DOYOUBIKE: a Local Cycling Organization Playing a Key Role In Climate Disaster Response
Interview | Disaster Response | Valencia, Spain
A couple of weeks ago, our Senior Researcher Dylan Power sat down with Pablo Alcañiz Aguirre, co-founder and co-CEO of DOYOUBIKE, a local cycling organization, to discuss their impressive work in response to the recent floods in the Comunidad Valenciana.
Devastating floods are a recurring event in Valencia’s history, with the first recorded ones dating as far back as the 14th century. In 1957 the banks of the River Túria overflowed and devastated the city, causing severe property damage and resulting in at least 81 deaths. Today, the old riverbed has been drained to protect city inhabitants from these recurring tragedies and now is one of the largest urban parks in Spain, stretching over 9 km providing green space, running trails, bike paths and other recreational facilities to Valencia residents.
In October 2024, several parts of eastern Spain were hit with torrential rain due to the DANA storm which in some areas saw over one year's worth of rainfall in 24 hours. One of the most impacted areas has been the Comunidad Valenciana, where the floods killed over 200 people and destroyed countless homes and infrastructures, wreaking havoc in many towns and villages in the area. The severity of the flooding required quick responses from citizens and governments alike, leading to the mobilisation of thousands of civilian volunteers from around Valencia to help the affected communities.
In addition to the aid provided by volunteers, non-profit organisations in the area have supported the community in many ways, such as providing food, clothing and repairs. However, one of the underreported impacts of the floods has been the loss of mobility for many residents in affected towns and villages. DOYOUBIKE, a bike company based in Valencia which promotes the bicycle as a form of sustainable mobility, has been at the forefront of volunteering efforts to provide services, food, and mobility to affected communities. Pablo Alcañiz Aguirre (co-founder and co-CEO of DOYOUBIKE) sat down with Dylan Power to chat about their recent efforts in response to the flooding disasters in Valencia.
Why was DOYOUBIKE founded?
DOYOUBIKE was founded 20 years ago to facilitate the mobility of the ever increasing number of tourists coming to Valencia, which at that time was emerging as a popular destination. The bicycle as a means of transport was widespread in other European countries and we understood that it was an opportunity for the city, given its geography, good weather and its growing bike lane infrastructures. Over time we became a company dedicated to the sale, repair, rental and tourist activities by bike.
What is the mission of DOYOUBIKE and how has it evolved since the DANA?
Our mission is to promote the use of bicycles as an alternative for sustainable mobility and as a tool for the practice of a healthy lifestyle. After the DANA disaster, we realised that the bicycle was an optimal way to help those affected. We saw the potential to maximize bicycle's use as it allowed us to reach towns and villages that were unreachable with most means of transport, due to the amount of mud and debris on the road, including hundreds of piled up cars. It should be noted that the floods in this region affected villages, but not the city of Valencia, which remained intact thanks to the infrastructures that protected it from floods.
How do you see the role of the bicycle in disaster relief?
In a situation like the DANA flooding, where the Comunidad Valencia was faced with the temporary collapse of most mobility infrastructures, with the loss of more than 100,000 cars and very limited public transport (no metro and saturated bus lines), the bicycle emerged as a concrete solution for thousands of people who had to rely on walking to do their shopping, go to work and visit friends and family. This demonstrated that the role of the bike has been and is very significant, not only in terms of commuting, but also to transport and distribute basic necessities with Cargo bikes.
DOYOUBIKE immediately understood that for those affected by the DANA, having a bike was a treasure. Through the urban cycling publication Ciclosfera we contacted shops in Valencia, such as Vuelta de Tuerca Bike Shop, the Alberto Contador Foundation, bike brands and accessory suppliers and we discussed the need to get bikes to people who had lost everything. This is how our project #BicisContraelLodo was born.
We started receiving donations of bicycles and accessories at national and local level. We then went viral with a Google Forms form where people could request a bike to ease their daily commute. The response was incredible – we received about 1000 requests in just a few hours. The deliveries were made in warehouses and premises lent to us by individuals and town councils in the towns hit by the tragedy. The level of collaboration and solidarity from companies and volunteers has been amazing. When you find yourself in such a dramatic situation, you realise the potential of a community capable of uniting beyond differences. It has been a positive lesson in the midst of so much misfortune. It may seem silly, but it was incredible to see the gratefulness of strangers after receiving something as small as a bike! I believe that many recognized how the bike was giving them back the possibility to travel and be mobile again without depending on others.
How have the communities and other stakeholders within the Valencian cycling community contributed to your efforts? What were the main challenges you experienced/are experiencing during this period?
Firstly, I think the community pulled together magnificently. From the local shops that have collected bikes, to volunteer mechanics who checked the condition of all the bikes we received, not to mention all the local people who have helped us in organisational and delivery tasks and the collaboration of local suppliers with their priceless donation of essential materials – it has really been a collective effort which would have not been possible without everyone’s participation. In terms of challenges, logistics has been one of the main ones. Managing the deliveries of bikes, not only nationally, but also internationally, was a challenging task especially given the tight timelines and urgency of the situation. Another time consuming task was ensuring that bikes were up to scratch, as we often needed to repair them.
What are your future plans with DOYOUBIKE? Is there anything you would like to share? Tell us how we can support DOYOUBIKE!
We will continue to support the bicycle as a vehicle for social integration, continuing to highlight the importance it should have in the urban and interurban environment. At the same time, we cannot forget its crucial role in the sporting sphere, both in sales and rentals, as more and more people are visiting us for sporting tourism. We have a lot of work ahead of us! To collaborate with our #BicisContraelLodo project you can contact us via email info@doyoubike.com or our social medias at @doyoubike, or at our website. We would appreciate it if you do not forget what has happened, and come and visit the city of Valencia and its surroundings to revive the local economy!
Written by Dylan Power, Senior Researcher at Urban Cycling Institute
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