Bowdoin Bike Repair School!

Written by Boston Biker on Jul 10

This looks like an awesome project, if you have some extra bucks laying around toss them a few, good cause and good people.  They are only trying to raise 10k, and already have about half that, but only have 4 days left!

 See their entire Indigogo campaign here.

I am a proud, lifelong resident of the Bowdoin-Geneva neighborhood of Dorchester.

We are a diverse, vibrant community which has been scarred by decades of poverty and violence. Most residents are renters and working-class homeowners facing some serious economic challenges, but we share our resources and take care of our own.

We spend over a quarter of our gross income on transportation. Though we are only 4 miles from downtown Boston, decent mass transit options are out of reach. If you are supporting yourself on low or no income, your best options are to scrape enough money together to keep a car on the road, or spend most of your time in the neighborhood. Can we even consider these options?

 A decade ago, I found peace and freedom in the form of a beat down Huffy. I was, to put it lightly, broke as hell.  I was struggling to retain stable housing; underemployed, then unemployed, living on a fixed income. I eventually learned to repair and maintain my own bicycle, and was able to access employment and social opportunities all over the city for FREE. I became a shop-trained bicycle mechanic, restoring and selling classic bicycles on my free time. I was able to turn my hobby into serious money and turn that money into serious opportunity. Cycling has changed my life.

For years, I worked as a volunteer teacher, mechanic, and event planner at neighborhood cycling programs throughout the city. In the summer of 2013, I got fed up with watching my neighbors struggle, called some friends and brought a few tools down to the Bowdoin-Geneva Community Hub, a formerly blighted vacant lot which the Sustainability Guild had transformed into a lively gardening and activity space. The response was TREMENDOUS. Young and old, experienced cyclists and curious newbies stopped by, asked questions and went to work. We enjoyed a consistent volunteer corps of youth and adult mechanics from Bowdoin-Geneva and surrounding communities. We kicked butt!

This summer, we are hoping to deal an even bigger blow to the problems facing our community. We’ll be renovating our shop with the tools, storage, equipment, and retail goods our neighborhood deserves.

We represent a diverse group of artists, lifelong neighborhood residents, single parents, youth on summer break, members of the formerly homeless community, and friends who share one simple goal: to get more butts on bikes. We will obtain and refurbish as many bicycles for the community as our hands and time will allow. Money we raise through donations and sales will help us open a brick-and-mortar bike shop and cafe by the Spring of 2015. Skill-sharing and community-building are invaluable, but this community needs well-paying jobs now.

Thank you for supporting our work!

-Noah

What We Need:

 

• PARTS- We sold inner tubes, lights, locks, helmets, brakes, tires, and a bunch of other cycling essentials last year. We use the honor system where people pay what they can.  Donations help to keep this system viable.

• FOOD & BEVERAGE- We make sure to keep ourselves properly fed, hydrated, and caffeinated.

• TOOLS- We need enough tools, aprons, and more for our team to share.

• RENT- We will  be hosted by the Sustainability Guild all summer, but the beautiful shed we call home was no match for chilly October weather and waning daylight last year. Let’s collect enough seed money to rent an yearlong space, purchase insurance, register as a business, and finance a world-class shop installation (because our community deserves the best). Consider yourself a venture collectivist.

MATERIAL GOODS – Bicycles and gently-used parts are valued and needed. Watch us spin steel and aluminum into gold. Contact [email protected] or 857.453.9533 to co-ordinate dropoff/pickup.

 

You may not be able to support us with your money or goods, but you can support us by word-of-mouth. Tell the world!

Tags: bowdoin bike repair school, funds for a good cause
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