Mission + Intention
Slow Spokes is a gender-expansive bikepacking group based in Missoula, Montana.
We aim to provide our members with resources, community, and education to have safe, confident fun bikepacking in the Missoula area and beyond. Slow Spokes believes bikepacking should be fun, accessible, easy, and low-barrier for ALL people of ALL experience levels. We try to make sure there are free/low-cost ways for folks to participate in an equal capacity to those who can afford to buy their own bike/gear/food/etc.
Slow Spokes was started by a group of women/nonbinary pals who love adventuring outside together, but have spent years experiencing the constant gender-based discrimination in the biking, camping, and general outdoor industry.
After LOTS of bonding over and yelling about our shared experiences, we set out to create a space for those who share a desire to escape and deconstruct the sexism and misogyny in this realm, and to create something more inclusive, positive, fun, and beautiful in its place.
In order for the spaces we create to remain in line with our mission, it’s important that Slow Spokes events are by and for women, trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive folks — i.e. those who continue to bear the brunt of gender-based oppression and discrimination.
This “brunt” includes, but is not limited to:
Being MANSPLAINED to / being talked over / interrupted / not listened to
Assuming non-men don’t know as much about biking/repairs/camping/the outdoors, and are less capable in these realms
Harassment on trails and roads (cat calls, being followed or threatened, not being left alone when taking a break or doing a repair, etc.)
Unsolicited comments about our physical appearance or gender
Competitive bike/bro culture (bro-chat about having the best/fanciest parts, prioritizing speed/winning over safety and fun, only looking out for one’s self on rides, etc.)
The majority of bike gear being made with cis-men’s bodies in mind
Inappropriate “jokes” from men (esp. jokes about pronouns, sexuality, gender, etc.)
Feeling unsafe when camping alone or biking alone
To keep our spaces protected from these things, Slow Spokes events are NOT for cis men (unless otherwise stated). There are many reasons for this; primarily, we want every single individual who shows up to our events to know for sure that the misogyny/sexism they face in so many other spaces will not exist here.
Thus, our events are also not a space for ANY people who perpetuate sexist, ableist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, or any other identity-based microaggressions or aggressions.
Meet our Organizers
Anna Baize (she/her)
Anna grew up in the great cornfields of Indiana, where regular bike trip included a trip to the nearest Dunkin Donuts. After moving around the West, Anna settled in Missoula, and since has found an incredible love for biking, bikepacking, and bike people! When she first got into the bike world, she had a difficult time finding a group where she could learn at her own pace about cycling, so she’s excited to help create a community for everyone to learn together!
Berkeley Loper (she/her)
Berkeley’s first experiences on bikes mostly involved being dragged around soggy Seattle on the back of her dad’s tandem as a kid and showing up to high school years’ later with a mud stripe up her back. During several years spent living in Utah, Berkeley had many silly desert bikepacking misadventures, but learned that strapping camping gear to her bike and pedaling through magical places was THE COOLEST THING EVER!
Ally Mabry (she/her)
Ally’s been traveling by bike for fun, transportation, and work for a long time! Bike travel makes her feel free and strong and connected to people and place. Ally’s favorite bike trips are the ones where silly things go wrong and unexpected things force creative solutions — and when the trip is planned around what delicious food she and her friends will eat.
Mik (they/she)
Mik is newer to bikepacking but SOOO stoked to be learning alongside Slow Spokes and growing this lil crew of passionate awesome people!! They’ve worked at Free Cycles for a couple years and hopes to use all the things they’ve learned there and out in the bike world to help create the most fun, exciting, inclusive community that smashes the barriers we’ve all faced in the biking/camping/general outdoor world.
Meredith (she/her)
Meredith moved to Missoula a few years ago and has been enjoying getting outside with pals ever since. Most of her biking experience has been bike commuting, and she’s so excited to expand with Slow Spokes! Aside from biking, Meredith loves crafting, running, reading, and farming!
You?!
Interested in joining the Slow Spokes leadership team? Send us an email and we’d love to talk about it!!
