Help DotBike Raise Money for a ‘Fixit’ Bike Station
Dorchester Bike photo uploaded by Lee Toma on Flickr
Some determined Dorchester cyclists are working on ways to bring bike infrastructure needs to the neighborhood, and they’re starting by raising money for a station to fix their rides.
Because access to bike repair shops is fairly limited in the Dorchester area, members of DotBike, a non-profit community organization, started an Indiegogo.com campaign this week to install a “Fixit” and air-pump so people can do quick repairs without having to search for a store.
“We want more people to bike in Dorchester. Having free access to tools to fix a flat tire or adjust your brakes will help remove some barriers to biking,” according to a statement from the group’s fundraising page. “Once the Fixit is installed, we plan to work with local groups and businesses to lead bike repair tutorials on-site so that people know how to use the Fixit.”
Money raised by supporters would help pay for a Dero Fixit with an Air Kit 3 Pump, plus a “Pump Stop” to hold people’s bikes while they make the basic repairs. If the group surpasses its goal of $2,000, members plan on purchasing an additional Fixit station to go somewhere else in Dorchester. So far, 16 people have put $480 total toward the project.
Dero Fixit stations are a pole-like structure installed in the ground. They typically have a set of basic tools affixed to them by cables so riders can take care of maintenance issues like changing a flat and adjusting brakes and derailleurs, according to the company’s website.
Similar Fixits have been installed in other parts of Boston, including a few new ones that went in as part of Bike Week in March. They’re also a commodity that have been enjoyed by people traveling through Cambridge, specifically near MIT’s campus.
Getting a Fixit station isn’t the only way that the Dorchester group is looking to beef up the neighborhood’s cycling needs. On Wednesday, they looked for volunteers to help them move a free bike rack on Newbury Street and transport it to the Bowdoin Bike School, an instruction-based bike shop located at the corner of Bowdoin Street and Topliff Street.
Later this month, members will meet with Pete Stidman, executive director of the Boston Cyclists Union, for a “Dorchester Bike Infrastructure Meeting.”
According to the group, they are teaming up with the union to “make great things happen” in Dorchester, and plan on discussing improvements needed to make biking in the populated section of Boston “easier, safer, and more fun.”
“We’ll identify some top priorities and discuss next steps,” the group said about the scheduled meeting.
