Of water.

O/G

Ottawa-Gatineau is a region shaped by millennia of hydrodynamic forces: water acting on bedrock, silt and soil. Where the Rideau River, Ottawa River, and Gatineau River converge, communities have thrived for centuries. The confluence of these rivers are why we’re here.

In the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ottawa River took on a new meaning. Previously a porous provincial delineation, the river was transformed into a boundary, a border enforced.

Do Not Cross.

Unless you must.

Severed from the lands to the north, communities cleaved, the river became a paradox. This paradox inspired O/G.

O/G : Ottawa-Gatineau

O/G is not an elite group. It’s not a clique. It’s not a club.

O/G is any and all of us. New to bikes, old to bikes, barely bikes. O/G is about community. It’s us, all of us. Brought together by, shaped by, separated by.

OF WATER

O/G is the first project created by Mike McManus and Matt Surch under the RAUDAX umbrella. A response to requests for access to Tekne Cycle Club kit from riders far and wide, RAUDAX kit is available to one and all. All pieces will be produced by Castelli Cycling, with purchases run through web-stores we open for each project. As long as we hit production minimums, the pieces get made and sent directly to purchasers. Projects we don’t hit minimum production numbers for will see purchasers fully refunded. This isn’t a business, it’s a creative endeavor. Our second project will take things in another direction, and we hope to launch it in July.

The O/G project arises at a time countless people are experiencing hardship. Never in our lives has community been as important; we’re all in this together. Amidst the chaos of the pandemic, cycling has seen unprecedented uptake across communities everywhere. We’re offering an O/G branded jersey and jacket to get riders into pieces that celebrate place, community, and inclusion. And we’re offering Castelli’s saddle bags in two sizes with new riders in mind; they’re perfect for the essentials as folks get out and expand their horizons by bike.

For each O/G jersey and jacket sold, $40 and $10 will be donated to charities providing vital support and services to marginalized Ottawa-Gatineau communities.

For each jersey/jacket, $20/$5 will go to the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health, and $20/$5 will go to l’Accueil-Parrainage Outaouais (APO). You can read about these important organizations below.

The O~G Project web-store is now closed. Thanks to everyone who purchased products, we were able to donate $125 to each of the charities below.

l’Accueil-Parrainage Outaouais

Depuis 35 ans, l’Accueil mets ses efforts a accueillir et accompagner les personnes immigrantes et favoriser leur insertion socioéconomique, tout en engageant la communauté outaouaise dans la voie du vivre-ensemble.

L’Accueil est reconnu comme l’organisme de référence en Outaouais favorisant l’intégration des personnes immigrantes et le rapprochement interculturel.