Free tools, workspace, help: How one Thunder Bay shop hopes to get more people on two wheels

A new shop in Thunder Bay's south core is hoping to get more people on two wheels, by inviting them to come use their tools and space to repair, or even build their own bikes.

Community Spokes, which started as an operation on the Lakehead University campus, has now opened a second location on Victoria Avenue.

"The model here is free access to bike tools, free access to teaching and affordable used parts," said Ian Cameron, co-founder of Cooperative X, which runs Community Spokes.

Anyone can come to the shop to work on their own bikeand to get help from a volunteer with mechanical knowledge, he said.

The store also brings in revenue by selling and renting used and broken bikes that have been donated, and then restored by volunteers.

If someone is in the market to buy, and is also willing to roll up their sleeves, Community Spokesalso offers a "build to own" program wherecustomers can purchasea bike frame from the shop's warehouse. A volunteer will then guide them through the process of repairing it.

It's one of the shop's most popular programs, Cameron said, because it arms people with the knowledge to continue maintaining their ride.

By opening a location on the south side of town, they hope to reach out to a broader community,beyond the university campus, said co-founder Mike Bird.

Winter wheels

Although the new south side location is opening during the off-season, Bird said they hope to encourage people to try winter biking.

A number of people have shown interest in learning more about cycling through the colder months, he said.

"I'm really excited and encouraged by that," he said, "and I think that through the whole winter we'll have some consistent interest."

Bird said Community Spokes is the first project for Cooperative X. In the future, they hope to create a similar organization, focused on improving access to computer-basedtechnology.

The new Community Spokes store is located inside The Hub Bazaar on Victoria Ave.