User:Soniamaset

Born and raised in Brampton Ontario, I’ve always loved cycling, though never felt confident in maintaining my bike outside of inflating my tires despite working at Sport Chek for 5 years. When I first stepped foot in the bike co-op in Peterborough, my appreciation transcended into something deeper. Through the volunteer mechanics that helped me rebuild two bikes, grease my bearings, and dispelled myths about winter cycling, I learned that cycling is so much more than padded shorts and expensive frames. Cycling is a tool to build equity, competence, health, and most importantly: community. Before the pandemic, I spent a year and a half in Southeast Asia riding my bike every day and experiencing how cycling infrastructure leads to better cities. I saw first-hand how alternative transportation infrastructure could mitigate the traffic congestion, road rage, and obesity epidemic that gets worse every year in Brampton.