Fix-it clinic pop-ups hosted at Bay Area libraries as part of Zero Waste Initiative
By Loureen Ayyoub
At the Excelsior Branch Library, volunteer mechanics adjusted brakes, replaced tubes and tuned up bicycles during a neighborhood Fix-It Clinic focused on repair and reuse.
Michael Patrick Smith, a member of the Bay Area Bike Mobile, said working on bicycles is about more than mechanics.
“This bike just got a new lease on life,” he said, examining a bicycle that had been sitting unused for years.
“The bike’s just been dormant for a little while. It’s just been sitting for a couple years. Mom’s been busy. You know, she’s just coming for a nice tune up on the bicycle, but it’s in really good shape. I think the front probably has a flat tube that needs to be replaced, but we are just going to check over the whole bicycle and make sure that it’s perfect because she’s going for a ride this weekend,” Smith said.
The “Fix-it clinics” are supported through the Zero Waste initiative funded by the San Francisco Environment Department. The program brings free bicycle repair services, among other items, to neighborhood libraries and community spaces, aiming to reduce waste and extend the life of everyday items while supporting the local repair economy.
Residents say the clinics help remove financial barriers to maintenance.
“I’m just really grateful we have this in our community because I’ve just been stalling on repairing my bike, and part of it is the cost associated with it,” said Alisha Somji, who brought her bicycle in for service.
For Smith, the events also highlight the role bicycles play in connecting people.
“Working on bikes, and seeing how bicycles really bring people together, from all walks of life, right, if you like a bicycle, just to get out and ride once or twice a week, just to blow off some steam, it’s fun,” he said.
The next Fix-It Clinic in the area is scheduled for Feb. 25 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the John Daly Library in Daly City, where residents can bring broken household items and bicycles for free repair assistance.
