In a move that should make people more confident about riding bicycles throughout Concord, 11 new repair stations are being set up around the city.
By this weekend they should be available at Terrill Park, the YMCA, NHTI, and several city schools, with one in Boscawen on the Northern Rail Trail, among other sites.
“They’re wonderfully spread out across the city,” said Tim Blagden, a board member of the Central New Hampshire Bicycle Coalition, which is overseeing the project. “You’re not serving the same crowd at five different destinations along a rail trail … It’s different people using every site.”
The installation of the 11 Fixit Stations from Dero, a Minnesota firm that makes various bicycle-related products, is the latest step in getting more people pedaling around town instead of driving.
“We’re trying to establish more of a bike culture. It’s better for the planet, better for everybody’s health,” he said.
Deb Smith, health and wellness director for NHTI said health, as well as convenience, were among the reasons that the school welcomed a Fixit Station near Grappone Hall, to go along with its many bicycle racks and a bike-share program that has operated for several years.
“Tim (Blagden) asked us and we said ‘absolutely, it would be fantastic.’ If all goes well, we might try to get another one, on the other side of campus,” she said.
Each station has an air pump that works on both common types of bike-tire valves and a half dozen tools attached with cables that can be used for everything from changing a flat tire to tightening a loose seat. A horizontal hanger arm lets the rider elevate their bike while making repairs.
Dero says more than 700 of the free public stations exist worldwide, from Hawaii to Alaska, from Chile to Australia, and throughout Europe.
Stations exist in Keene, Nashua and Hanover, but the bulk of the state’s collection are in the Concord region, including five along the Concord-Sunapee Rail Trail. They can be located via an online map at: dero.com.
Blagden said attempts to get more Fixit Stations were boosted by a grant that overcame each location’s need to pay $250 or more.
“Once we got the money out of the way, thanks to a grant, all of these destinations stepped up. The idea was, where can you find huge pockets of potential bike riders?” he said.
The repair sites are part of a push to develop more bicycling infrastructure. Protecting biking lanes on roads is the most obvious need but more places to easily and safely park bicycles is also important.
(David Brooks can be reached at 369-3313 or dbrooks@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @GraniteGeek.)
