinds of events do you coordinate?
YVRFIXED holds regular meetups throughout the week all year long, rain or shine. Other than our weekly Fixie Friday social meet ups, we have tracklocross rides on Thursdays in the cold season, and Thursday Rush Rides in the warmer months, as well as a trick meetup on Tuesdays.
What’s special is that while I created a few group rides, these other nights have been spearheaded and implemented by other club members. Our members are from all walks of life. We have folks that work in community bike shops, compete in the local bike polo club (East Van Bike Polo), and participate in an array of bike events and group rides in Vancouver. We held bike events and races every month in 2024 (Hill climb races, tracklocross races, and alleycat races).
We also organize a Summer Crit Series for fixed gear bikes every summer since 2022. We’re likely the most active cycling group in the city that runs all year long.
Why is supporting OCB important to you? and how have you worked with OCB in the past?
Words cannot describe all the help OCB has provided to the cycling community throughout the years.
Before changing the world, it’s important to know that by supporting your local communities you will have the most impactful influence on how your city will shape.
We have members that work for HUB cycling and community bike shops. By supporting OCB, we also support all the folks that enjoy all the physical and mental benefits a bike can bring, especially if they are facing barriers that prevent them access to a bike. Other than participating in OCB’s events, we have recently held a fundraiser race for OCB’s Pedal For The People program.
What local ride would you recommend to somebody who wanted to try out a good fixed-gear ride?
If you want to ride a fixed gear bike with other people. Our Fixie Friday meetup is the best place to start. You will meet with people that share the same passion. Fixie Friday is a social ride that usually starts around 7-7:30pm and goes well into the night. It’s a nice way to explore the city at a chill pace with multiple stops for food, hangouts, and drinks.
Find out more about YVR on their website, or follow them on Instagram