Elaine Fang bought her son a bike a few years ago, but he barely used it. When he went to college, he left the bike unused, flat and falling apart.
Fang tried to pump up the flat tire herself. She knew that she had either done something wrong or the bike needed repair.
In search of answers, Fang heard about a maintenance and repair program that the Madison Public Library runs in partnership with several bicycle organizations such as Wheels for Winners and Dream Bikes on Ashman Branch in west Madison.
The Madison Public Library is hosting care and repair events throughout the city through November 15. The new program is designed to help people learn how to repair household items, clothing, crafts and bicycles.
“I think people want to learn how to make their things last longer, and in Madison there is naturally a push to be more sustainable and conscious of the resources we use,” program coordinator Melissa Ernst said in a statement from the library. “These programs are a way to empower people by giving them the skills they need to do their own repairs in a variety of areas.”
When Fang brought her son’s bike in for repair, she got more than she bargained for. The volunteers fixed her bike and showed her how to fix it next time.
“My bike was just sitting there and I don’t know how to handle it,” Fang said. “They showed me how to do it. That’s probably better than just doing it for me, so I know how to do things myself in the future.”
Volunteers said they have participated in nearly a hundred bike repair drives in Madison over the past few years. Monday’s event was the second in the partnership between the bike organizations and the library. A third event is planned for Aug. 29 at the Goodman South Library.
Most of the bikes brought to the Ashman store on Monday needed simple repairs, such as flat tires, broken brakes or broken chains. Some bikes are no longer easy to repair, so the team is offering people affordable alternatives.
“I’ve been working on bikes for 11 years now, since I was a kid,” said Nick Pastore, the service manager at Dream Bikes. “Sometimes there’s just a point of no return with some bikes. Usually they have to be pretty tough bikes for that to happen, and we try to keep things as affordable as possible.”
While Pastore spoke, volunteers worked on Fang’s tire. They asked Fang if she wanted to repair the front tire herself after she was shown how to repair the rear tire.
“Sure, I’ve never done anything like that before,” said Fang.
Natalie Schad helped organize the partnership with the library in hopes of attracting cyclists and children and making their rides more enjoyable.
Schad said she contacted the library and “talked about a repair program … as a way to maintain your own bike, to take the power into your own hands, to have a means of transportation and that freedom. The librarian and I talked some more and they had this maintenance and repair line coming up. Bike repair kind of fits in well with that.”
A customer learns bicycle repairs.
Maintenance and repair events are usually held outdoors, where passing cyclists or motorists can see the equipment. Due to high temperatures on Monday, the event was held indoors.
Tom Ryan brought his bike anyway. Ryan said he was at the library when he saw the bike repair equipment in the Ashman branch common room.
“I just came to get a book. I didn’t know about it until I got here,” Ryan said. “I happened to ride my bike here. I only came a few blocks away. It’s been a while since it’s been in the store, so it could use a few things.”
Ryan watched volunteers working on his bike. Volunteer Alan Crossley said bike maintenance is one of his passions.
“I love the challenge of fixing a bike when someone is waiting right next to me,” Crossley said. “When someone is right next to me, it’s like we have to figure it out.”
Fang was satisfied with the result of the bike repair and said she would go home to get another bike.
“This event is fantastic,” she said.
Nicholas Garton joined Cap Times in 2019 after spending three years as a feature writer for Madison365. He was also sports editor of Madison College’s newspaper, The Clarion. He writes about development, neighborhoods, business and racial issues.
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