Bike Explosion

08/02/2025

Some of our 200ml Ecogrease tubes haven't made it through storage. The thin ends seem to have split open probably due to the cold (repaired with tape - so still full and perfectly useable) so we're going to add these to our Gaza fundraiser at a reduce price of £13.99 (usually £17.99). This grease is a genuine green, sustainable product which is 100% fossil fuel free and 100% biodegradable. Drop me a line if you would like tube. We also have 5L of refill of our Green Oil Wet Chain L**e again 100% fossil fuel free and biodegradable. All made here in the UK by the folks at Green Oil. We can refill you a 100ml washed-out bike oil (or any other) bottle for £8.99. No need to continue using forever chemicals or fossil fuel-based products on your bike!

03/12/2024

Here you can read about the new Imagined Community school initiative in Kahn Younis, Gaza who we are supporting with our fundraiser on Saturday: "Imagined Community"

Introduction:
We are living in a reality so horrific that it seems almost unbelievable. For more than nine months since the outbreak of the war, we have been sinking deeper each day into a darkness that is beyond our imagination. It is a continuous path of loss, dismemberment, and destruction. The war has inflicted, in an unprecedented way, enormous devastation—not only on humans, urban infrastructure, and utilities, but also across all fields of learning, production, and the ability to act and live outside the never-ending cycle of suffering imposed by this war.
According to The Guardian newspaper, 44 years of development have been erased in the Gaza Strip. In other words, the war machine has returned Gaza to the state it was in back in 1980. And as we continue to live in Gaza, we can clearly feel that the description from The Guardian is not an exaggeration, but rather an accurate, and perhaps even conservative, account. The scale of destruction and collapse is beyond comprehension. Simply walking through any of the bombed-out streets of Gaza is enough to confirm the truth of this. Amidst all this tragedy, the official institutions have collapsed, and the response from unofficial organizations was delayed and insufficient. The people found themselves relying only on themselves and the survival strategies they devised to protect themselves from the threats of famine and disease. They were left to face the monstrous war machine, which appeared to be devouring all forms of life in an overwhelming way. Consequently, the people had no choice but to depend on themselves in an attempt to survive.
Despite the fact that the enormity and brutality of the catastrophe created a pressure greater than what an ordinary person could bear, which led to seeing acts of cruelty, aggressive tendencies, and selfishness during many moments of the crisis, it also awakened latent, creative, and innovative abilities within the social fabric itself, enabling it to recover and continue in production and action. These creative acts were aimed at preserving the collective from the risk of extinction. They remind us of what Palestinian thinker and theorist Munir Fasheh calls “Palestine of Authenticity,” that is, the Palestine of the people, not the Palestine of institutions and agencies.
The experience of the people during the ongoing genocide in Gaza has remained a source of knowledge and action at various levels. It is an experience that provides inspiration and knowledge, as well as hope, showing that "salvation" is possible and credible. It is knowledge that should be nurtured and considered a resource for learning and research, deserving of attention and care.
Munir Fasheh describes the knowledge of the people in his writings: "The people are the hope and the solution," stating: "There is knowledge associated with the continuity of life on earth, but it is excluded from universities and not recognized. This knowledge is that of the people, and their immense ability to create life in times of crisis." About the Initiative: "Imagined Community"
What is "Imagined Community"?
Imagined Community is a space for authentic dialogue with a group of children and young adolescents. By “authentic dialogue,” we mean a conversation in which all participating parties have the opportunity to share their knowledge and experiences. Within this space of genuine dialogue, a live and real interaction occurs with the knowledge of the people, which is action-based rather than abstract concepts or rigid ideas. Imagined Community brings together children and the people in conversations that enhance their spiritual and emotional well-being. These conversations draw from the knowledge they have acquired and continue to practice in the midst of genocide. For example, the knowledge of children in making kites to provide them with hope, even without guidance from institutions or access to stationery; their knowledge in creating water carriers by recycling scattered debris around them; and their knowledge of gathering papers and wood to fuel the “mud oven” for warmth—all of these knowledge forms will serve as learning sources for Arabic language and math skills. Teachers will use these experiences to build lessons for teaching Arabic and mathematics. We will work in the displacement camp areas of the Khan Younis region

03/12/2024

Saturday 7th of December we are running a solidarity fundraiser alongside our mobile drop-in workshop at Dartington Village Hall. We're moving workshops and selling off lots of great new and used items to raise money for the Imagined Community Tent School in Khan Younis in Gaza, an education project working with Palestinian children living through the genocide. All proceeds will go to this urgent work. We have many many new tyres: road, mtb, cx, commuters in 700c, 26" and smaller - some used ones too. We've got wheels and wheelsets, mudguards, bottle cages, deraileurs, brakes, shifters, panniers and racks, cranks, pedals, seatposts, saddles, stems, handlebars and three complete working bikes which have all just been serviced. You can also pick up the usual spares: inner tubes, brake pads, brake and gear cables. We also have quite a few tubes of our 100% biodegradable Green Oil Ecogrease - for those into conscious, green bike maintenance - these make great Christmas gifts if you need bike -related inspiration. We'll also have our Bike Explosion t-shirts for sale too. Come and see us for a fix or grab a few parts. Dartington Village Hall, Saturday 7th December 1-4pm.

29/10/2024

I'll be joining friends from the Repair Cafe with The Bike Explosion Mobile Workshop at Things Happen Here this coming Saturday 2nd November. Kicking off at 2pm come and see us if you need help fixing, or want to learn to fix your bike, if you need some replacement Green Oil (100% biodegradable), EcoGrease or if you want one of our very cool Bike Explosion T-shirts - available in M and F sizes and 4 colours - light grey, dark grey, khaki and stargazer blue - see images. Come and see us outside the taproom for a fix, advice, a chat or to grab parts, oil, tees. Drop me a line if you have any questions before you come. If I know there's a repair coming I can usually make sure we have parts ready in many cases. See you there.

12/02/2024

More dates for workshops starting in March coming soon. In the meantime posting the following call for a friend. As some of you know over the past year we have been working at the recently closed Esplanade Hotel, fixing bikes, training bike mechanics and working alongside experienced bike mechanics from the asylum seeking community. All this and more besides, we have continued to work with friends and comrades in the asylum-seeking community after their dispersal from Paignton to other locations in the UK. Saleh a friend from Palestine is desperately trying to get his family out of Gaza to safety in neighbouring Egypt. Please help with donations if you can and share as weidely as you can. See here for details. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. See below from Saleh. Thanks, Elliot


Dear Friends and everyone
I am Saleh AbuShamala, currently residing in London, United Kingdom, Amid the escalating genocide in the Gaza Strip and the inhumane conditions endured by my family, along with all Palestinians in the region, hopelessness prevails. The absence of any glimpse of safety is palpable, as the various weapons of the occupying army relentlessly lay waste to every corner of Gaza. I find myself rendered powerless, with my hands tied, having exhausted all attempts to rescue my family.

Saleh K. Y. Abu Shamala is a beacon of hope and resilience, a Palestinian advocate deeply embedded in the realms of cultural preservation, human rights, and educational reform. With a foundational role at 28 Magazine, he elevates Palestinian narratives while fostering youth empowerment and civic engagement in Gaza. His international collaborations extend his impact, advocating for cultural dialogue and understanding across borders. Saleh embodies the spirit of persistence, championing societal progress and the arts as avenues for change and connectivity.

My family is not just my haven; they are the very essence of my existence, a sanctuary of education and culture where dreams and aspirations flourish. In the tapestry of my life, there are my resilient father, nurturing mother, three brothers, and three sisters, each weaving countless stories and etching memories that resonate deep within my soul. They are the heartbeat of my emotional landscape, the anchors in the storms, and the warmth in every cherished moment.

However, this emotional sanctuary bears the heavy weight of a haunting memory. It has been 22 years since my younger sister, Shaima, was martyred in an Israeli bombing of our house, and none of us have recovered from that incident until this moment, which represents a nightmare for all of us. Despite the passage of time, the pain remains vivid, leaving an indelible mark on the very fabric of our familial bond.

The challenges my family encounters mirror the struggles of many in Gaza. Immediate aid is crucial to ensure our safety. Escalating costs associated with leaving Gaza present significant obstacles. We are launching a heartfelt fundraising campaign to offer support for my family members, facilitating their evacuation from the brutality of genocide.

Rescue and Relief:

A $72,000 Appeal for Life-Saving Aid and Evacuation of 8 Family Members to Egypt.

Fees associated with GoFundMe.

We express our gratitude for your support, Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a significant impact and brings hope to us during these trying times. whether through contributions or by sharing our story. Your assistance holds immense significance for us and could make a world of difference.

Dear Friends and everyone I am Saleh AbuShamala, currently residi… Saleh AbuShamala needs your support for Urgent Plea: Evacuate Family Amidst Gaza Genocide

08/11/2023

Bike Explosion showing up for the Freedom Ride for Palestine in downtown New York last Saturday.

04/10/2023

Our mobile workshop is out again at Things Happen Here this coming Saturday 7th Oct from 2-5pm. Bring along a broken bike or a working one that you want to learn how to maintain and we'll do our best to help you learn how to do that yourself. Open to everybody regardless of experience, this workshop is a free drop-in, donations are welcome.