new project

A few years ago, I volunteered at the Trenton Bike Exchange, a project where people donate bikes, and volunteers fix 'em up and sell 'em - cheap - as a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club of Trenton (and, not incidentally, in order to get bikes out to people who want 'em). I stopped going because I was spending more time commuting than I was actually turning wrenches.

(I'm not linking to 'em because they get enough press. Grump, grump, grump. Although they did send us a shipment of old bikes to refurbish.)

Well, there's a fledgling bike exchange in New Brunswick, which is just about out my back door. After a couple of mechanic's nights to try to develop interest, and a couple of false starts, we're starting to work: we've sold five bikes (including a lovely lugged Peugeot, of which I mourn the loss), we've got more for sale, we've got space and tools, and regular open times from 11-2 on Saturdays and 5-8 on Tuesdays. It's become my regular Tuesday night hangout; I've been going for about a month. We've got a Facebook page (I refuse to get on Facebook, so the link may not work) and a (currently moribund) website, which, I am promised, will be more active later.

Our parent organization is the Puerto-Rican Action Board, which runs a number of services throughout the area. They've given us a huge garage in the back of their building in the old industrial section of New Brunswick. The trick to finding the Bike Exchange is not so much finding the address at 90 Jersey Ave, as wandering around the back lot until you find the entrance; as yet there are no signs up.

There's some kind of a tour of the area today, and a "Grand Opening" May 30 (I think at noon).

It's been a project of some of the students at the Bloustein school. Most of the volunteers come from that program.

I'll have more news as it comes, and I'll probably try to get a listing in the club newsletter.