We’re starting a new project where we will regularly profile active co-op members to inspire and tell other of their contributions and accomplishments with the support of the shop. If you would like to be profiled or know anyone who you think could be a good candidate, please let us know.
My name is Paul
a Ng. I am a partner of a web development company based on Protection Island, Inner Core Design. I am also a mother of two awesome school-aged children. I have been biking since I can remember and taught my kids how to bike as soon as they could walk. I use my bike to visit business clients, do banking, shopping in the North end, do the recycling (glass, metal, plastic, styrofoam) take my kids to their soccer games (they ride their own bikes), and occasionally (I wish this was frequently) get a chance to go on a pleasure ride.
I love the speed and volume level of biking (less on/by the road). It’s fast enough to get you where you want to go quickly yet slow enough to appreciate things, acknowledge people and be humbled by nature. I love the freedom of where bikes can take me, the variety of people who bike and the simplicity and beauty of bike mechanics.
I first found out about Hub City Cycles online in a newspaper article. I was immediately happy for myself and Nanaimo to be so fortunate to have a bike co-op. The first time I went in, I joined because everyone I met was unpretentious and I had always wanted to know how to fix bikes. I got a month’s membership to use the tools and immediately fixed all the bikes in my household. Fixing all the bikes, didn’t allow me to see all the parts and how they worked together so, encouraged by everyone at Hub City Cycles, I decided to build one from scratch as a companion bike for anyone who wanted to accompany me on my long bike rides. I started out wanting used parts because I believe in the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and it was more cost effective. I didn’t end up using all used parts but because I was looking through the used part bins, I ended up learning about the history of bike technology. The bike I ended up building is a combination of used and new parts as some of the parts I wanted for this bike, weren’t available used. I couldn’t have done it without Keegan, Jawn and Justin. Their time saving hints and advice were invaluable.
An inspirational book I recommend is David Byrne’s Bicycle Diaries.