On a balmy September evening, FCCB hosted our first women-only open shop night. Participants were encouraged to bring their own bikes in for repair or maintenance, and lots of questions. Desiree Kuhn, who formerly wrenched at Bardstown Road Bicycle Co., was our expert mechanic for the evening. She ran through some basic maintenance tips such as removing a rear wheel, greasing a chain, changing or patching an inner tube, and checking brakes and gears.

Special thanks to Desiree for rocking this event!

A couple of FCCB members worked on project bikes, including a donation in need of some TLC, and a change-out of headset, brakes, and shifters.

Why a women-only night? While all of our FCCB mechanics are knowledgeable, courteous, and respectful, not everyone feels comfortable going into a space that is likely to be male-dominated. A women-only event provides a welcoming environment and opportunity to learn from other women. Participants can gain confidence in their repair skills in an environment that encourages them to experiment and ask questions. Johanna Bleecker, of New Hope Community Bikes (a community bike shop in Hamilton, Ontario) has a great blog entry about why she decided to start a women-only night there.

If you’d like to see more women-centric events at FCCB, let us know via Facebook or email. We’d love to hear your suggestions.