MANILA, Philippines – Kla Siddayao, a working mother from Quezon City, wanted to learn how to fix her own bike after an encounter with a dropped chain during one of her commutes.
She’s resolved on being “more mindful” of how to handle her bike, especially since she brings her son around with her cargo bike.
Anyone who bike commutes in Metro Manila knows it could be an ordeal. More if you’re a woman with a child.
Siddayao joined a small group of women, led by bike mechanic Jeza Rodriguez, one Saturday learning the basics of bike repair. In the room, what is most apparent was their shared love for cycling.
In front was a green gravel Traction bike on a repair stand.
“They feel more safe in this kind of setup,” Rodriguez told Rappler during the break, when everyone else was enjoying their food from campus favorite Rodic’s.
“Because you don’t feel like you’re asking the dumb questions. And you also know that if you commit a mistake, it’s okay because this is a space for you to learn, not to perform,” she added.
And they did laugh at their mistakes.
At one point, after removing the rear wheel of the gravel bike, Rodriguez asked Siddayao why she grabbed the 6-millimeter Allen key to remove the rear axle. Siddayao stared tentatively at Rodriguez, then at the bike, until someone quipped, “Vibes?”
Know your bike and your tools
The first part of the workshop was dedicated to learning the different types of bikes and their parts, the array of bike tools available and their uses, and bike maintenance practices one can do regularly.
The 27-year-old bike mechanic said doing repairs is not that difficult as long as you’re well-versed on the basics and you’ve taken the time to practice beforehand.
“Take some time to learn your bike and study it like you’re studying your route,” said Rodriguez. “Because again, if you know how to fix your bike, it will be easier for you to go out and have the confidence to ride your bike.”
The basic tools in her bag when she goes out for a ride, which she tells students to bring with them too, are the following:
- Multitool
- Spare tube
- Tube patch kit
- Pump
- Levers
- Chain lube
For the rest of the workshop, the women practiced how to remove the front and rear wheels, change inner tubes, fix a dropped chain, and change and clean break pads.
Volunteers were also at the workshop to share their knowledge, among them Ajj Morales who demonstrated and guided the group on the use of tire levers and removing inner tubes. Pushing down a tight tire away from the rim and wedging the curved end of the lever in between could be tricky.
“What if you’re wearing nail extensions?” Morales asked the group during her demonstration. She answered her own question. “Ay ‘day, I’ve done this with nail extensions on!”
More women on two wheels
All this work just to get more women out on the streets on two wheels.
“The hypothesis of this program is if we have more women who know how to fix their bike, they can be more empowered to ride their bikes and use it as a mode of transportation,” said Rodriguez.
In 2023, active transport group Mobility Awards counted only 5,912 women on bikes out of 147,800 bike commuters. That’s barely 5% of the total count.
The reasons that deter women to bike commute are not surprising. Some have shared stories of harassment on the road, and the futility of reporting to the police or concerned authorities.
These are on top of the usual concerns of people who try active transport in metropolitan areas: the lack of bike infrastructure and the hostility of other road users toward bikers.
Rodriguez had called this workshop — the third installment of a series that started this year — as her “happy place.”
It was a feeling of security that rang true with everyone else in the room. A familiar one that usually comes in any all-women gatherings.
At the end of the workshop, the women rode their bikes around the University of the Philippines in Quezon City.
If anyone had a flat tire, no worries, a bevy of girls can fix it.
– Rappler.com
Quotes translated for brevity.