Concordia Journal Home > Archives > May 7, 2009 issue >

Local bike co-ops gear up for summer 

By Anna Sarkissian

Cycling aficionados assembled on campus last Saturday for Allégo Concordia’s drive by tour of Montreal community bike shops.

Facilitated by Bettina Grassman, a volunteer at Concordia's Right to Move RTM, the ride included stops at seven co-operatives where members can learn to fix their bikes for a nominal fee.

"It's really exciting what is happening in Montreal right now," Grassman said, alluding to the recent crop of workshops, which have opened in the last two years. RTM, which has been around for 12 years, is jokingly referred to as the "mothership" of bike co-operatives. They offer grants and assistance to emerging shops as they establish themselves.

During the tour, a dozen cyclists rode together from co-op to co-op, including Leila El-Murr, a McGill chemistry student who recently moved here from Texas.

"Where I'm from, there are no co-ops, only shops," she said. "Shops are more interested in keeping my money. I would definitely learn more skills from a workshop."

At the Mile End Bike Garage on Van Horne, volunteer Hana MacDonald echoed that sentiment, telling the group, "We're not here to make money, we're here to empower people."

After a picnic lunch by the water at Jarry Park, the group traveled onwards to Park Extension and Université de Montréal.

Lise Herrmann from Les Dérailleuses/Women in Gear, a women’s bike collective, explained their mission before the group set off from RTM.

"We just want to create a safe and welcoming place for people to learn about bikes," she said.

See a list of community bike workshops in Montreal.