| Citizen Cyclery: SF shops reach out to community on two wheels(3/08) | | Print | |
| Written by Vietanh Phuong Tran | |
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Some people think of the bicycle as nothing more than a mess of metal and two wheels that function as something faster than walking. However, others believe that it is not merely a mode of transportation — it brings people together and rebuilds lives. Some of these optimists can be found on 21st Street in a small bicycle shop named Pedal Revolution.
There is nothing dramatic about the small group of people working with screwdrivers and Allen wrenches. The masses of bicycles and the people who construct, grease and test them seem typical. However, this store and other organizations, including The Bike Kitchen, are the wheels that both help the community and drive the bicycle’s increasing popularity in the city. Clancy Fear, a bicycle mechanic and employee of Pedal Revolution, strongly supports the shop's mission as a nonprofit bike shop that helps "get at-risk youth off the streets," he said. As a member of the community-supporting New Door Ventures, which helps prepare youth ages 14 to 21 for the work force and assists them in dealing with their hardships, Pedal Revolution takes in "interns" through parental petitions (processed by New Door Ventures) and trains them in bicycle construction and other job skills such as customer service. "These programs teach their students to be on time," Fear said. "They are taught to be responsible and (create for themselves) a good resume." Interns start with small tasks like bicycle assembly and progress to more complicated ones like watching over the shop or tracking inventory. As a result, they become more trustworthy and efficient. Interns can use the work experience to find jobs later on in their lives, according to Fear. Fear suggested that “these resumes can be a starting point for those who will seek careers,” and upon finding an occupation a person is less vulnerable to the dangerous influences of street life. So far this program has found success. Several participants have been able to make their way into an institute of higher education, their lives changed by this little store. "We got a kid, Lance, (who was) a junkie out in the streets," Fear said. "We got him into a house and into college." In addition to helping at-risk youth, Pedal Revolution tries "to get people on better-quality bikes that last longer." Fear said that the shop "tries to have better prices" but pointed out that, as a non-profit organization, it has limits to price reductions. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Pedal Revolution provides bike repair and maintenance that ranges from "basic services" to "full services." A basic tune-up costs $65. The city does have a place where money isn't needed for a bike. Participants can get one free for helping the community through the "Earn-A-Bike" program sponsored by The Bike Kitchen. Though it may seem like an obscure shop — it doesn't even have a telephone and is in an alley off Mission Street — The Bike Kitchen, open 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, does not lack services. The shop provides parts and tools so that members can repair their bikes while a staff of mechanics is available for expert advice. Mechanic Rafi Ajl stated that participants "volunteer six hours to become a member, and then an additional six hours to earn a bicycle, totaling 12 hours of volunteer time." Volunteer tasks "run the range from cleaning up the shop, patching tubes and tires, or any kind of useful project," he said. Upon finishing these charges, participants are given a choice of frames and parts to build their new bikes. The store is quite liberal with membership pricing. "To become a member, you need to donate anywhere from $30 to 100 or volunteer six hours in the shop," Ajl said. Such flexible fees are why The Bike Kitchen was recognized by the SF Weekly's Best of San Francisco (May 2004) issue in the “Best Bike Repairs on the Cheap” category, as noted on the shop's Web site (www.bikekitchen.org). But, as with Pedal Revolution, discounts do not represent the full value of The Bike Kitchen. The shop tries to help the community by providing, in cooperation with the YMCA, bicycle clinics for children and granting free bike repairs to those who can't afford them. "We participate in activities such as fix-a-thons, where we set up repair stands and bring tools to fix bicycles for the day," Ajl said. Samuel Chow, another mechanic, is pleased with how The Bike Kitchen benefits those who come to it. "People get a sense of accomplishment after assembling a bike," Chow said. "Being able to put parts together builds confidence." Senior David Pon, a reporter for The Lowell praised its openess, price and resources. "People there don't care how fancy your bike is," Pon said. "Also, there's a collective pool of parts and tools, some that I don't have but might need to use. Using them is cheap, and there's always someone to help." Inexpensive and helpful services, along with chances to socialize with other bicyclists, have helped the local proliferation of bicycle use, which is something that Ajl is happy with. "Cycling is a progressive and green way of transportation," Ajl said. "Through the increased use of bicycles and with the decreased use of cars, cities become clean and more efficient places to live." Biking is an up-and-coming trend here in San Francisco. The San Francisco Biking Coalition reports on its Web site (sfbike.org) that the number of residents biking for transportation has doubled in the past 10 years to 30,000 today, thanks in part to the improving roads, the rise of biking for exercise and the efforts of the aforementioned pro-bicycling groups and organizations. SF Biking Coalition member and physical education teacher Terence Doherty noted that a good number of faculty members aside from himself, including nurse Maryann Rainey, social studies teacher Steve Schmidt, English teacher Elizabeth Zamboldi, counselor Jeff David and biology teacher Theodore Johnson, ride their bikes to and from school. Doherty prefers biking because of its health benefits and the fact that it can be "faster than Muni," he said. However, the Lowell student community has not seen the same citywide trend since the weather is an important factor. According to Doherty, the typical rain and fog of the Sunset District doesn't mix well with inexperience, parental worries about injuries and other hazards. Pon identified one hazard as collisions with parked car doors that suddenly open out into the bicycle lane. But he also pointed out that some of the dangers may be caused by the bikers themselves. “Bikers are entitled to the same traffic rules as motorists,” Pon said. “But many don’t follow them; some run stop lights or cut in front of other cars.” Pedal Revolution emphasizes the importance of abiding by the rules. Their motto: Follow the laws of traffic; follow the laws of this civil society; follow the guidelines to a better life. "I enjoy what the shop does for the community and the kids," Fear said. "I work and have a smile on my face at the same time." |
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