Baristanet reminds you that Pedals for Progress is having a used bike collection tomorrow, from 9 to noon at the Walnut Street train station in Montclair. Pick up some produce at the farmer’s market and help supply folks in developing countries with a means of transportation by bringing down your old bike. Even if it’s not in peak working condition, Pedals for Progress will retool it before shipping it to folks in need. Here’s bulky waste scavenger king Stephane Mortier, with a progress report of his own. Mortier did Baristaville proud by riding a found bike from Montclair for his 60 mile trek in the MS Bike Tour:
I found what I was looking for on your curb: a blue 10 speed Schwinn Le Tour IV. This beautiful race machine, with its “X-tra light” decal on the steel (!) frame had fought rust and grime for 25 years and was screaming for some speed on the bitumen. I dusted it off, greased the chain, slipped into cycling wear borrowed from my neighbor Steve (an ironman whose condition as a new father limits the usage of the aforementioned equipment), then joined the pack of more than 3,000 riders. I sure looked like the odd rider in that sea of recent (read expensive) race machines, but I was loving it. If I do good, then it’s in spite of antiquated equipment; if I don’t keep up, then it becomes the excuse. I rode the blue speed machine from Montclair in five hours including the stops! So, my dear neighbors, thank you for giving your dusty road bike another chance to cut the wind and to carry several Montclairites around Manhattan: a modest engine (yours truly) and the spirit of four people I know who are afflicted with MS. They were pushing me during the uphills.
Even though Mortier is always on the lookout for salvaged bikes, do the man a favor and bring yours directly to a Pedals for Progress collection, rather than the curb. This way, he can park his car in the garage again.
Do the bikes have to be in working order? My old Peugeot is in very nice condition, except that its rear wheel was swiped while it was chained up at Bay Street last year. Bring it anyway?
I won’t be around tomorrow and have two bikes I’ve been hanging onto for just this purpose. They’re old but I’m sure with a little TLC they’ll be just fine. Is there any other way or time I can get the bikes to him?
Bikes have to be complete so they can be readily fixed up. P4P is shipping directly to an associated workshop locally where the bikes are repaired.
I do have some spares in the garage, so I should be able to find a matching part in most cases.
If you have equipment you want to donate but can’t make it to a donation near you, let me know and we’ll find a solution 212-902-3783
Thanks for your interest in this great cause.
Stephane