holidaze update

Happy Holidays!

a big thank you to everyone who came out for the BBB Warehouse event!
Check out pictures here and here

and for some really good news, we were able to renew our lease for another year. Another year of low overhead, another year of great opportunity.

We've had some great events this past year, and you can be sure that we're going to be doing even more in 2009. Every week, we're meeting more people who're looking to get more involved as well as being introduced to people who're already doing some great stuff around town.


Upcoming News...

Bicycle Workshops!
Thanks to demand, there is one already scheduled for early January, which will include things such as what to look for in a quick check and some basic mechanics. If you're interested in becoming a volunteer mechanic, or just want to join in on a workshop email us at zombiebikes@gmail.com and we will work on getting a second workshop organized in the upcoming month.

January Movie Nights and Women's Ride part deux!
Come Out and Have Fun!



On January 23 through the 25, several of us will be heading to Atlanta to take part in Bike!Bike!, a regional gathering of bike shop members. Besides these dates, Zombie will have the following regular weekend hours: Friday afternoon, Saturday 1-5 and Sunday 1-5. Weekday hours will be a little more fluctuating, but count on someone being around tuesday and thursday afternoons.

Finally, look forward to Zombie Bikes hosting (what will start off as) a small zine distro. We've got some zines coming in, some racks need to be built and details need to be finished. But I'm hoping we will be able to pick up the radical literature outlet that was lost when heartworks and intertia closed their doors. If you write a zine, or know someone who does, again email us with the lowdown, we want to push good local stuff (and not just here, if you're local and you're good, we will support you when we go out of town for things such as bike!bike! and various other polo/alleycat/bike events).

come visit us!

hugs and kisses
from the ZBBC

Movie Night!!

schedules and bikes to be painted

alright, so far, the december schedule is going to be a little rough
definite days that we will be open are
Monday 11-late
Friday 1-5
Saturday 1-5

we still have some frames up for painting for the upcoming BBB, just head on up, if somebody at Zombie isn't here, go next door and the Burro Boys will help you out! Doesn't matter if you're an artist or just a dabbler, deadline to get it back is going to be the week of december 15th.

and we will be watching the movie Dark Days wednesday night at the shop!
8pm sharp!

hey all,

we still have two frames available to be painted by local artists or just those who like to dabble, deadline to have them back is going to be the week of the 15th




lastly, check out our myspace at http://www.myspace.com/zombiebikesjax
for some new photos of a recent field trip from a nearby afterschool program
and bike polo shots via Tisa

the women's ride

There have been some questions as to why I would be co-hosting a women’s ride and I think it’s important that I clarify why such an event is important and why I am a part of it.

As a biker in both Jacksonville and Philadelphia, I have had to deal with a lot of intimidation. The fixed gear community is a male majority. Going to bike shops both here and in Philadelphia, I’ve had to deal with a lot of shit from bike mechanics deciding I didn’t know what I wanted. A couple examples from Philly, when I first went in to have my polo bike set up, thinking it would be better to get a ‘professional’ to install the braking system, I had to go in three times before it was done how I wanted it, because the guys didn’t think I knew what I was doing with my brake set up. It took a lot for me to even begin playing bicycle polo in such a decidedly male messenger town. Most weeks I was the only girl, and it was a balancing act trying to assert that no, I wasn’t there to hook up with a “hot” messenger, that I just wanted to learn, but at the same time not coming off as a “bitch” and proving I could play. It was frustrating, and at least once I almost quit, but I loved playing so I kept going.

I don’t want Jacksonville to be that male-dominated biking town (and I’m not saying that it is). I don’t want other girls who’re getting into biking to face the same sort of stumbling blocks. I want to see chicks on every level of the biking community. Because biking is fun, it’s liberating and it’s a great form of transportation. I’ve talked to a lot of people (not just girls) who have told me they don’t like doing the weekly Jax ride known as ‘midnight mass’ because they feel intimidated, because their bike isn’t “cool” enough, that they don’t feel comfortable in the mostly male, cliquish, environment. It’s become a somewhat macho thing.

Well Aimeee and I are establishing alternatives rides. We want everyone to feel included, with also a possibly more convenient time. The first step is going to be this women’s ride. We want to see every type of bike there, from cruiser to bmx. We want women to feel included, no judging, just fun.

After this ride there will be more, and not gender inclusive. This is just the beginning and we are looking forward to hosting a series of just fun, themed rides in the near future. So if you’re a boy, keep your eyes out; if you’re a girl who couldn’t make it to this one, keep aware. Jacksonville can be a sweet biking town with an inclusive bike community. But nothing happens overnight, and this is just a step, one we hope in the right direction.

Also, just a post note. I am not saying that midnight mass is a horrible ride, I’ve gone several times and it is fun. I apologize if this reads like I’m attacking anything/anyone, that is not my intention. For events/movements/etc. to be successful, one has to constantly question why, and improve upon things found lacking. There can be more than one ride; there can be more than one group.

<3 Cherri