Second Chance Bikes Final
Chapter
Here it is
nine
years later (see "History" post linked above) and I've come full
circle. That Nepalese family
was the first of 9 with whom I have formed close
relationships. I quit counting how many bikes I
refurbished
(or scrapped, scavenging parts) but I estimate about 750 repaired and
passed on to clients and another 100 or so passed on to Working Bikes
as just not appropriate for my target audience plus another 100 or so
scrapped.
At least 100 of the
refurbished were kids' bikes, ranging from a couple of the tiny tot
ones
with no pedals up through all ages to adult.
Now
we will
be relocating, and I don't know to what extent, if any, I will be able
to continue. My shop has been half (ok, sometimes more
than half) of our garage. The scavenged parts had grown into a
small warehouse, with boxes and bins of seats, pedals, kickstands,
baskets, handlebars... and Wheels! Tires! Tubes! So I
contacted Working Bikes to see if they would want anything. I
thought maybe some of the really high-end wheels in like-new condition.
They said sure, bring them all. So I somewhat hesitantly asked what
about things like cassettes, kickstands... He said sure,
bring
it. Then I said, there are a lot of bearing races from bottom
brackets, front forks, tons of axle nuts, axles, seat clamps,
quick-release wheel axles.." Yes, yes. If we can't use it we
have volunteers who will sort into containers to ship to our partner
shops in Africa.
So two
trips to the city, with assistance from
two great refugee kids and the operation inspired by Working Bikes
has been absorbed by Working Bikes.