Alexis Finch, Founder & Producer, TyK, LLC

Say hi to Alexis here
1) How/when did you get into cycling as a profession?

Though I have the usual fond memories of bicycling as a child, it wasn't until I was 25 that the bicycle fascination, addiction even, hit me. Within a year I progressed from a cruiser rescued from a thrift store for $10, to a mountain bike from Working Bikes for $75 [I was too terrified of the drops style handle bars to get a road bike then], then finally to my first new bike since I was 13. Like so many, I rode for transportation, for convenience. Waiting for the red line to get home from my job became intolerable how long my bike commute would take.

I also wound up hanging out in my local bike shop a lot. I watched how customers acted, how the mechanics and sales folks treated different people when they came in. It was interesting to profile the different riders, to see the breadth of personalities and backgrounds that brought people to bicycles. Eventually, I applied for a job at a bike shop. They wanted a woman to work the sales floor. It took me about two hours to realize why. The drastic difference in the way female shoppers were treated versus men, even when they had equal knowledge about bicycles, was shocking. I worked that one day and then declined the job. That just wasn't an environment I wanted to be a part of.

I'd found it was the same thing in the fixed gear scene. Not intentionally, not at all. There are a lot of really cool, really great guys out there [otherwise I wouldn't do the TyK/B calendar]. But when folks were messing about with their bikes together, it wound up being the same dynamic. Guys stepping forward as the authority, the ladies somehow winding up sidelined.

So, we decided to flip that on its head. Give the ladies the spotlight, bring forward the strongest female cyclists in Chicago.

2) How does your organization directly benefit cyclists?

Women need a space to feel powerful and sexy in the bike world. TyK is intended to give women that space. Every lady who walks into the studio walks out transformed. She's experienced what goes into those glamorous photo shoots but she's also gotten closer to her own body. Granted, we only have twelve months of pinups each year, so we work hard to ensure that the ladies of TyK set an great example to other women out there. We all need a reminder that we have permission to embrace the disparate sides of our personality and sexuality. With thirty-eight TyK alums we've got a lot of ladies out there now.

TyK also forwards the knowledge that there is affordable health care out there by promoting Chicago Women's Health Center [CWHC]. Riding is great for you, but it can also take a toll on the body if you're not getting the care you need. Every last dime made from the sales of TyK goes straight to CWHC making sure that affordable health care stays available for the future.

3) Do you specialize in a certain type of cycling?

For years now I've been wanting to get out to the track and to try out cyclocross. In the meantime though, I've got six bikes and just love riding around with friends. I bike to work rain or shine and take the train as a treat. I do own a car, but there's a reason that it's only got 60,000 miles on it after 10yrs. It's used for hauling huge quantities of groceries, bringing bevvys of friends with me to the other side of town or to get across state lines and onward for adventures.

4) What are your "must-have" items for cycling (this could be a tool, an accessory, a food, etc.)

15mm crescent wrench, a multi-tool, a merino wool [or thrift store cashmere] sweater, and apples. There's a whole lot else, but those are the tools I just love to hold, and after realizing the wonders of wool I will never go back to synthetics! Apples are just awesome, and they're also the perfect drink/snack for on the road.

5) What do you see as the biggest area of opportunity in your niche market?

As a personal goal? I'd like to see bike shows hire actual female cyclists for their demo ladies. I'd like to see a bit more respect for women across the industry. There have been great strides made, but there's still a long way to go. After two years of going to Interbike out in Vegas you really can see which companies that are moving forward and those who are trapped in a boy's club past.
I'd also love to bring health and cycling closer together. In raising money for TyK, I've found that a lot of companies see 'bike sponsorship' very narrowly. They either sponsor a racing team or fund a race or two, and that's about it. The unfortunate part here is that companies wind up preaching to the choir. They're completely missing a chance to speak to the market who hasn't already bought a bike or decided on some brand loyalty.
Biking is at its core about being fit, being in control of your body and the freedom that brings. Cycling has had a long history of being paired with women's health and empowerment. I'd like to see the cycling industry help people realize that health isn't just about diet and exercise. It's about living a lifestyle that brings you more rather than less freedom to live and experience the world.

6) How do you think the cycling community has changed in the last year or two?

From Urban Outfitters selling fixed gears to Bike Snob being revealed and going on tour, there's been a huge national shift in bicycling. It's mainstream. Milwaukee Ave has turned into a bicycle traffic jam during rush hours. The removal of parking meters caused less of an upset for drivers than it did for the cyclists who were suddenly left without anywhere to park. I used to recognize at least half the people on my commute in the morning. These days, I know hardly anyone.
On the one hand, all of this is great. More bikes on the road is never a bad thing. On the other hand, the way that a few cyclists use a road is different than how large numbers of bikes need to navigate traffic. Cities were designed for car traffic and are as yet ill equipped to provide a viable multi-use street. Chicago, is set for a major shift and will need to move quickly to adapt and adjust the rules of the road. Striping bike lanes is just the beginning.
There's the other side too. Biking is no longer an identifier of someone's personality. It's no longer something that sets you apart or is a co-indicator of other habits or beliefs. Cyclists are not all vegetarian Democrats. Anyone can ride a bike.


AND FINALLY......

7) If you could go on a bike ride with anyone (living or dead), who would it be?

I've always been pleased to find some of the great minds of history saw bicycles as the same metaphor of freedom and empowerment that I see them as now:

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving” - Albert Einstein

"Get a bicycle. You will certainly not regret it, if you live." - Mark Twain

"When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race." - H.G. Wells

But perhaps most pertinent to what I do:

"Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. It has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives a woman a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel...the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood." -- H.G. Wells , New York World, February 2, 1896

I'm sure most people have read these quotes before. But I'm incredibly interested in how the bicycle has opened the minds of our great thinkers.
To that last quote, and as Ms August 2009 embodied as a suffragette, I would love to go for a ride with one of those ladies back in the early days of women's cycling. I know the freedom that I feel, but I would love to hear it from them.