What is Bike!Bike!?
Bike!Bike! is an international, annual gathering organized by and for community bicycle projects. The conference is a space for participants from shops and related advocacy groups to converge in a different city each year over a 4 day period to have workshops and strengthen our social network.
What is a community bicycle project?
Community bicycle projects do many different things. Some use bicycles to change society, the economy, or the environment. Some have community bike shops. Some promote bicycle use and making their communities into places where riding is easier, more inclusive, safer, and more fun. The list below uses the criteria found in the old Bicycle Organization Organization Project for what constitutes a community bike shop. The bike project need not meet all these criteria. Rather, it is a general list of qualities which are common among many bicycle projects.
- Bike shops that are accessible to people without money
- Organizations that recycle bicycles and parts
- Shops that have an educational focus, teaching others how to fix bikes
- Shops that are volunteer run
- Organizations that ship bikes to communities in other countries
- Shops that provide free or low-cost services to the community
- Non-profit bicycle organizations
Who is invited?
You don’t have to be an expert or belong to a huge group, you just need to be willing to share what you know about organization, mechanics, social impact, addressing inequality, and increasing accessibility to cycling in your community.
What types of workshops will there be?
Workshops are organized and run by attendees. They can be about anything that might concern community bicycle projects and can be in any format including presentations, hands-on workshops, discussion groups, and bicycle rides. If you would like to host your own workshop, you can enter details after registering. What ends up in the final schedule and when they happen are decided on by the conference hosts.
Where can I stay? What can I eat? How can I get around?
Traditionally conference hosts arrange shared accommodations, one to two meals a day, and bicycles will be available for registered attendees. However you should check the conference details on the current conference. More information on how you can arrange your own accommodation and recommended places to visit should also be provided to you by the hosts on the conference page or upon arrival.
Can I volunteer?
Yes. Please!