The citizen project of the biking school and its role in the construction of an urban cycling culture in Tijuana

Abstract

Since 2003 there has been evidence of bicycle rides in Tijuana promoted by citizens' initiative; in this framework arises the biking school, based in Otay Mesa, where people initiate in bicycle rides. The objectives of this article are to record the model of biking school’s ride, identify the competences they consider should be part of the training of a cyclist and recognize the relationship between of what has been learned with biking school’s ride. The methodology considers documentary review and ethnographic techniques: participant-non-participant observation and semi-structured interview to leaders and participants of Otay Border Cycling (OBC) and Orgullosamente Pedaleando in Baja California (OPBC) cycling groups. The results find the biking school as a citizen project to promote cycling that breaks down cultural barriers, and builds cyclists capable of riding safely in areas without cycle-inclusive infrastructure in a group, or proficient in making their own route, ride on varied terrain, communicate and negotiate the space with the motor vehicle.