I walked in to Bike Farm just a few minutes ago. Its a sunny Saturday afternoon, and I had visions of gathering my friends to take a ride down to Oaks Bottom. But when I got on my bike, the chain started squeaking in protest. So, if your like me and need a place to clean and oil your chain to make your bike feel like it’s brand new, here’s what you’ll see if you enter Bike Farm right now:
The shop’s full of 6 people. Three are volunteers, three are bikers with broken bikes, but the lines between who is who blurs. The volunteer mechanics are here to help bikers learn how to fix their own bikes. They share their skills in an easy manner. They learn from the riders too. In the shop there is one volunteer who knows everything about bikes. Another volunteer looks on to learn. A third volunteer with little knowledge of bicycle mechanics does some necessary admin work.
The people that come into Bike Farm sometimes are expert mechanics themselves who come for the tools and the company. Other times they are learning how to change a flat for the first time. Some have memberships, others don’t. One guy is in looking at the huge used tire collection we’ve built up, and tells me his plans to build a bike trailer out of Bamboo.
People are clustered in pairs working on projects. There’s music in the background, and a lazy conversation about ball bearings floats around the room. The atmosphere is welcoming and chill. There’s no way to know who is who – I ask about the best way to clean my chain and volunteers, members, and those visiting Bike Farm for the first time offer advice. Yep, this is Bike Farm. People excited about bikes who want to help you out.
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