Question 1

How can I get involved or support?

Accepted Answer

So glad you asked! As a volunteer Bike Mayor, I rely on community energy and mutual aid to keep things moving. Whether you have time, stories, data or a few dollars to spare — it all helps.

You can:

Join a ride!

Report unsafe infrastructure or barriers

Share your story — I use community insights to guide advocacy

Donate through Ko-fi, e-transfer bicyclemayorguelph@gmail.com or cash at an in person event. Every dollar will help cover travel costs, supplies and materials, event costs and more!

Amplify posts on social media to keep pressure on local decision-makers

Question 2

What is a Bicycle Mayor, and how does the Bicycle Mayor Network operate?

Accepted Answer

A Bicycle Mayor is a non-political, independent changemaker appointed for a two-year term, serving as "the human face of cycling progress in a city." This role, initiated by BYCS, a global NGO based in Amsterdam, bridges the gap between community experiences and policymakers to accelerate urban cycling adoption. Bicycle Mayors work to understand and solve local cycling challenges, collaborate with residents, activists, government, and industry, and promote cycling as a solution to complex urban issues.

Question 3

Where can I learn more about the Bicycle Mayor Network?

Accepted Answer

Visit BYCS.org or follow them @BYCS_org to see how cities around the world are transforming through cycling.

Question 4

What qualities and experiences are essential for a successful Bicycle Mayor?

Accepted Answer

A successful Bicycle Mayor is characterized by several key qualities and experiences. They must be strategic, focusing their limited time and resources on attainable accomplishments. Collaboration is crucial, as they work with diverse stakeholders, including residents, activists, government, and industry, to complement skills and resources. A successful mayor is attuned to intersectional issues, understanding that cycling is part of a larger urban puzzle involving public space, transit, and housing. They need to be connected to and respected within both the general community and the cycling community.

Question 5

What concrete actions and policy changes has Andrea Bidgood championed in Guelph Prior to becoming Bicycle Mayor?

Accepted Answer

As Vice Chair of Guelph Coalition for Active Transportation, Andrea Bidgood has helped drive real policy change. She mobilized families to secure accessible parking for cargo bikes and adaptive cycles. After a family’s bike trailer was hit by a car, she publicly called for safety upgrades like banning right turns on red and adding pedestrian head starts. She uses social media to spotlight winter bike lane neglect and push for year-round speed enforcement. Through letters, posts, and newsletters, she turns local voices into power, making civic action more inclusive — especially for those left out of city processes.

Question 6

How does Andrea Bidgood's advocacy address the emotional and social barriers to cycling?

Accepted Answer

Andrea Bidgood addresses the emotional and social barriers to cycling by centering empathy, safety, and lived experience. After enduring harassment and two right-hook collisions, she knows firsthand how “minor injuries” carry lasting trauma. This fuels her mission to combat the fear that keeps many from riding. Through groups like Guelph Girls Gays and Theys Bike Club and the Queer Brunch Bunch, she creates welcoming spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ folks, women, BIPOC, newcomers, and neurodivergent riders. Her focus on joy, safety, and visibility helps people feel seen, supported, and confident taking up space on the road.

Question 7

What is the significance of the "transportation equity" principle in Andrea Bidgood's work?

Accepted Answer

Transportation equity is at the heart of Andrea Bidgood’s advocacy. She fights for safe, reliable mobility for all — not just the “brave, fit, and able” — but for women, 2SLGBTQIA+ riders, BIPOC, people with disabilities, kids, and low-income folks. Andrea pushes for infrastructure that works beyond cars, recognizing that many people don’t, shouldn’t, or can’t drive. She champions smoother transitions, clearer signage, and enforcement against blocked accessible spaces. Her work ensures the needs of those often excluded from mobility planning are heard — and that everyone has the right to move safely and freely through their city.

Question 8

How does Andrea Bidgood utilize communication and community engagement to amplify her advocacy?

Accepted Answer

Andrea Bidgood transforms passive support into active participation through clear, inclusive communication. She breaks down complex policy into plain language via social media, letters to the editor, newsletters, and community prompts — turning local voices into local power. Her approach helps people see themselves in the story of their streets and understand how to push for change. Andrea builds strong relationships with media, city staff, and community groups, coordinating events like the Guelph Pride Ride with care and intention. Her strategy informs, invites action, and makes civic engagement more accessible for all.

Question 9

How does Andrea Bidgood's local work in Guelph connect with and contribute to the global Bicycle Mayor Network?

Accepted Answer

Andrea Bidgood’s advocacy in Guelph actively strengthens the global Bicycle Mayor Network, supported by BYCS. Through peer support and workshops, she hones her leadership while offering valuable insights in return. Her approach blends tactical empathy with inclusive storytelling, translating dense policy into human, relatable terms. Initiatives like the Guelph Girls Gays and Theys Bike Club model accessible event design and community trust-building. Andrea also brings emotional fluency to hard conversations — like injury, fear, and healing — enriching the network’s global understanding of the deeply human side of urban mobility.

@BicycleMayorGuelph

Andrea Bidgood | Guelph’s first Bicycle Mayor | Cycling advocate | Transforming cities through cycling, care & community Part of the global @BYCS_org network

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