Bike Minds with Melissa Bruntlett and Chris Bruntlett

In collaboration with Bike City, Produced by the City of Toronto.

Picture a Toronto cyclist, and what do you see: a well-to-do downtowner riding a “fixie”, or a sporty suburbanite clad in Lycra? Look a little deeper though, and you may be surprised by what you find.

BIKE MINDS is Toronto’s bicycle-themed storytelling event, where guests share personal, positive, and inspiring stories related to cycling.

Over its first four sold-out events from January to April 2018, BIKE MINDS explored cycling through four themes: Belonging, Lifestyle, Discovery, and Identity. We heard stories from a wide range of backgrounds, including newcomers, neighbours, civil servants, and community leaders, who've all had unique and powerful experiences related to cycling.

The theme of this special-edition episode is Bikes+Transformation, and will feature stories of how cycling has transformed people’s lives, plus a story from Melissa Bruntlett and Chris Bruntlett of Modacity about their new book, Building the Cycling City. 

This event is produced in collaboration with Bike City: How industry, advocacy and infrastructure shaped Toronto's cycling culture, an exhibit currently running at The Market Gallery. Bike City is produced by the City of Toronto.

6:00PM - Doors open
6:30PM - Event starts
8:00PM - Stories end, mix-and-mingle

FEATURING STORIES FROM:
- Melissa Bruntlett and Chris Bruntlett, Founders of Modacity and Authors of Building the Cycling City
- Mahita Thota, CultureLink Bike Host Mentor and Toronto Newcomer
- Coralie Bruntlett, 12-year-old Vancouverite who rides a bike (but isn’t a cyclist)
- Dean Psarras, the "Converted Cyclist": husband and father who hated his car commute and started biking instead
- Madeleine Cho, Youth Volunteer at Charlie’s Freewheels and Mental Health Advocate

The bicycle supports the first steps of newcomers to Toronto, brings us closer to friends and family, and teaches us more about ourselves than we ever could have imagined. Whether you’re a casual rider, a passionate advocate, or simply a fan of great storytelling, we hope you’ll join us in celebration of all the bicycle has to offer, at this positive and inclusive event.

BIKE MINDS is co-hosted by Matt Pinder, author of the blog Beyond the Automobile, and Michelle Kearns, transportation professional and cycling researcher at the University of Toronto.

To find out more, visit www.beyondtheautomobile.ca/bikeminds.

This special edition of BIKE MINDS is made possible through the support of the City of Toronto, the Metcalf Foundation, and our volunteers. This event is family-friendly and the venue is accessible.