What an incredibly great idea for a non profit and to help the biking community, particularly those often unable (because of a lack of funds or expertise) to maintain a bicycle.
An excerpt.
A recipe for better bicycling
By M.S. Enkoji -- Bee Staff WriterPublished 12:01 am PDT Friday, July 7, 2006
Don't know a derailleur from a downtube shifter?
In the high-energy, garage-like confines of the new Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen, the answer is only a moment away.
Volunteers, fired by a passion for two-wheel transportation as sport and primarily as a way to get from Point A to Point B, are collaborating in an effort to promote that passion.
"We're here to help them," said Chris Dougherty, co-founder and board president of the nonprofit that offers low-cost repairs and instruction on bike maintenance.
The Bicycle Kitchen recently opened its doors in Oak Park with hopes of creating a gathering place to teach basic repairs, and guidance for more extensive maintenance, including building a bike from parts.
Memberships range from $5 a day to $100 a year, which would include safety and repair classes, but Dougherty is not going to turn away anyone who is relying on a bike and needs it fixed.
Dougherty, 33, who owns six bikes, has been riding since he was 5.
Unlike traditional bike shops, the Bicycle Kitchen focuses on making bicycle owners self- sufficient as well as safe, particularly low-income riders who rely solely on bikes.
The idea is loosely modeled after similar efforts in dozens of other cities, including San Francisco and Los Angeles. In Chicago, volunteers focus instead on collecting -- even purchasing -- broken-down bikes and paying the freight to ship them to disadvantaged populations in places such as Kenya and Ghana. The 5,000 bikes shipped overseas cost $5,000 for each shipping container that holds about 500.
"It puts bikes on the road and puts transportation in the hands of people who need it," said Michael Roeser, a volunteer with the Working Bikes Cooperative on Chicago's West Side....
....Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen Address: 2837 36th Street Hours: Wednesday 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Web site: sacbikekitchen.org
