Accessible transportation is the key to success—hence the newspaper’s name and the goal of free public transit. Car culture positions the automobile as a status symbol, one that rivals home ownership, with a cost comparable to rent. In contrast, the bicycle serves as a counterweight to this hegemony. Often seen as the motorist's worst enemy, it is, ironically (but not surprisingly), a powerful tool for efficient, green, humane, and even faster transportation in urban areas. In short, cycling is an ideal solution to the problem of last-mile mobility, a persistent blind spot for public transit systems.
While significantly more affordable than cars, bicycles can still be out of reach for many due to both cost and infrastructure challenges—issues that often spark public debate. This is where self-help and community come into play: bikes need maintenance, which requires tools and knowledge. Community bike workshops fill this gap by providing shared tools, expertise, and a space to foster community, ensuring that cycling remains truly accessible. These co-ops are the perfect antidote to individualistic car culture, which physically isolates us from one another. What does car culture have to compete with, besides capitalism and racing (something bikes were doing 26 years ago, only better)?
In short, the bicycle aligns perfectly with the fight for accessible public transit. It addresses the last mile and offers the real freedom that drivers dream of when they see car commercials on TV. However, to maintain accessibility, we need to collectively support and sustain bike culture—bike co-ops are the cycling equivalent of collectivizing transportation. See you soon, without cars, by metro and bike!