The Weekly - June 16, 2020 - 24

Field Notes
W O R K I N G

F O R

A

L I V I N G

The Shift

Working in a buzzing Specialized bike warehouse in the middle of the pandemic gives
insight into inclusion, a better future, and the
payoffs of hard work. By Stacy Bare
MY BODY ACHES. WE SHIPPED MORE

bikes than I can count today. My
right elbow is sore. We cheer-we
don't high-five, though if we weren't
in a pandemic, we would-and, with
well wishes for a good weekend, we
head for the exits. My feet hurt.
We just finished week three of
the weekend shift at the Specialized Bike Components distribution
center. Never before in its history
has Specialized had a weekend
shift. Never before in its history has
Specialized-or, for that matter, any
bike company-seen months with
retail as strong as it has been since
the pandemic took hold. We got
hundreds of bikes shipped today-
and while we're getting more product out the door than ever before,
the orders keep rolling in. America
wants bikes.
No one anywhere could have
imagined that, for so many people
throughout America, getting out
and pedaling on two wheels would
have been the response to a pandemic, myself certainly included.

ing. I never thought, however, that I'd
be in the bike industry.
I've been involved in the outdoor
industry for the past 10 years. Inside
the industry though, everything gets
segmented out in a way that bike-
as well as surf and skate, thanks to
different trade shows-ends up being somehow in a different category
than "the outdoors."
The pandemic, for me, like for
most of us, canceled or put on pause
almost everything I was working
on as a freelance consultant and
adventure film producer-with the
notable exception of a conservationfocused bike project. So, when Lena
Laakso, a good friend and HR
business partner of Specialized in
Salt Lake City, called me to ask if I'd
be interested in filling bike orders
for retailers at the warehouse on a
three-day, 12-hour shift, I jumped

at the chance. In a short time, I'm
beginning to feel that rather than
leave when the need is met by me or
by Specialized, bikes and the bike
industry may become my new home.
The warehouse has been a great
welcome into the bike industry. I'd
guess somewhere between 40% and
60% of my colleagues are cyclists at
a recreational level or higher. Some
have been there for years; others
are like me-here for the pandemicrelated surge in bikes. If even a
small percentage of these new/
rediscovered riders keep pedaling, it
will not only dramatically shift the
bike industry, but also communities'
policy responses to how to better
accommodate cyclists and e-cyclists.
AS RACIALLY, GENDER, AND

thought diverse-and veteran
inclusive-as the warehouse is, it is
obvious the bike industry needs to
do more to become a truly inclusive
and welcoming place. Barriers to
entry, especially through equipment
costs, are real. The existence of sexism at past bike trade shows and in
the industry is well documented.
I-and the whole world-watched
in horror as George Floyd was

killed. The protests feel like a tipping point in finally ensuring that
Black lives matter in America. I
was pleased with my employer's
reaction: Specialized acknowledged
via its social media channels that it
understands its place in the problem
and is asking for a dialogue about
ways the bike company could be better. Next, the company announced a
$10 million investment over the next
three years into Outride, a nonprofit
designed to get more kids on bikes
in 200-plus communities around
the nation, as well as additional
unrestricted funding to the L39ION
of Los Angeles elite cycling team,
led by Black rider Justin Williams,
to promote diversity in the sport.
The freedom of the ride, the joy of
getting everyone on their bikes, and
not only dreaming of, but pedaling
toward a future where all people feel
comfortable going for a spin anywhere they may be has me stoked to
be in the bike world and proud to be
riding with Specialized.
Stacy Bare is the founder of Adventure Not War. This article and
the ideas within are not endorsed
by Specialized, but are his own.

Stacy Bare
shreds Sedona.

until I was 11. I never needed to and
was always too afraid. But from age
11 on-mostly recreational, but at
times edging into a serious hobby-I
have loved to sit on the saddle and let
that bike take me wherever I needed
to go. Even today, when I get on a
bike, I'm transported back to those
first joyous moments of pure liberty
when, without training wheels or my
dad holding onto my seat, I was bik-

24

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DA N N Y G I OVA L E

I DIDN'T LEARN TO RIDE A BIKE
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The Weekly - June 16, 2020

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