New Ann Arbor non-profit fundraising to buy tools to fix bicycles for free
Molly Kleinman says Ann Arbor was overdue for a group like Common Cycle.
The non-profit, which launched in February, aims to provide education and tools to area cyclists so broken brakes or flat tires won’t keep people from biking any longer.
“The goal is to fill what we see as sort of a gap in the cycling infrastructure in Ann Arbor,” said Kleinman, an Ann Arbor resident and Common Cycle board member. “There’s not really a place where people can go to learn about their bikes, how to repair a bike.”
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Kleinman said volunteers, including several experienced bicycle mechanics, take turns at the stand and use their own or borrowed tools to do repairs for anyone who stops by – and it’s free. Kleinman said the goal is to not just fix people’s bikes, but also to teach them how to do it so they’ll know what to do the next time.
The group is conducting a fundraising effort through Kickstarter.com and hopes to raise $5,000 to buy new tools. But there’s a catch. If Common Cycle doesn’t meet its goal of $5,000 by its Aug. 31 deadline, it won’t get any of the money. Kleinman said that’s just how Kickstarter works.
Read the rest: www.annarbor.com.
Jonny,
I’m happy to report that the group met their goal and are fully funded for the next step.
It’s a great bunch of kids doing this. Gives an old fart like me a little hope for the next generation, and keeps a bunch of people riding safely.
Thanks for posting this, maybe it will serve as an inspiration for other locales.