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Dieter is the kind of bike nerd mechanic that every good bike shop should want. He is endlessly enthusiastic about getting people of all kinds onto bikes of all sorts. He can fix your bike even when the outlook looks bleak. Go for a ride with him and you’ll probably end up doing high fives and exclaiming ‘sick!’. In short, he has boundless enthusiasm for all things bike. He’s also a bit of a socially conscious punk environmentalist, so he’s probably a bit rubbish if your bike shop is one of those glittering concept store type places where it doesn’t smell of rubber and GT85 (Or WD40). Luckily for him, and us, he works at our local social enterprise bike shop, and we’ve talked him into bringing us a few of his more ingenious and interesting fixes, alongside whatever commentary he might like to get off his chest. We hope you enjoy…
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By down_and_across
Get the full story here:
https://singletrackmag.com/2021/11/back-from-the-dead-our-bike-shop-doesnt-run-like-yours/
Was kinda hoping this was a Sick Bicylces story 😉
But instead its actually really cool idea for a shop
If I was local Id happily donate a lot of old spares!
FYI, if you get new air compressor with a larger tank, (I assume yours is a 24 litre standard Aldi/Lidl compressor) you'll probably find yourself over the trigger point for needing an insurance safety inspection and written scheme under pressure systems safety regs.
The limit is 250 Bar Litres, (compressor pressure X vessel capacity) so if you get an 8 bar compressor, you are limited to a 31 litre tank. It's another layer of expense and complexity if you are using air compressors in a commercial setting. Not meant to sound preachy, but it's not something that you'd commonly need to be aware of.
What a great story. Is there an online resource listing places like this where we could potentially donate spare parts that could be reused?
@nbt I don’t think there is, but I’ve been talking to Dieter about trying to compile one 🙂
@Matthewhornby that's good information to know! I'm happy to stick with our baby compressor if it saves any meaningless bureaucracy however i definitely need to fit it outside the workshop!
Cheers for the tip man!
@Hannah dobson
@nbt
If anyone reading works for a similar bike project feel free to add your names and contacts here and we'll get some kind of database going.
Good call! the most obvious candidate is Puffa Jones' "free bikes for kids" project in Newport, South wales
https://twitter.com/PuffaJones
https://www.facebook.com/groups/423103008385071/
Closer to me in Stockport there's Ceracycloan who I think do something similar to Dieter
https://www.ceracycloan.co.uk/about-us/
And for kids' bikes in Bristol... https://www.apeproject.co.uk/ape-project
These are all great guys, more results than google already!
Ridewise in Nottingham.
APF
Paging Gnusmas 😊
Genesis Orwell Mencap here in Ipswich use bike refurbishment as therapy for their clients.
The Charity Bike Shop Cheltenham
part of/associated with www.cyclistsfc.org.uk I think
It's where I'm taking most of my redundant spares at the moment.
STW yellow pages. I like this.
Positive cycles in Oldham https://www.positive-steps.org.uk/about-us/40-services/positive-steps-extra/positive-cycles
There’s also a branch of Cyclists Fighting Cancer in Chorlton.
I do pickups for them across South Manchester, so if you can’t get to Chorlton I can come to you!
There's street bikes in liversedge that recycle bikes but also run cycling sessions for any people of any ability on their dedicated circuit.
They even have adaptive bikes!
Oh! And st augustines refugee centre in Halifax as well!
They have some great stuff going on, Ian offers refugees training to fix/build their own bikes and takes them out riding all over Calderdale!
Local fella who has MS recycles old bikes to raise money for MS charities, bit if a local hero!
In fact, I reckon there’s a great STW story in this @STWHannah
I recently donated an old frame and boxs of parts I'd hoarded but knew I'd never use.
They work from HMP Horfield (outside the walls) open to the public, refurbish old bikes and sell onto the community.
There’s also a branch of Cyclists Fighting Cancer in Chorlton.
I do pickups for them across South Manchester, so if you can’t get to Chorlton I can come to you!
I lived in Chorlton for 10 years and found that the quickest way to recycle bikes was to leave one around the four-banks area; locked, unlocked, guard-dog etc... it didn't matter. Soon enough it was off to a new owner...
(Great work on the pickups and the cause though, kudos!)
In between Wood Green and Palmers Green - https://bikesforgoodcauses.co.uk
I used to work for Nottingham Bikeworks, they do great things for the community but it was an awful place to work.
Route 1 coffee house and bike repair / recycle in Redcar.
https://www.route1coffeehouse.com/about-us
Facebook page is showing Sophellies cheesecake on the menu so even more reasons to go!
I'm spannering for this charity in the North East https://watbike.co.uk/
We do used bike refurbs and sales, regular servicing, maintainance classes, ebike hire, guided rides and more. Also have a barn full of old/obscure parts and there's a cafe on site.
Can't see the story but two local ones are https://communitygiftexchange.com/community-gift-exchange-shop/ in Ayr and https://killiecancycle.webs.com/ in Kilmarnock.
This is pretty amazing, and the exact opposite of my local bike store Sigma-Sport 😉
Not really a shop, but
@binman that's exactly the kind of thing I was hoping people would link to when I suggested adding things - if I give stuff away i want it to help as many people as possible and social enterprise like that helps those (re)training as well as the eventual users of the gear
May I mention Watchtree Wheelers at Watchtree Nature Reserve near Carlisle https://watchtree.co.uk/. Adapted cycling for all, cycling training, cycle hire, refurbished bikes, workshop and cafe? Run for, and by the community as a registered charity.
I also comme https://www.rebikecumbria.co.uk/ for their excellent work.
There are two more in SW scotland which refurbish bikes and provide repairs:
Fin at Stranraer reuse
and Danny at Wheels of fleet
Both are in great locations for cycling but do not have a local bike shop so provide a vital community service for those who cannot get to CD or Newton Stewart
So it seems that in addition to being a brilliant bike mechanic, Dieter is an excellent writer. Happy Days is my LBS and I can confirm it's great.
Anyone in The Scottish Borders with anything that you don't need any more would get a warm welcome here.
https://justcycle.org.uk/
You might even get to see my ugly mug.🙂
Bike Explosion Community bike repair school and workshop, The Shops at Dartington
Bristol Family Cycling Centre
https://betterbybike.info/cycling-centres/bristol-cycling-centre/