Transcript

00:00:03: Hi everyone!

00:00:04: Welcome back to Next Stop.

00:00:06: This is a special takeover of the TTT, Talking Transport Transformation brought you by Toomey, The Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative and I'm your host Sanaa Khasaneh, Youth Ambassador on Inclusive and Sustainable Transport.

00:00:25: It's been awhile.

00:00:25: we have posed for couple weeks but now are strong a new background, as you can see.

00:00:34: And we have our guest—a very special guest actually from the Philippines.

00:00:39: Please join me in welcoming Jayza Rodriguez.

00:00:43: She is a bike commuter community organizer and bike mechanic.

00:00:49: How cool it's that to have a female who works on bike repair.

00:00:54: Hi Jayza!

00:00:55: Thank you so much for joining us today.

00:00:58: Hi Sana and hi everyone who are watching this from all over the world.

00:01:05: I know that you're a girl with a bike tattoo because your so obsessed with biking, building an inclusive and sustainable community of cyclists but i want to focus on being a bike mechanic.

00:01:22: How did that start?

00:01:23: how Did you get into this?

00:01:24: was there a moment and incident That happened with You, that made you think oh i need to learn.

00:01:30: How To repair my bike.

00:01:31: I Need to Learn how to take care of My bike And I need to Learn what to do in cases Of emergencies because Anything can happen when we are on the road right or maybe Was There A person that inspired you to Get Into This?

00:01:43: tell us The story.

00:01:45: Yeah, so I usually get this question Especially when i'm teaching people how to ride a bike and how to repair their own bikes And the story actually begin in.

00:02:00: So I've been bike commuting in twenty seventeen and up until now, so it's about ten years.

00:02:05: Now And my interest in bike mechanic or bike repair really started when i was having a career break In twenty-twenty two ,I bought My bike in my hometown with the tire pump and patch kit.

00:02:21: of course It was like uh an adventure time so it was.

00:02:26: I know that i would need to know how to fix my own bike.

00:02:30: So, I watch youtube videos park tool videos on how to repair my flat tire but I know the confidence is still not there.

00:02:40: and later when I went back to this city also had a realization There's no female bike mechanic in the bike shops usually started the idea of learning to fix my own bike so I would volunteer to bike shops and later on, i learned that there's actually a bike school in Singapore that teaches people how to repair their bikes.

00:03:07: And normally because you know it is fun and meditating to fix your own bike ,I'd usually film myself post stories about online communities and bike groups would reach out to me, ask if I can also teach them how to repair their own bikes.

00:03:28: So it really just started with a career break adventure...to answer your question shortly!

00:03:36: Yeah, this is very interesting.

00:03:37: I don't think we have a lot of female car mechanics.

00:03:41: even when i was at the university girls that were enrolled in mechanical engineering programs where very few compared to male students.

00:03:53: but uh...I think there's need.

00:03:55: There are gaps on market and it's important open eyes for young girl That you could do as well.

00:04:03: You know when I was first training to get my driver's license, My father told me like...I need to learn what do in case of an emergency.

00:04:12: Like..I need check the oil, I need to check for temperature and air pressure on tires And there are basics that i needed know how to do in case I go through any emergency situation on the road, especially when sometimes you are driving in a place where you could be out of service.

00:04:33: You don't have connection and... ...you need to know like how to deal with this kind of situations And i think that same applies to cycling right?

00:04:42: But we talk about repair doing something technical for bike or car sounds a little bit intimidating.

00:04:52: How do you basically patch your service to people?

00:04:56: Like when you are planning a repair workshop, how do you tell people that this is skill they need to master if you rely on cycling as an everyday mode of mobility.

00:05:08: I think it's looking at the bicycle repair and also looking for the same with car repairs And I think the perception about how we see car and bikes as a form of transportation can really shift, How We See Repairs.

00:05:25: So if you need to learn... You said it yourself that your father would tell you That you need To Learn How To Fix Your Own Car!

00:05:33: It's your form Of Transportation.

00:05:35: for me My Form Of Transportation Is Bicycle.

00:05:38: For Me To Be More Resilient have a more reliable form of transportation which is my bicycle, I would definitely have to learn how to fix it anytime and anywhere i am.

00:05:52: So in terms of intimidation uh...I think my answer would be yes or no.

00:05:57: Bicycle mechanic or bicycle repair can be intimidating at times but..i think its primarily intimidating because women especially are not informed about And the bicycle industry is also very male dominated as of now.

00:06:15: But, you know we have more initiatives like women mobilized women global feminist transportation network.

00:06:24: so it's really important to have those types of coalitions and organizations too like float more women in the transportation sector because again, The city is designed by men.

00:06:38: So if you have more women talking about information on bike education I think we can present a bicycle repair as less intimidating.

00:06:50: It's just really about floating and having more education around it to make it less intimidating.

00:06:57: Yeah, I totally agree with you.

00:06:59: But is it actually difficult to learn?

00:07:01: Like how do you make sure that every cyclist is well prepared to deal with any emergency situation?

00:07:07: Do they need to have Any kind of emergency gear similar to the ones most drivers Have in their cars?

00:07:15: yeah so for me since i've been biking For almost ten years usually carry a bike bag tire levers that you can use to remove the tires in the tire rim, tire pump patch kit just incase you need uh...you have to fix a flat tire and some maybe lubricants for chain and you also need to learn how to fix your drop chain.

00:07:44: so just having the essentials in your bike bag can really help you a long way especially if you're biking in a place where you don't have a bike shop.

00:07:54: You can easily like fix your own bike, even save up for it!

00:08:00: Yeah, that's really interesting.

00:08:02: But since you've been biking for like over ten years now what would you say from your experience as a mechanic?

00:08:10: are the most common issues that cyclists go through on the road?

00:08:15: And maybe you can tell us also how they overcome them?

00:08:20: So I think this one specifically have been going around during my workshops, like specifically the women students.

00:08:30: They would usually tell that the saddle The part of the bike where you sit are Usually uncomfortable and This is because most of the saddle That has been manufactured by the bicycle industry Has been designed to male anatomy.

00:08:49: So you cannot expect female anatomy to be comfortable in that same design if it's really designed for male anatomy, so these are some of the discussions.

00:09:01: and then the second one would be uh the design of the frame...so most of the cycle well I guess depends also on type of bike..So If You're using a bike commute bike You can definitely have a more relaxed positioning.

00:09:22: It also depends on.

00:09:23: sometimes you have bicycles which are more aggressively positioned like road bikes, aerodynamic bikes and mountain bike.

00:09:33: so it depends also on the rider.

00:09:37: Sometimes, these types of discussions in terms how comfortable you are on a bicycle is usually not being discussed.

00:09:45: Because again most bikes are designed for men.

00:09:49: so it's the discussion also about design that needs to be discussed within the bike community.

00:09:59: And I think in terms of mechanical, my students would always say that they want to learn how to fix a flat tire.

00:10:07: How to fix drop chain and sometimes the squeaky parts of the bicycles.

00:10:14: So I would usually tell them to first learn what are the parts of a bike so that you know how to diagnose them, it's also like... How do you also diagnose person or car?

00:10:28: Or anything really!

00:10:29: You need to identify the parts before you diagnose them And then type of tool, would you need to fix that part?

00:10:40: So yeah those are the some of the things that are usually discussed me by my students and also my experience.

00:10:51: This is super interesting Jayza because I think in the mobility and transportation space we talk a lot about how vehicles and cities aren't designed to accommodate women's needs.

00:11:05: But you are bringing a unique lens to this conversation which is related how bikes were designed and could they affect the health of women, especially that they weren't designed to accommodate the anatomy needs.

00:11:25: I saw an interesting post on Instagram about how women should take care of their health and of their hygiene during the periods, especially who rely on cycling as a daily mode of mobility.

00:11:41: Can you tell us about that?

00:11:43: Because I think also listeners are going to be interested in learning more about this like ministerial health and cycling.

00:11:52: So what i can share is more practical tips.

00:11:56: so definitely you can bike even if your have period.

00:12:01: you know it's not a barrier for you to move around but there are definitely um ways to make sure that you're comfortable enough when you're biking around the city or even when you on a bike tour.

00:12:15: So things like menstrual cups can be very useful for women because one, creates a lot of garbage because you can just put it inside and It can catch up until twenty four hours off your period.

00:12:32: And its really hygienic, I think also cheap Because You only need to buy for like...you Can use it For two years!

00:12:43: Yeah..You can Just wash it and keep After Your Period.

00:12:48: Aside from that.... You can Also Think About Getting your own Saddle in a more like a feminist.

00:12:56: No, not feminists Like design for female anatomy saddle.

00:12:59: Well we can say that it's a feminist saddle because its designed For Female Anatomy And also getting the nutrients That you need Because you know biking is Also very physical activity.

00:13:12: So making sure You have adequate nutrition Your hydrated and you Have enough space for you to rest also.

00:13:26: Yeah, I think it's important that we plan our journeys ahead of time.

00:13:32: when we are having periods whether were driving or walking and even cycling It is very important mentally prepared as well.

00:13:45: taking enough time to be well rested before we cycle is very important and you mentioned hydration, being well fed eating healthy food will help a lot during cycling.

00:13:58: Now I would like talk about the aesthetic side of cycling because i believe that one of most beautiful things in cycling culture is your bike becomes an extension of your personality, right?

00:14:13: You have to add certain elements that make the bike stand out.

00:14:18: So you can easily spot it when you park in a parking space or basically represent yourself, represent things you stand for.

00:14:28: I see people adding stickers maybe ribbons and bills.

00:14:34: How do you decorate your bike?

00:14:37: and as a bike mechanic, is this something that you discuss in your workshops?

00:14:44: I definitely don't discuss accessorizing the bikes because i think also their creative freedom on what they want to do but when i do have my workshops, I would ask my students to bring their bikes inside the classroom so we can usually check it out and see what type of gears they have.

00:15:07: What types of brakes they have because there are a lot different parts or bikes also.

00:15:14: So its included in this discussion To answer your question for the longest time ,I don't really decorate my bike even if Like an expectation for a bike mechanic to have a decorative bike, but For me I really see my bike as A form of transportation so utility bikes.

00:15:36: So.

00:15:37: But right now.

00:15:38: I'm easing into putting some stickers in My bicycle.

00:15:43: i just put the dinosaur sticker In my bike And Some Phrases about Transportation and uh, using some use parts in your bicycle.

00:15:59: So it's about reusing recycling and yeah I think its also me thinking up- thinking of what type of sticker should i put on my bike because I love my bikes so much!

00:16:13: And I don't want to put something that...I will regret.

00:16:18: Yeah..that is about it.

00:16:20: But

00:16:20: hey!!

00:16:21: Think About It like This could be an additional service that you offer.

00:16:25: You can design your own stickers and bring the accessories people would like, And sell it in a new workshop!

00:16:33: So think about this.

00:16:34: Jayza We want to grow your profession as well.

00:16:44: Amazing Do have a bike care routine?

00:16:49: Because basically I think especially when you rely on cycling everyday People shouldn't just leave their homes and get on the bike, just start cycling.

00:17:01: They need to check their bikes first right?

00:17:04: Like do you make sure it's clean... Are there certain things that you checked before you started cycling?

00:17:12: Yes definitely!

00:17:13: So during my workshops I would tell students ABCD so A for checking air B for checking breaks C for checking chain and D for drop.

00:17:28: so every time I go out, i would definitely check these parts of my bike just to make sure that I am safe.

00:17:38: And also...I can safely back from the trip!

00:17:45: In terms of maintaining my bike, it's well lubricated especially the chain part because its usually exposed and I would usually send my bike to a bike shop for bike wash once in maybe quarter because i travel a lot so my bike really attracts a lot of dirt and dust outside.

00:18:13: In terms of the noises, I usually fix it myself.

00:18:17: I'm proud to say that i can do it now Before I would just like oh my gosh!

00:18:22: I don't know how to do this Like...I would send my bike to a bike shop but Now..i am confident and have the tools.

00:18:29: I already knew all about parts And im already trained in doing these and even teach people How To Do It.

00:18:34: So....I just do it myself.

00:18:37: Yeah, that sounds amazing.

00:18:38: But do you think that repair culture is becoming a little bit rare?

00:18:44: Like are people more likely to repair their bikes and fix their bikes when they're struggling with some mysterious noise or when there's struggling with the specific issue of their bike

00:18:55: Or

00:18:55: Are They Likely To Replace It?

00:18:59: What Do You Think Is The First Thing That People Think About ?

00:19:02: Is it A Big Trouble To Repair The Bike and replacement would sound easier, maybe cheaper for people.

00:19:10: What's your perspective on that?

00:19:12: I think it depends upon the severity of part of bike.

00:19:17: so say for example a flat tire can definitely be repaired but if its about gears then I think some level of assessment would be needed if it needs to be repaired or replaced.

00:19:39: In terms of repair culture, i think its really interesting that the more young people are into repairs right now not only on bicycle but even clothes and appliances.

00:19:58: computers out of their mobile phones because they don't want to be connected.

00:20:03: so I think there's a rise on repair culture at least in my point-of-view.

00:20:12: is it cheaper to repair?

00:20:14: definitely but, you also need to have certain skillset before repairing.

00:20:20: sometimes if your not equipped for repairs you might have more damage than repairing the thing that we want to repair.

00:20:34: Definitely, there is an increased environmental awareness among younger generations.

00:20:39: so people would like to repair things and fix them as long they can be fixed instead of replacing it.

00:20:48: I love this about generation because we care for our planet very much drawn into this consumer culture.

00:20:58: But what if the bike itself is beyond repair?

00:21:01: Does it get recycled, can we turn it in to something new or what happens?

00:21:08: Yeah, I think i saw a very interesting perspective on bike repair recently because we had this job with the University of the Philippines Bike Share Program and it was stuck since in the first glance, you would say it's beyond repair.

00:21:33: But I think bicycle can be forever if they are well maintained.

00:21:40: so the thing about bicycle parts especially You can like the brands like Shimano, you can easily get a new part and have it fixed.

00:21:50: And that's what we did with the UP bike share!

00:21:53: Now We are happy to be able to revive fifteen bicycles from The Warehouse.

00:22:00: now I think they're ready To Be Used.

00:22:03: What i think is You just need to make sure that if you don't want your bike totally beyond repair, it's well maintained.

00:22:14: Make sure its bike wash is well lubricated and maybe bring the bike once in a while at a bike shop or even do it yourself!

00:22:26: You know what Jayzah?

00:22:27: I'm following on Instagram and really enjoy seeing the many vlogs that you post whether on your stories or as reels, sometimes on LinkedIn.

00:22:41: I love how you portray cycling not just a mode of mobility but also freedom and movement in an interesting way to explore the city stories from your travels, like when you were in Denmark and traveling across Europe as well.

00:23:02: You shared a lot of interesting insights about cycling.

00:23:06: so even if you've been cycling for ten years in the Philippines to you it's totally new adventure an interesting way to explore new cities.

00:23:15: Can you tell us how do you stay safe?

00:23:17: As a cyclist How do you film your vlogs without being distracted?

00:23:27: Well, I think one of the most interesting books that i read influencing the way I portray or film my post online was The One Pleasure Politics by Adrian Marie Brown and Joyful Militancy.

00:23:53: I forgot the two authors, but those two books were really instrumental in how i see movement or biking as a whole.

00:24:04: The idea was that you should marry or you should merge the idea of joyful activity for me-that's biking and an idea of social issue.

00:24:18: so... For me, biking is already like my favorite thing to do and exploring different parts of the world is another.

00:24:30: And I think because of my background as a youth leader, who's also been into politics for quite some time... ...I have a certain lens on what does it look like in a place?

00:24:50: is interesting for people because I think it's not only me.

00:24:54: It's also like a lot of us, most all of us.

00:24:57: we have different lenses on different things.

00:25:00: i can see A girl biking outside and you can have a different perspective about it And You know its just really the fusion Of all my experiences as an organizer As a feminist I'd say Brand Ambassador.

00:25:22: I love storytelling and i think that's how people are more engaged in, like... ...say it and tell my story and experiencing a different city.

00:25:35: So yeah How do make sure am safe?

00:25:41: I'm just used to filming at certain moments like with my one hand, I know it's not safe but...I just make- I don't know.

00:25:52: I think you develop this certain kind of alertness when your biking also for a long time But i dont recommend to everybody

00:26:04: Yes please stay safe and if u are cycling in busy lane there so many people think about filming some other time, or maybe when you reach a safe place.

00:26:18: Or make few stops to film but don't cycle while being distracted.

00:26:25: This is not recommended by both of us.

00:26:29: Since you mentioned that You are active in political spaces and advocate for better cycling infrastructure Let's imagine the Metro Manila municipality.

00:26:42: give you the power to change, um...the operative speed of the streets in your city.

00:26:48: Let's say that the City started operating at a bicycle-speed instead our car-speed.

00:26:55: How would that change?

00:26:57: The way people experience this city

00:27:01: Wow!

00:27:01: That is gonna be life changing.

00:27:04: To have more relaxed and more slow paced Streets will be how you see people, like the pacing of children walking to their schools and even older people can really appreciate it.

00:27:25: And I mean if i have that power ,I would do right now not tomorrow but right now!

00:27:33: I think people deserve more spaces which make them feel safe.

00:27:41: Everybody needs that type of space, you know.

00:27:45: But unfortunately here in the Philippines we don't have that I think luxury for now and i-i think We also Don't Have More People In Power Who Can Decide And who can Push That Agenda To Have more Spaces.

00:28:05: Because I Think Most Of Us Here Especially in The Philippines are more into using cars, because again we don't have public transportation like adequate public transportation.

00:28:20: So people would just think that it's really more comfortable to use a car but also its going to save all your time being stuck in traffic

00:28:35: Absolutely.

00:28:36: and also is important for us as the younger generation to be physically active.

00:28:42: If we are driving, if you know like working in offices sitting eight hours a day that is not good for our physical health.

00:28:53: it's not good mental health.

00:28:55: so cycling as an everyday mode of mobility helps us stay well connected with our bodies and keeping Joins healthy and all of that.

00:29:06: So there are a lot health benefits to cycling.

00:29:10: I know it's your greatest passion in life, you have the tattoo on your arm.

00:29:18: from everyday mode of mobility It became something you share with the world.

00:29:26: What would say for young people who aren't into cycling yet?

00:29:31: If you want to tell them that it's a way to rediscover themselves or rediscover their cities and countries, what would your message be for young people?

00:29:44: One is if we don't see biking as the form of transportation.

00:29:49: Well look at it like meditation in a way where one wants to take a break because Every day every waking they we are very connected online.

00:30:01: But I think biking can really help us be like this connect and connect to ourselves.

00:30:08: I Think that's a really good way to explore our city Be connected with yourself, and these are the things that you cannot buy.

00:30:18: These are things that You get two experience when your biking.

00:30:23: so It's really, it can give more energy and gives ideas to young people especially if you're trying to discover what do next.

00:30:35: I discovered this when i was having a career break so who knows we could have more bike mechanic in the Philippines or outside.

00:30:45: Absolutely, I believe a lot of people will be inspired by your journey and how you got into bike repair.

00:30:54: And i think that they might be interested in learning more about your journey.

00:30:58: so im going to add your LinkedIn profile & Instagram profile as well to the description box and invite everyone to check them out!

00:31:07: Even reach out to learn more about this interesting work.

00:31:13: Jayza, we have reached the end of our episode.

00:31:16: So... We are at our final stop.

00:31:20: What would be your message to the listeners?

00:31:22: Is there something that you're looking forward too?

00:31:25: in the next weeks?

00:31:27: Yes!

00:31:28: I've an upcoming workshop with Filipino athletes and I'm going on a bike commute workshop to help them bike going through their trainings and hopefully become more, we can have more Olympians in the Philippines.

00:31:45: And if they want to reach out to me.

00:31:49: I'm on Instagram and on LinkedIn even Facebook so that's

00:32:02: amazing!

00:32:03: I hope everyone enjoyed this episode.

00:32:06: Super interesting conversation with you, Jayza.

00:32:10: So please listeners let us know in the comments do you know any female bike mechanics?

00:32:17: Please Let Us Know and maybe You can tag them as well.

00:32:20: we would love to build a community of Female Bike Mechanics And if you want To bring Jayza & One Of Her Bike Workshops to your city feel free to reach out her and Lets Build A Community that embrace cycling as a mode of mobility, way to explore the city and our communities.

00:32:46: Until next time see you!