Seattle Press on Line - Bikes Save Seattle

Bikes Save Seattle

By Christopher Cottrell

D. J. Smith volunteers to repair bicycles.

Dec 02, 1998 -- Suzanne Carlson has a saying: people should have access to affordable bicycles. As Program Director of the Free Ride Zone Bike Shop in Columbia City, Carlson helps coordinate a cornucopia of innovative bicycle care plans. "One event we have is the Volunteer Repair Party. We set aside a day (usually Saturdays) where people can come and fix their bicycles, and get them working. Volunteers will bring bikes, or we'll fix some of the ones from our storage area," she said.

The Free Ride Zone is a non-profit organization, so volunteers donate most of the bikes, tires, frames, handlebars, seats, and chains. "Not everyone can afford a new bicycle, so we came up with a program for kids to earn their own bicycles," Carlson explains. The "Earn a Bike" plan involves a series of six workshops, three hours long, where kids from 9 to 18 years of age learn the basics of bike repair, maintenance, and safety. "After the kids complete the workshops, they then get to chose their own bike, and fix it," tells Carlson. Most of the younger kids like to get the BMX models, and summertime brings the most diverse lot of bike enthusiasts, according to Carlson.

With Thanksgiving gone, and the holidays near at hand, The Free Ride Zone Bike Shop has planned a special event for December 12th. "We're going to have a Christmas sale on the twelfth. Some bikes range from the $30.00, which are normally kids sized bikes, to mountain bikes which are as cheap as $100.00," notes Carlson.

Carlson isn't alone in her quest to bring affordable bikes to the public. Another group of citizens is taking action to "swap" bikes. Joel Horn, along with a core group of concerned parents, is getting ready to plan the 3rd "bike swap" for spring of '99. "The first bike swap began when a bunch of us parents got together and thought to create a system for our kids to exchange their bikes," tells Horn. The "bike swap" coordinates with volunteers, and Carlson's shop to allow kids to get a new bike without forking out fistfuls of twenties. "Kids and their parents bring the bike to an inspection area, and the Bike Doctor checks to see if the bike is safe. If the bike makes it past inspection, it is tagged and appraised. The kid is given credit and the bike is put in a selling pen," explains Horn. Once in the pen, kids can buy bigger or smaller bikes, depending on their needs. For example, notes Horn, if a kid has $50 in credit and wants a $90 bike, they pay an additional $40. If they just want money for their bike, and it's worth $100, they can only get half the value in cash- $50.

Adds Carlson, affordable bicycles benefit all Seattleites by reducing car traffic. More bikes, less traffic. Less traffic, peaceful streets. Bikes save Seattle.

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