30 bikes ready to roll out with Red Bike debut next month
Published 10:41 am Monday, March 28, 2016
Adam Beard and his 16-year-old son Ryan Beard apply grease to bearings as they assemble one of bikes.
Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin volunteers are ready to pedal into a new program, albeit with about half the bikes they’d originally planned.
Volunteers readied eight bikes at Rydjor Bike Shop Saturday for Austin’s Red Bike program, which is slated to debut next month around Austin.
Gareth Hataye, right, and John Burkhart work together to start assembling one of the red bikes for the Red Bike Program Saturday morning at Rydjor Bike.
“Saturday morning was very productive. We had a great crew,” Vision 2020 Bike/Walk Committee Chairman Steve Kime said.
The newly completed bikes bring the total to 30 bikes ready for the Red Bike program, which will feature single-speed bikes at 11 racks around town that people can borrow, use and return anytime they like for no cost.
While the program is still slated to debut in mid-April if weather permits, Kime said they’ll likely kick off with 30 bikes instead of the original plan for 60. He noted organizers underestimated the work time to get donated bikes ready for the program.
Riverland Community College’s automotive program and Rydjor Bike Shop have been vital in in working on the program.
Kime especially thanked co-owner Pat Geraghty and others at Rydjor for their work in accepting Red Bike donations and work to fix up the bikes.
“We would not have Red Bike if not for them,” Kime said.
He also thanked volunteers for helping out throughout the early stages of the program.
