Hello, I’m Eri, in charge of photography for our web shop! Even though we keep saying how hot it is, it’s still that time of year when riding a bike feels great. It was a little while ago, but I went to see MAD MAX and just enjoyed it with my eyes and ears, thinking, "Furiosa is so cool and strong, these loud action scenes are awesome!" There's nothing wrong with saying you love a mindless entertainment movie, right?
But the exhilaration that really stands out in it is the rebellion against authoritarianism based on gender and strength. The bicycle industry where we work is, if anything, a male-dominated society, but at Circles, we have many women working in various roles: mechanics, photographers, chefs, buyers, communicators, and designers. We aren’t masculine or macho like Furiosa, but I personally want us to be a place where women can participate even more at the decision-making level.
Oops, I digressed. Anyway, we have a few graduates of Circles who are women, and this time I went to visit a shop started by one of them, "Aya Akamatsu," after she graduated from Circles.
The changes Aya brought to Circles
For those who don’t know Aya, let me introduce her briefly.
After graduating from a bicycle design vocational school, she joined GIANT, and then joined Circles. Having been a national-level tennis player, she has exceptional athletic ability, and she made full use of that talent to achieve the feat of making it to the Cyclocross World Championships.
We went on rides together in Hokkaido, Kyoto, and many other places. She’s incredibly fast, so I’d be desperate to keep up, but she knew that talking in the saddle makes the ride easier.
I still vividly remember the smile on her face when she kept pedaling lightly with her eyes sparkling, right next to me as I was huffing and puffing, saying, "I hope there are more female cyclists! I’m going to do my best to make that happen!"
Her passion was contagious, we were able to make an all-female Hokkaido ride a reality, and I think the changes they brought to Circles have led to a shop that women can enjoy, too. We’ve had an increase in female staff with great personalities, like Chan-Mai, Da-chan, and Ame-chan.
Looking back at the photos from Hokkaido made me miss everyone. I’m sure everyone is doing their best in their own way—getting married, becoming mothers, changing jobs to step up, or just continuing their work. I believe that because we had that success story of pulling it off just among us women, I am able to be myself with confidence today.
AYA BIKES
So, the shop that Aya opened last year is located in Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture, where she grew up.
Thankfully, it seems she’s been busy with repair requests and such since the day she opened, and I felt relieved to see her immediately accepted into the local community. She said she’ll do her best to keep weekend rides going so that even cycling beginners can enjoy them, and her eyes were sparkling again. Her goal used to be just to ride fast, but people really do change, don’t they?
After studying design and welding at a bicycle design vocational school, she also gained experience as a welding assistant at Shin Hattori Works during her time at Circles. Her workshop is now fully equipped with welding facilities, and it’s exciting to think that the manufacturing of AYA BIKES—a bicycle brand by women, for women—will soon be getting into full swing.
AYA BIKES
672-8064
447-14 Hosoe, Harima-cho, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture
https://maps.app.goo.gl/7iiUa2DvkzgbA13G8
It is by no means a bad thing for women, who haven't gained the right to equality just by being given it, to actively seek out freedom, independence, and a role in society for themselves. In fact, I believe that having diverse opinions, perspectives, and ways of working leads to a healthier society, and people like her who put that into practice light a fire of motivation in our hearts. We don't want to be treated specially; we just want to face things equally and fairly.
Regardless of gender, religion, or nationality, those of us who engage with society and work through the common language of bicycles believe we have the potential to make the future bicycle community even more attractive and interesting, and we will work hand-in-hand for the inhabitants of this community all over the world.
Starting with Aya, Circles will always support every woman involved in the bicycle community!
AYA BIKES
https://www.instagram.com/aya_bikes/