Candy Cranks

Name: Nova

Nickname: Novabird, Bird, Sir

Star sign/Blood type: Cancer/O-negative

Birthday: June 24

Current city: Seattle

What’s the bike scene like in Seattle for females?
It’s pretty awesome, almost all of my close friendships here originated from acquaintances in the bike community, and nearly all of my friends ride. We have a few predominantly female rides (Menstrual Mondays, etc), alleycats that are specifically put on for women by women, and a whole host of awesome DIY spaces as well as businesses that cater to women, like the Bikery and Mobius Cycle, where the rad Niki Hurley plies her trades of expert wrenching AND beautiful photography. There’s still a lot of male domination at events/in attitudes, but I think the cycling community has become increasingly diverse over the years, and there’s less “bro-ness”, and more awesome all around, from freak bikes to polo to fixed freestyling and beyond. During the summer there are usually multiple cycling events going on any given day of the week, a little bit of something for everyone.

What’s your favourite ride right now?
Tomatilla the fixte mixte, a 1980s Bianchi sport-touring model powdercoated shimmery green by its previous owner and given new life as my “old skool meets newly skooled” city bike. Flipped 3-speed bars, an extra-tall stem, and clipless pedals–that’s my girl!

Where’s your favourite place to ride?
In the city, I love riding at night–it feels like I own the streets. But I especially love climbing Cheasty Boulevard after spinning hard down MLK–even in the blinding rain. It’s a shallow winding road thru the greenbelt, and usually pretty abandoned by car traffic after 10. Seattle is full of hills, so you might as well take the most scenic climbs and enjoy them.

When I’m able to get out of the city, I love biking in the San Juan Islands. I’m really looking forwards to getting back out there later this year and spending some time at Doe Bay soaking in the stone tubs after climbing a bunch of hills.

Favourite riding outfit: Keen Springwaters, kneesocks, cut-off leggings, wool skirt, and a sleeveless t-shirt. If it’s cold, I’m probably wearing one of my handknitted sweaters and handwarmers. I love wool, and I make a lot of my woolly garments.

Favourite food: Pambazos, banh mi, etc. I love Mexican and Vietnamese food a lot, but anything spicy whets my appetite.

Favourite books:Godspeed, Written on the Body, New Poems 1968-1970 (Neruda)

What makes you laugh?Bad jokes. Old men in Belltown trying to hit on me while I’m riding. Being faster than squiddy dudes expect–beating them at hillclimbs!

What makes you angry?Ignorance, dangerously unaware drivers, city politics.

What are you listening to on your I-pod?Don’t have one. On my mp3 player it’s a lot of: Howlin Wolf, Girl Talk, Elliott Smith, Explosions in the Sky, Jessie Mae Hemphill.

Do you have any pets? Just my housemates oh, and our two cats: Alice and Minerva.