There was grease everywhere. All over my hands, my arms, and even my face.
But I was going to get that bike shifting properly no matter what it took. Last weekend, I was one of the volunteers at the annual Repair Cafe at Lake Trail School. I was also the only one who signed up to fix bikes. While I only had two projects to work on over the four hours of the event, I spent every minute of those turning wrenches.
The Repair Cafe is an event that takes place in different parts of the Comox Valley and Strathcona regional districts. They are put on by Comox Strathcona Waste Management, in partnership with local schools or governments. The main goal is to give broken things a second life and keep them out of the landfill. But another major benefit is building a sense of community resilience and connection.
"A really neat thing about the repair cafes is that you're not just handing your item off to someone," said Anna Rambow, the Executive Director of the Lake Trail Community Education Society. "It's actually a neighbour or someone in your community that's going to sit down with you and go through that process and fixing it so you can see how it's done and take it home."
Throughout the day, tables around me were full of people with broken lamps, heaters, stereo equipment and other electronic devices. In another room, people brought in clothes that needed mending. There was also a table for kids to tinker, and a free clothing table.
But I was focused on that one bike.
The repair was supposed to just be a wheel true (straighten), but since there weren't many people bringing bikes in — and I blame two subsequent cyclones in as many days for that — I decided to go a bit deeper into the bike. I did manage to get the bike shifting properly, all while talking to other people about the community's need for a bike co-op-style of establishment, and making connections that way.
I did end up finishing that bike, and the owner rode away happy. I also managed to turn a wheel that was bent completely out of shape back into as close to a circle as I could. Through that, I made a connection with another local fixer.
Another Repair Cafe is in the works for the spring, this time the plan is to hold it in Cumberland. If anyone needs their bike fixed, I'll be there.
