Vancouver’s Greenest City 2020 Action Plan affirms its goal to make the majority of trips on foot, bike, and public transit.

The city has undoubtedly made progress in its active travel agenda, expanding and extending greenways, developing cycle parking services and investing in public bike share. 

The numbers are going in the right direction. The volume of people commuting to work by bike doubled between 2006 and 2016; nonetheless, we are nowhere near the critical mass required to achieve modal shift targets. Although more than half of all trips in the city are under 5 km, over half of these trips are currently made by car. Indeed, ‘doubling’ of cycle commuter traffic may sound impressive, but when you realize this is still less than 3% of trips, the veneer of progress dissipates quickly.

Maintaining modal shift means prioritizing youth

Meeting Vancouver’s targets with the “commitment and creativity” outlined in its action plan, means starting from the bottom, with the city’s youth. 

Repeated evidence demonstrates that instilling environmentally conscious behaviours in formative years, helps establish life-long relationships with sustainability. Unless the city is able to encourage and facilitate a youth transport transition, the next generation of Vancouverites are destined to remain shackled to the combustion engine. 

However, there is a problem; at present the stats don’t look good. Just 4% of children in Canada cycle to school, and perhaps even more alarmingly, over half of kids living less than 5 minutes away from school drive there.

At OCB, we firmly believe in the power of youth engagement, and the value active and sustainable transit brings, not just to young people themselves, but their families and wider communities.

So how will we get kids on bikes… and keep them pedaling? 

OCB, alongside other initiatives in Vancouver and neighbouring municipalities are turning the next generation of transport users away from the car.

Getting them riding

The first step is getting youth on bikes to begin with, however, equipping young people with the skills, knowledge and confidence to ride is no easy task. Although many have the privilege of parental guidance, others rely on external support networks.

This is where HUB’s ‘Everyone Rides Grade 4-5’ comes in, providing elementary students with the education and training to ride their bikes to and from school.

“We are offering a safer way for students to get daily physical exercise and move within their community,” says Lorraine Smith, Program Manager.

The course, which is Led by HUB Cycling and funded by the Ministry of Transportation and Transit, is delivered by partners across the province to elementary schools.

As part of the course, students participate in a lesson on safe cycling, learning fundamentals such as parts of the bicycle, helmet and bike inspections, how to ride responsibly, and other key knowledge.

Students then practice on-bike skills using simulated traffic scenarios around the schoolyard, challenging their bike handling skills and road knowledge through drills, games, as well as shared pathway and intersection scenarios.

It is not just a Vancouver initiative. The program, now in its 5th year, is being delivered in South Okanagan, the West Kootenays and a range of other areas across BC, with the goal of reaching 142+ public schools and over 14,200 grade 4 and 5 students across the province.

HUB is also adapting its resources to expand the program to reach beyond metro areas.

“We have just developed a teacher-led program we piloted in Powell River and Campbell River, and hope to expand to other small communities,” reports Smith.

Keeping them riding independently with mechanics skills

Learning to ride is just the first step in developing a cycling culture amongst young riders. Getting to grips with cycle mechanics is equally critical. Uncertainty around bicycle maintenance is a major deterrent for many young riders.

To help tackle this, Our Community Bikes’ Youth Bike Club is a free drop-in bicycle mechanics program, which has been in operation across Vancouver for over 5 years and aims to empower youth with riding and mechanic skills and build confidence and community around biking.

Every first Tuesday of the month, young people from across Vancouver convene at the OCB shop and learn vital skills required to independently maintain and service their own bikes. Students can either build a bike for themselves (Earn-a-bike scheme), learn how to repair and maintain their current bicycle or partner with a Young Riders program to build a bicycle for a younger student.

“Bike club is a fun place to go each week to learn about how bikes work, meet people, and hang out! It’s a really nice atmosphere and everyone has always been super inviting and helpful. I’ve only been coming for a couple months, but I’ve learned a lot and plan to continue coming for a while!” says Leah, a Bike Club Participant.

This self-sufficiency is also critical for making cycling more affordable, not just for participants themselves, but their families too. To improve affordability, OCB also partners with MOBI (Vancouver’s public bike share provider) to coordinate the Youth Community Pass, amongst participants, further enhancing the affordability of cycling and the spectrum of options available.

Understanding multi-modality 

Getting kids out of the car requires installing an understanding of the range of options available beyond the automobile, and opportunities for combining active travel with public transportation. 

While many youth may be confident bike riders, they are not necessarily as canny when it comes to combining their bike with the bus.

Many bus routes in Canada are equipped with bike racks, and in Vancouver, all TransLink buses have bike racks (accommodating two bikes), attached to the front of the bus. Yet, how to prepare a bike before the bus arrives, communicating with the driver, using the rack’s support arm and keeping an eye on the bike while traveling are all important elements of this process, and require guidance when starting out.

Understanding this will be critical in extending the distances users and able- and willing to- travel by bike.

One scheme “Get on the Bus” is prompting a nationwide shift in youth engagement with public transport. The initiative, which was inspired by Kingston’s (ON) Transit High School Bus Pass Program offering complimentary bus passes and transit training to students in Grade 9 to 12, works with municipalities and school boards across the country to do what it says on the tin… get kids on the bus!

“It is about making sure young people know their options beyond just jumping in the car,” says Dan Hendry, Co-founder, Program Director.

With support from the Small Change Fund the scheme seeks to hook young people on public transportation at an age when they develop transit independence, initiating travel habits and cultures which continue into later life.

The training involves not just navigating buses with bikes, but understanding how to identify insecure situations to ride safely. 

“Keep in mind, these are 16 year olds, an age when the car and the cultural cache it brings is a right of passage,” says Hendry.

“So we need to get the public transit mindset in beforehand, inserting multi-modal thinking in their formative years. Give them a good experience on a bus and, while they might not pick it up straight away, over time the change will happen.” he continues.

The scheme is now in action across other municipalities in Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Alberta. 

Where can we go next?

These initiatives are a good start, but at present they reach just a fraction of the youth population required to produce a comprehensive modal shift towards active transportation. Large schemes like the Active Transportation Fund may be building up infrastructure, but without targeted interventions like Everybody Rides, Youth Bike Club and Get on the Bus, they will not inspire the next generation of transportation users. 

Are you a municipality, school or youth club looking to support youth into biking? Check out these resources for further information and guidance.

• Get on the Bus provides useful information and advice on their website.
• Durham region’s toolkit is an ideal basis for educational resources on cycle safety 
• British Columbia Cycling Coalition hosts a series of information pages on safe cycling which can form the basis of youth engagement
• General tips for getting kids riding are available on BikeClub.com

OCB coordinates a range of activities for youth. The OCB website is a resource for those seeking more information and ideas about possible formats for similar initiatives.

The post From cycle mechanics to bikes on buses: Three initiatives revolutionizing youth transport choices appeared first on Our Community Bikes.

Cycling is more than pure pedal power, getting from A to B in the fastest time possible. It is about enjoying the outdoors, being part of life on the street, and the whole social ecosystem which comes with this. However, for many more senior folks or those with limited mobility, accessing the opportunity to cycle can be challenging.

This is where Vancouver Cycling Without Age comes in.

Founded in the spring of 2018, the registered society uses the trusty bicycle to reduce social isolation and increase both mental and physical health for folks in their older age. The concept is simple. Using a trishaw, a pedal propelled vehicle with a two-person bench on the front and a volunteer Pilots pedaling (e-assist in the back), volunteers visit care homes, senior centers and community groups to offer rides to those who want to view the world by bike, but may not be able to ride themselves.

What are the main ambitions of cycling without age? 

Wherever they are, whenever they want, we want to be there to provide seniors and individuals with limited mobility with a joyous adventure on our trishaw where they are seen and celebrated in their community and can feel the wind in their hair. 

In a broader sense, we want to tackle social isolation and ageism. We want seniors to feel connected to their communities, even long after they lose their independence, and we want this city to be a place where seniors are respected, loved, celebrated and included. 

How has the organization grown over the last few years? And where do you see yourselves going over the next few years? 

We started in 2018 as an idea. By 2019, we had our first trishaw. Now, we have 6 trishaws and are on the road every day from May to October. 

This past year, we grew by an average of 35%, pedalling 1,000 passengers 3,500kms across the city. We have 22 volunteer drivers operating the trishaws at 8 facilities. 

Next year, we hope to double our reach and number of volunteers. And over the next couple of years, we hope to establish hubs in different parts of the city where our trishaws can be stored, so that they are accessible to more facilities across the city.  

How do you feel cycling without age has changed what ‘cycling’ means? 

For us, cycling is not about getting somewhere in a hurry. We have no destination – it’s about the journey. We go slow and focus on connecting with our passengers and having them connect with the community  around them. Our trishaws are the tool with which passengers can be seen, and  can see the world around them. When we cycle, it’s a great reminder of the power of cycling – which is a time to focus, rid yourself of distractions and worries and just be in the moment.  

Why do you feel western society, particularly in large metropolitan areas, often overlooks seniors’ wellbeing? And how do you feel cycling without age confronts/ changes this? 

In our society, I believe that senior wellbeing is too often overshadowed by transactional care. With limited resources and even less time, always racing around from one thing to another, we often focus on what seniors need and neglect what they want and what they deserve. We forget that aging is still living, and that anyone, at any age, deserves to experience love and joy, not just medical care. 

The irony here is that a neglect of recreation has a direct, negative impact on the health of seniors that we are trying so hard to address. Research shows that social isolation, for example, is linked to greater risk of disease, disability, and cognitive decline – even more so than obesity.  So, because we treat seniors in this very prescriptive way, we have come to see them as just a drain on our community and our resources, rather than as fellow humans who have much to share and much to still live for. 

With CWA, our focus is on recreation. It’s on seeing, supporting and celebrating seniors, one trishaw ride at a time. When the public sees a senior on a trishaw cycling around the  seawall, there’s an exchange that happens. They wave and the senior feels seen and once again connected to their community. But that passerby who waves does not just see a care home resident – they see a neighbour – they see a fellow human out enjoying the world around them. 

How do you feel changes in cycling, particularly the introduction of new technologies  like e-bikes, has helped individuals cycle into older age? 

For us, it’s huge. Our rides are not possible without our e-assist motors. We can take seniors farther and for smoother rides than ever before. We can access off-road trails, scale minor hills and essentially allow seniors to access any space in the city. This would not be possible with manual bikes, particularly with two people on the front. For example, a standard duet bike is great, but it’s 1 to 1. By having two passengers, we have grandchildren that join their grandparents on the trishaw for a ride, or two friends in a care home facility that are able to get out together and socialize during a ride. These intergenerational connections are made possible by our motorized trishaws – that and the amazing love, care and leg strength of our volunteers! 

What types of partnerships have cycling without age established to maintain and expand its work?

We are fortunate to have all sorts of incredible partnerships. Our core partnerships are with the facilities that we serve. We think of it as a partnership, because we work together to offer this service to residents. They help us to communicate with residents, prepare residents for their rides, invite family members to join, and get them outside to load onto the trishaws. We couldn’t do it without them! 

We work with public and private facilities across the city. We’re also very fortunate  to have many wonderful individuals and foundations that support our work through providing storage space, and funding. Food Stash Foundation is our wonderful warehouse host where we store all of the trishaws and work out of.  

Fundraising is a big part of ensuring the future of organisations like yours, how do you  find innovative ways to raise money and awareness? 

It’s never easy, but the reality is that we need funding to do what we do and to expand and meet the growing demand. Yes, the bikes are big pieces of equipment that are expensive, but they  also require storage, insurance and regular maintenance. Then we have to pay for staff to manage everything and for a website and systems to schedule these hundreds of rides we do each month. The list goes on. 

We also host community rides where anyone from the public can sign up for a ride. This is great for seniors who are still living independently and their families, but it’s also a way for our bikes to be out there in public more, to be seen on a Sunday in Pacific Spirit Park, or stopped at Convivial Cafe & Bakery at Leg-In-Boot Square listening to music on a Saturday afternoon. 

What kind of further support do you feel would benefit you? 

More funding, more accessible grants and more volunteers! Funding is always great. This will always be a limiting factor, but that’s the same for any nonprofit. 

For us, I think the two biggest areas for support are spaces and recreation-based grants. And a lot of grants do not focus on recreation-based activities, so we are hoping for the city of Vancouver and for foundations and organizations who grant funding, to recognize the immense value of seniors to our community and of outdoor recreation for their health and well-being. We all win if we do this. 

What recent cycling without age project/initiative/action are you proud of? 

I think our Grandparents’ Day rides this past September really stand out to me. We had 4  generations of families come out and go on rides together. I had one very fit young woman who ran beside the trishaw with her dog while her mother and grandmother were on the trishaw (we don’t go very fast). It was so impressive and was so fun for all of us to cheer her on the whole time as we pedalled! That intergenerational connection is probably the part that I adore most and am most proud of. 

Want to know more about accessible cycling?

Building better biking means working together. Ensuring accessible cycling for all is at the heart of Our Community Bikes’ work, but it takes cooperation between advocacy organizations, local municipalities and others to achieve our goals. Check out the other articles in our blog, which together, provide a comprehensive overview of Vancouver’s progress towards cycling for all!

Want to find out more? Check out Vancouver Cycling Without Age’s website HERE.

The post Keeping the bike dream alive with Cycling Without Age  appeared first on Our Community Bikes.

Analyses of schemes over the last decade exhibit that users are disproportionately young, male, white, highly educated, and from higher income groups. Women in North America and Europe make up only a quarter of users, while individuals from low-income backgrounds and people of color are also far less likely to use bike share services. 

Instead, it has been community bike shops which have been transforming access to cycling for low-income communities, people of color and less represented gender identities.

At first glance, community bike shops and bike share appear to be adversaries; the first helping folks own and maintain their own bicycles, the latter providing cooperative wheels. However, they are in fact on the same side of the battle to bring cycling to the masses.

As a result, working with community bike shops is a unique entry point for the cycle share sector to engage more comprehensively with diversity and inclusion in a targeted and durable way.

You can read the full article online HERE

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We spoke to their team to find out how they are striving to serve the city’s population, and what they have planned for the future.

How did Mobi start out, and why was there a need for public bike share in Vancouver?

The City of Vancouver, in partnership with Vancouver Bike Share Inc. (VBS) launched Mobi, a bike share program designed to increase daily bicycle use, fill a gap in Vancouver’s transportation network, improve transportation equity, and reduce emissions and congestion caused by vehicle traffic.

Can you define Mobi’s vision for the future of Vancouver’s transit landscape in a sentence?

Sustainable, accessible, and affordable urban mobility in Metro Vancouver.

What are the city’s major barriers to accessible and inclusive transportation? And how does Mobi bridge these gaps?

Vancouver faces several barriers to accessible transportation, including an incomplete cycling infrastructure network, limited affordability, and gaps in integration between different modes of transport. Many public transit options are not fully accessible to people with disabilities, and cycling infrastructure is not always connected nor available where people want to go. Additionally, public transit fares can be prohibitive for low-income individuals.

While there’s still room for improvement, Mobi by Rogers helps bridge these gaps by offering an inclusive, affordable bike-share system. Its fleet includes bikes designed for ease of use, and the docking stations are accessible to a wide range of users in neighborhoods that transcend socio economic borders. Mobi’s flexible pricing, including reduced fares for low-income residents, makes it more affordable. The service also complements public transit, helping people reach areas not well-served by buses or trains.

Mobi is in its 8th year of operation. What have been the key milestones for the company?

One of the first was completing our initial launch of 1,500 bikes and 150 stations in 2017.

Then in 2022 we introduced ebikes to our fleet, expanding to Point Grey and UBC Campus.

Another high point has been creating and operating an equity program (Community Pass) that gives qualifying individuals access to bikeshare for only $20 per year. The Community Pass program has a number of qualification methods including referrals from over 70 local community organizations, non-profits, and government organizations. These partners include organizations that support women, youth, seniors, recent immigrants and newcomers, low-income people, unhoused people, people with disabilities, racialized people, and Indigenous people.

And of course, reaching over 1 million rides in one year in 2023 and again in 2024 has been incredible!

What have been the key challenges you have faced, and what do you see as some of the key challenges for the future?

The economics of running a station-based world-class bike sharing system is challenging without grants and public subsidies. Most major bike share systems in North America are owned  and/ or funded by their municipal, provincial, and federal governments. It’s challenging to keep costs low for users when we rely on ridership revenue to fund our operations and capital expansions. 

We continue to work with partners like TransLink, HUB Cycling, and the Public Bike Share team at the City of Vancouver to ensure that bike share remains a reliable transportation option.

Does seasonality affect ridership? And if so, how do you deal with/ adapt to fluctuations in usage?

Very much so. Ridership declines as the weather gets colder. We run campaigns to educate the public on riding safely in the winter – it’s more doable than many believe! We also run special promotions during some of our slower months or leading up to the Spring to boost sales. We use this time effectively to plan for the following season, so that we can put our best foot forward – not a moment wasted!

Many cities around the world have public bike share. Does Mobi ever engage with/collaborate with other public bikeshare programmes to develop services?

Yes. We are members of the North American Bikeshare and Scootershare Association (NABSA) and attend their annual conference to connect, share, and learn from our counterparts across North America. 

How are you working with grassroots/local cycling advocacy organizations to help promote active travel?

We run several marketing campaigns annually with HUB Cycling – sponsoring their events like Go by Bike Week, Bike the Night, and community bike rides to educate people about the value of bike share & cycling. We also provide annual donations to help support their advocacy work.

The cycling sector faces significant challenges in regards to diversity, and many organizations have struggled to recruit more diverse teams. How has Mobi addressed this challenge?

We strive for diversity, equity, and inclusion in all areas of our operations. We have an active DEI committee that conducts training with all employees upon hiring, provides DEI training to all department Managers to incorporate into their hiring practices, and works to foster a healthy and safe environment for our employees to work.    

And to end… What is your favourite Mobi dock station and why?

I think it has to be the one on 10th & Oak, by Vancouver General Hospital – mostly because of its location, it’s off-street under big, beautiful trees. It’s also used frequently by hospital staff, so I like to think that we’re doing our part in helping people as well.

The post The future of Vancouver’s public bike share: OCB talks to Mobi by Rogers appeared first on Our Community Bikes.

Equipping yourself for winter cycling can be a challenge. There are always many things to consider, and asking for advice can feel daunting, especially if you’re surrounded by folks who appear to know what to do. 

How do I keep warm? How do I stay visible during the dark hours? How do I protect my bike from rusting? 

Luckily, Our Community Bikes’ Inventory Coordinator, Gari Sullano, is on hand to provide some useful tricks and key items which will keep you pedaling during the winter months.

1. Make sure you have full coverage fender sets

These are important not just for keeping yourself dry, but also protecting your bike from the wet weather, as it minimizes road spray going into critical components (e.g. lower headset bearings, bottom bracket/crankset/chain), thus slowing down wear. Some models even have mud flaps so your friends don’t get blasted in the face riding behind you.

2. Light up!

Staying seen is often difficult so make sure you have a light. void blinky/flashing lights as these can be distracting to other road users. Try and get USB rechargeable models as this makes it much easier (and cheaper) to power up.

3. Keep chain lubricant on hand

Riding in wet weather and through puddles can introduce water and/or road spray into chain components (pins/rollers), displacing light-weight lubricant. This means frequent reapplication is also needed. Wet lube is preferable as it usually has better staying power; nonetheless, chains still need to be wiped down on the outside to prevent gunk accumulation on other drivetrain components (chainrings, rear cogs, rear derailleur pulley wheels). Even a little chain maintenance is better than none!

4. Get yourself some gloves

This one is a no-brainer- cold hands suck straight up. Wearing gloves also improves your ability to control the bike and operate the brakes, so it is a worthwhile investment. Doesn’t need to be fancy. Just something to keep your hands warm.

5. Try a Safety Pizza

Safety Pizzas are the world’s most delicious safety device! They’re composed of a high-visibility, reflective ‘crust’ and reflective ‘toppings’ that you apply yourself to increase your visibility to other road users… and improves your ability to ride safely to the real pizza parlour. 

We sell them here at OCB, so come on down and get yours!

Beyond that, Gari’s glamorous guidance for riding safely:

• Dress/prepare for all weather conditions (layers are always better than bulky clothing)
• Consider flat pedals so you can fit inside warmer socks and boots, instead of cycling shoes
• Frequent bike cleaning, particularly the drivetrain and rim brake tracks – so make sure you keep time for this

And finally… Be aware of your surroundings and do not trust fallen leaves, your tires will slip out!

Stay safe out there!

What does a cyclist ride in the winter? An icicle!

The post Winter riding top tips appeared first on Our Community Bikes.

Local community bicycle shops and cooperatives all over the world are proving indispensable for combatting costs while breaking down other barriers to accessibility.

“Our goal is to keep people pedaling, regardless of income, providing for and empowering underserved communities,” Sarah Thomas, Executive Director of OCB, told Cycling Weekly in a new article which explores how community bike shops around the world are keeping local neighborhoods on the saddle.

The article hears from OCB and many of our peers in the USA and UK, with tips on how the industry and public sector can support us.

Read the full article HERE.

The post OCB in the news appeared first on Our Community Bikes.

It is that time of year. The dark lingers longer, the rain never seems to stop, and the cold bites down hard.

Getting out of the house this time of year can be a tough task. For those of us who bike, we pull on mittens, hats and numerous pairs of socks, ready for the chilly pedal to work or school; our breath lights up the cold air, and pulling up to the traffic lights, there is a stab of jealousy at the folks sitting cosy in their cars. 

Cycling can be tough at times, especially in winter. However, life truly is better by bike, and Our Community Bikes (OCB) is here to remind you pedal power is the best way to get around- even in December.

Over at OCB on Main Street, the holiday cheer is in full swing. We’re looking forward to our staff party (all gifts exchanged constructed or sourced from reused materials), our Winter Fundraising Kick-off Party brought together old friends and new faces, and our joint event with Kickstand and Bike Kitchen was well… pretty awesome! 

We are incredibly proud of our work over the last year, and it has been fantastic to see our shop continually buzzing with customers, our regular access nights bringing together new and enthusiastic riders, and our youth programs packed with inquisitive kids, all getting stuck in. 

It has also been wonderful to witness the progress made by the 35 Gear-up participants this year, who have achieved so much while training with OCB. Gear Up is a free 13-week program that equips youth ages 15 – 30 with the skills, certification and employer connections necessary to work as a bike mechanic. We are gearing-up (pardon the pun) to bid farewell to one student, Bird, who has been an incredible addition to our team as they undertook their practicum placement with us over the past 5 weeks.

This year we were also proud to convene Second Gear, a peer-led educational event for entry-level professionals of equity-deserving genders in the commercial cycling world. An institutional focus on developing mechanical aptitude has left a noticeable gap in the theory behind foundational field niches. Second Gear seeks to fill these gaps through peer-led discussion and collaborative resource sharing, bolstering personal confidence and longevity for those already within the industry.

Our team has also been hard at work refurbishing bicycles, which are now on offer at affordable prices over at our store, alongside a huge variety of used and new parts. So if you are in need of a new pair of fenders, handlebars or even a derailleur, but are worried about the price tag, come on down and take a look at our affordable (and quality) parts starting at just $10! 

The need is greater than ever, but we need your help to meet it!

While there is much to celebrate, the high- and rising- demand for our services exposes the growing need for more affordable and accessible cycling solutions in Vancouver. We have donated over 150 bikes to kids and adults in need this year alone, and requests continue to come in. 

Meanwhile, our Oppenheimer Repair clinics (which provide free bike and mobility device repairs in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside) continue to see high demand, and we have provided over 1400 critical repairs so far this year.

Much of our work depends on volunteer support, and although we were fortunate enough to receive over 950 volunteer hours last year, our resources are stretched.

This is why this year’s Winter Fundraising Campaign is more critical than ever. Grants only support 30% of repair clinic costs, and now the pilot is over, we need to be able to ensure its continuation. 

We have been blown away by the amazing support we have received from our local donors, who have rallied round and helped to provide the vital funds we need. At a time when living costs are rising and many in Vancouver are finding it difficult to make ends meet, the community spirit is stronger than ever.

Looking ahead to 2025

Like most of you, we will be taking a hard earned rest over the holiday season, and our shop will be closed from Monday Dec 23rd 2024 to Thursday Jan 2nd 2025.

But do not fear, we will be back, ready to support you with all your cycling related questions, concerns or challenges.

Come on by!

The post OCB, a year in review appeared first on Our Community Bikes.

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