Back in April we introduced a new effort from Seacoast Area Bicycle Riders to save bikes from landfills, repair and tune them, and give them away to community members in need of transportation. We call it Seacoast Pedal It Forward, and four months later we have a team of dedicated volunteers, a home at Port City Makerspace, and a long list of partners. We’re about to celebrate our 100th “SPIF’ed up” bike given away (and what that means for the 100 lives impacted) and we want to invite the community out to meet some of the people involved and celebrate!
Who are these people, and what exactly is involved?
First, credit is due to the eight other volunteer board members of Seacoast Area Bicycle Riders that agreed to take on this significant expansion of our role. SABR started in 1992 primarily to advocate for better bike routes, such as the bike and pedestrian bridge over Route 16 to Pease in Portsmouth. Over the years we have hosted rides from the Criterium on down to neighborhood “slow rolls”, community events, and educational programs like kids bike rodeos. This year we were already expanding the Bike Benefits program (which encourages people to shop at businesses by bike) and planning many events for Seacoast bike month in May. Taking on a bike repair program was a big ask for volunteers already stretched thin, but we could see the great need for it and also enthusiasm from new people to jump in. There are similar programs in Boston, Portland, Nashua, and Manchester, but nothing right here on the Seacoast; we decided it was time and we were best positioned to make it happen.
Dawn from Port City Bike Tours came on as the co-lead and brought her huge energy to get the word out and begin coordinating the work flow. The cycle starts with generous people who see an article or social media post and email us (SPIF@seacoastbikes.org) about donating. We prefer to accept sturdy adult-sized mountain bike or hybrid frames that can serve as daily transportation. Parker from Papa Wheelies has brought more than 20 bikes and we visit the Portsmouth transfer station from time to time, but in large part it is individuals who take the time to deliver bikes they no longer use.
Alex, the shop manager at Port City Makerspace, along with Gabriel and the PCMS board have been essential to the program. The Makerspace supports us with free use of their bike shop space and tools, and awarded us a community grant to cover our storage space in the back. They are an incredibly valuable community asset, and we invite the public to have a tour and consider membership or simply donations (as PCMS is another worthy 501(c)(3) nonprofit). A shout-out is also due to Ed, a volunteer who showed up one evening with a pile of lumber and a plan to improve our storage— we now have walls and hooks to hang 22 bikes at a time, as well as shelving for the accessories!
Then there are the people actually pumping tires and turning wrenches on the bikes: Jeff, Kean, Mike, Christine, Paul, Rich, Brian, Dawn, Simon, John, Aiden, and more. And I’m not sure where we’d be without Dave, a Somersworth resident who had already fixed and distributed at least 150 bikes over the last six years just working out of his home. He now volunteers with us twice a week, bringing his own tool bag, stand, and often a bike or two. While the rest of us may be comfortable replacing a chain, adjusting brake cables or shifters, or just fixing a flat, Dave is the skilled mechanic we all turn to for the trickier problems. We enjoy learning from each other and a real community has formed around our Tuesday and Thursday evening sessions.
Of course cash is necessary too, and we were so fortunate when first planning the program to meet Elyse, an Elks member and accomplished grant-writer. She found support from the Elks Foundation, Lighthouse Credit Union, and the Injury Prevention Center at Dartmouth Health. Kean also applied and won a grant from Granite State Wheelers. Together these are funding helmets, locks, and lights for each bike, as well as all the parts needed to repair them. While nobody is paid for the work, hot pizza or sandwiches at the repair sessions do help keep the energy up!
Getting the bikes out the door to the right people is a big job. Elyse and Jeff found our first recipients— a dozen US Navy service members of the drydocked USS Cheyenne who wanted to get off-island. One has come back to help as a SABR volunteer and we’re so glad the bike allows him to be a part of the community. Since then Paul and Dawn have led the outreach effort, building relationships with agencies and shelters like Lydia’s House of Hope, Connections Peer Support, Cross Roads House, Portsmouth Housing Authority, Hope on Haven Hill, My Friend’s Place, Footprints Food Pantry, Kittery J-1 Support Group, I Got Bridged, and more. We might fulfill a request for 15 bikes from a women’s shelter (with sizes and types of bikes desired) or a single request from a guidance counselor for a student relying on his bike to get to Middle School. Some recipients come to us, but many bikes are delivered along with accessories by Jeff or Paul. The outreach takes effort, but we’re fortunate to now be connected to many people doing great work in the region.
As of this week we have had 130 bikes come through the door and are closing in our 100th bike repaired, tuned, and given new life in someone’s hands! These bikes are expanding access for people to shopping, schools, and jobs on the Seacoast, and of course providing some exercise and enjoyment too.
Please help us celebrate with an Open House at Port City Makerspace on Tuesday Aug. 13 from 6:30-7:30pm (68 Morning St, please park off-site or bike on over). We’ll offer free bike safety checks, say a few words about the program, have snacks and cake, and offer a tour of the Makerspace or a ride to the nearby Rail Trail. Learn how to help (more volunteers are needed for all aspects) or just come for the community celebration!
Matt Glenn is board president of Seacoast Area Bicycle Riders and co-leads Seacoast Pedal It Forward along with Dawn Przychodzien. For more information, visit seacoastbikes.com/spif
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