It's called Bike4All and takes place every month on the second Sunday. In this relaxed ride, those who have less experience riding a bike - but want to gain "stamina" in the city - can learn from more experienced people.
Starting to ride a bike in the city of Lisbon may be something that many people will not consider for two reasons: first, because they don't know how to ride a bicycle; second, because they are afraid to do it in an urban environment like that of a big city. To help address these two issues, the project Aunt Bina is launching free bike lessons and helping to promote an inclusive ride every month, the Bike4All.
Tia Bina's classes and Bike4All tours make perfect sense together: on one side, you teach the basics of riding a bicycle in a controlled environment; on the other, beginners can try their hand at riding in the city, on accessible routes and in an informal setting where they can meet other people. The Bike4All rides take place monthly on the second Sunday of each month - the next one will be on November 13th - and are open to all people who enjoy cycling.regardless of your level of experience or confidence.
To participate, you just need to be at the meeting point at 9:45am: Praça Duque de Saldanha, in front of the Atrium Saldanha building. O this month's route (every month it varies) goes through Alameda, Mountain Valley Urban Park, Roma-Areeiro railway station, Campo Grande, University Stadium, Avenida dos Combatentes and Praça de Espanha. If you have any questions, you can join the Bike4All WhatsApp group. If you are looking for classes, Tia Bina has open enrollment for three classes that will start this second week of November at the Forno do Tijolo Market, in Arroios.
"There is a huge gap between knowing how to more or less ride a bike and going out on the street to ride alone"says Mark Lange, a 50-year-old Brit who moved to Lisbon eight years ago. Mark, experienced in bike riding in several cities for over three decades, helps Ricardo Sobral in Tia Bina's classes and together they boost Bike4All (they have some other help). When the Tia Bina project started in 2019, they felt that many participants did not continue to practice and did not get to ride utilitatively in the city. "So we tried to start creating these walks to show that you don't have to be afraid, that it's going to be very easy. Nobody here feels challenged."
Bike4All seeks to bring together experienced cyclists and volunteers who will support you along the way, if necessary, with safety and comfort tips, tools for minor repairs, and good company to enjoy a new way of living the city. Because cycling in Lisbon is easier and more enjoyable in the company of other cyclists, on the Bike4All tours you ride in a calm way, at the pace of the slowest person (nobody gets left behind), in areas with little inclination and preferably on bike paths. At the end, there is time for conversation and a picnic in a city park.
The routes are always different, which makes the tours more interesting for those who want to do them every month. "Some people are experienced in using a bicycle but don't know all the places in the city. Cristina, for example, started using her bike to get to work but only this year with Bike4All has been discovering the city"says Mark. Cristina, 53, a math teacher and also one of the organizers of Bike4All, started riding her bike with GIRA. "First, basically just bike paths. Now I'm venturing out into the middle of the road and through traffic."he says. "The bike paths are still very patchy. There is still a lot of work to be done by the City Council. It's a matter of time." The Bike4All rides have given Cristina more confidence to risk getting off the bike paths. "Outside the bike lanes, it's more complicated to get around, especially during rush hours, because people drive more aggressively. But the experience is generally positive."
Cristina was one of the many women who decided to participate in Bike4All's October ride. The group started in Saldanha as usual, followed Avenida da República to Campo Grande, turned to Avenida do Brasil and to Alta de Lisboa, passed by Quinta das Conchas, and from here returned to the central area of the city, finishing in Jardim da Amália, with a picnic in Parque Eduardo VII. "For people who don't know about bike paths, these rides can help them learn about routes in the city. If today's route was included in the places I have to go, I would feel more comfortable doing it now because I already know how it works."Tânia, 34, a project manager in the sustainability area, tells us.
He works from home and travels mostly on foot or by subway ("i am privileged to have a station on my doorstep"); but if I had to choose the bicycle, I would think twice. "When there are bike lanes, I feel safe. But there are many places where there is a lot of interaction with cars and at those times I don't feel comfortable to use the bike, because I know I will encounter conflict situations."he says. "I think it's super violent to have drivers yelling at me or honking their horns, and I don't think anyone has to deal with that when they're just trying to get from A to B. It's a lack of civility." In Cambridge, England, where he lived, it was quite different. "I did all my biking there. It's a smaller town that has a great bike culture. There were plenty of bike lanes and the population was very bike conscious, which makes it so that even if you don't have a bike lane you feel safe."says Tânia.
Edite, 41, a language teacher, also has experience abroad, where she used to use the bicycle quite often. In Lisbon, she is just starting to take her first steps. "I'm starting to use it for short routes and for more local things, in the neighborhood"he says, explaining that he uses the GIRAs for these trips. "If it's just bike paths, I feel pretty comfortable. But when I have to go a little bit off the bike paths, I'm a little more afraid but I try to be a little careful." Edite lives in Benfica but works in Estoril - the train would be an option, were it not for the "last mile" to get to school not finding a bike lane. Through a friend, she has in recent months joined a few rides - she debuted in the Lisbon Fancy Woman Bike Ridewent to a LisBORA ("but I didn't feel very comfortable; they are rides far ahead") and had also tried the KidicalMass. "I needed practice and this ride is more suited to people without much experience. I thought it was a good opportunity to practice a little more."he explains.
Sara, 33, is a store clerk in a pet store, and on her daily commute between Amadora and Odivelas she doesn't find it safe to use her bicycle as a means of transportation. "It's not one of the safest routes in terms of safety"describes. "Currently, it is not so easy for me to use the bicycle as a means of transportation. I really only use it for leisure." Bike4All is helping you win that "resistance" that you say you need in order to pass the "consider the bicycle" in their commutes to work. "I'm starting with the easier laps to then build up the stamina to continue. I've had several bikes that I didn't use, and I've always sold them, returned them, etc. It's just that the bug always comes back. I used to ride alone, but I've found that in a group it's much more fun."he says.
Next Sunday, November 13th, there is a new Bike4All rideAnd everyone is invited to participate - more experienced or just starting to ride for the first time. And this week they start free bike lessons with Tia Binawith registrations almost closed.
