Hi Eric,

I'm a Bogotan, a boardmember of l"Heureux Cyclage- the french network of DIY bike kitchens, and a bike researcher. I volunteered, founded and  helped run bike kitchens in France, Switzerland, and the US, and my research is about the role of bike movements in ecological transitions.  Bike culture is different in Bogotá, there is no bike community centers, but there are a lot of colectivos/collectives, based all over the city, organizing rides and being influential within their own territories and beyond. They have the relational networks, the imagined communities, and they exercise their right to the city by occupying the streets during their rides, but they have no space of their own. I have been talking with the bike manager of the city, a close friend of mine, about looking into using the city ressources to grant them space, and let them do their magic, but so far this is only an idea we have discussed. What there is a lot of, and it differs from what exists in North America and Europe, are what we call "emprendimientos sociales", that is small-scale businesses centered around the bike often with a political outlook serving as well as gathering points for some communities. If you do come to Bogotá let me know, I will be here until the beginning of september, and Foro Mundial de la Bicicleta is happening next month in Manizales. 

Alejandro

On Sun, 25 Sept 2022 at 20:48, eric clough via Thethinktank <thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote:
Any knowledge amongst the Think Tank about community-style bike shop in Bogota, Columbia?  I am preparing for a visit to the Bogota area and would like to 'engage' (voluntourism?) with Bogota bicycle culture.  Ciclovia is definitely on my list!

Eric
Front Street Community Bike Works
Coos Bay, OR (US)
 
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