World Ride Online Movie Night to Support Program for Women Mountain Bikers in Botswana by jsg2

15 Comments

ticoslayer (May 20, 2021 at 20:40)

Boy, the immediate effort that goes into identifying what could be/go wrong with a good intention are so imbalanced compared to the eagerness to volunteer or inquire on how to make things better.

kinematix (May 20, 2021 at 5:16)

That is one sweet jersey

torj (May 22, 2021 at 20:21)

Didn’t take long for internet trolls to hate on this. What’s with people?? As @petalpushr said above ! Spread the bike love!

petalpushr (May 21, 2021 at 13:41)

Love this program! Spread the bike love!

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uzurpator (May 20, 2021 at 1:11)

I'm sure the first, and foremost problem of women in Botswana is mountain bike shortage.

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Levin192 (May 20, 2021 at 1:38)

You're looking at this the wrong way. Mountain biking ain't gonna fix the world. And I don't think it's the intention of this project anyway. Look at it this way. If some time on a bike can take your mind off the everyday struggles that living in a country like Botswana brings with itself, especially as a woman, I think it's a worthwhile effort to support.

dump (May 20, 2021 at 7:08)

@Levin192: Do tell what the struggles of living in Botswana are? Botswana is managing its affairs quite well and has one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

matadorCE (May 20, 2021 at 7:55)

Same can be said of any country ever

disruptiveone (May 20, 2021 at 9:17)

@dump: True. Also, having travelled in Botswana and seen the country, where are they going to ride? How are they going to service these and get parts? Import duties are in the 100s' of percent and there really is no place to ride as the distances are massive, the wet season is sooo muddy that not even a 4x4 can get through easily.

laceloop (May 20, 2021 at 10:25)

@Levin192: thats a nice thought but a mountain bike is a financial burden. you need brake pads chains cassettes derailers bearing bottom brackets and everything else suspension services brake bleeds and some experience to install that stuff and perform services. its very fun to do and one of the best activities ever i think but dropping off some mountain bikes in botswana even if there are trails seems kinda pointless.

matadorCE (May 20, 2021 at 10:30)

@laceloop: So don't bother because they're poor? Big assumption on your part.

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jsg2 (May 20, 2021 at 11:38)

@laceloop: I just wanted to jump on and say that World Ride does not just drop off bikes in the places that we work. We establish sustainable programs that involve maintaining bikes, working with locals and making sure that each program works with the culture of the country we are working in so that it can be successful long term.

laceloop (May 20, 2021 at 13:02)

@jsg2: that makes much more sense. thank you for clarifying.

sonuvagun (May 21, 2021 at 1:31)

Your sentiments are more likely correct than not, but it seems that most people who can afford to do an expensive hobby like mtb, have day-to-day experience of how ruthless people can be over the smallest of things.

I remember living in Poland in the early 2000's, I'd imagine that a similar program at that time would have just seen a lot of women get their bikes stolen and possibly beat up for their troubles (@dump, at that time Poland had the fastest-growing economy in Europe so do the math on that one).

djm35 (May 21, 2021 at 3:55)

Given that there are no mountains, every plant is thorny, (including the grass) there are little to no ridable trails and the climate is seriously hot. Having lived there, any kind of cycling is challenge for man or woman.