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The Iowa City Bike Library: Taking Away More Than Just a Bike
Written by Jennifer MacBain-Stephens | February 15, 2021
📷 @christinhumephoto
According to a story in the LA Times in December 2019, carbon emissions from vehicles hit a record high for a third year in the row; and the amount of carbon dioxide released in 2020 was expected to hit 37 billion tons, according to an international team of scientists.
With this in mind, it is important to opt for alternative methods of clean transportation. Such as bicycles, for reasons such as: they are cheaper than cars, create virtually no pollution, retain the structure of roads (& in turn cost taxpayers less), and biking is a healthy activity! If that doesn’t convince you, check out what a group of folks are doing at the Iowa City Bike Library! In 2021, the mission of the Bike Library is the same as it was when the organization began in 2004: get more people onto bikes. The BL was started by a group of volunteers who made it their mission to reach the furthest outskirts of the city to find adults and kids who could use a ride. On any given evening, stop by the Bike Library and you might see the faces of Audrey Wiedemeier (Executive Director,) McGuirk (Volunteer Coordinator,) or Drew Boss (Lead Mechanic,) and a handful of volunteers (who are now taking Covid precautions and have limited numbers inside.) They repair donated bikes and offer them to the community.
How it Works
People can schedule an appointment to look at the bikes and go for a test run. All of the bikes being lent out have been refurbished by a volunteer or staff member. This means repaired and already test ridden. Then the bike is given a Final check by a second staff member or mechanic. Once the customer pays a deposit and the checkout form is signed, they have the option of returning it within six months (if returned, they receive their full deposit back, minus a sustainability fee of $50). A note on kids bikes: prices can range from $10 – $50. Kids bikes are not available for the bike checkout program; they are non-returnable.
Source: The Bike Library
What Makes The BL Stand Out?
The BL are proud to facilitate a “Hands-off Assisting Approach.” This means the staff and volunteers want you to learn how to fix your bike yourself. This is best done by answering your questions and finding the right words to describe a technique, but you’ll be doing the work. This reflects their philosophy to share goals that reflect “empowerment, inclusivity, and education.”
Volunteer Katie Robbins says “I found my blue Nishiki with Audrey in the basement of the old location of the Bike Library ten years ago. It was a dream to get this road bike (really cheap) and work on it! She taught me how to clean it, overhaul the front hub, and start to learn wheel tuning. The vibe is great: empower folks like me to learn about their bike and how to care for it. What a gift! Always good music on during those nights at the shop too. I’m a forever fan.”
Always promoting inclusivity and safety, The Bike Library states their “Safer Space” policy on their website. This policy intends for the shop people to provide a supportive, non-threatening environment for all who enter. They want everyone: visitors, volunteers, staff, and donors to be forthcoming in practicing inclusion and kindness.
Three of their guidelines from the Safer Space Policy are:
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Be aware of your prejudices and privileges and the space you take up at the Bike Library.
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Respect everyone’s physical and emotional boundaries. Ask first before touching, and listen and change your behavior if someone tells you that you are making them uncomfortable.
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Commit to hearing each other and creating opportunities for all voices to be heard.
Source: The Bike Library
The Fun Part
The BL have several programs, rent a workbench (for $5) nights, and rides that stand out and leave a positive impression in participants’ hearts: it’s these events that keep people coming back for more.
WTF Night
Every Tuesday night from 6-8pm is WTF (Women/Trans/Femme) Night. (Temporarily suspended due to Covid), this is a free program (you can choose to donate $5), that offers bicycle repair instruction to women identifying and gender non-conforming individuals lead by instructors who also fit into this category.
WTF night is one of Wiedemeier’s favorites:
“WTF stands for women, transgender and femme. Anyone who identifies as a woman, transgender or femme can have free access to the tools. We’re trying to make it an inviting, female space.”
“One of the reasons I do what I do is that I really want to increase the number of female cyclists.”
WERide
Teaming up with the Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County, the Women Empowerment Ride was born. This is a girls’ cycling program designed to inspire all young women, aged 9-14, to gain confidence in biking and also learn some skills. Also, each summer the WERide holds a girls camp where they meet to go on adventures and learn more bike handling techniques.
Bike Club 2020 & Pedals for People
Normally every summer the BL works with school summer programs to have access to bikes and safety training. Due to Covid, the after school programs were shut down, so last summer Americorps volunteers recruited kids from the Broadway Neighborhood Center to join the Bike Club. They practiced, learned signaling, and now know how to go on a safe bike ride. Pedals for People is a community bike school for adults and is funded from the Climate Action Grant.
Farm Cycle
Few rides are beloved more than this fall ride that tours small farms around Iowa and riders get to sample farm grown food at each stop. This bicycle tour of local farms and food featured some of these farms last year: Calico Farm, Lucky Star Farm, Muddy Miss Farms, and Walker Homestead.When riders register, they can pick a route based on mileage. The ‘Cherry Tomato’ route is 22 miles, the ‘Kale Yea!’ is 30 miles (with about two miles of gravel turf,) and the 40 mile ‘Beet It Up Ride’ has 9 miles of gravel.
Cyclist Sara Montgomery says “Farm Cycle is an amazing opportunity to meet local growers, chefs, and cool folks from around Iowa. It really is an awesome experience and a fun, non-competitive way to get out, get on a bike, and try some truly delicious eats. The pit-stops make it do-able for almost anyone. And you gotta love the farm animals!”
The ride usually starts and stops at the same place where people register, have a small free breakfast, and get their screened tee made and hung up to dry.
As volunteer Katie exclaims, “I love what this organization stands for and I hope that more folks can pitch in money or time to help. I’d love to see the Bike Library have the kind of support given back from this community that they’ve put into it 10 times over. Check out their website and be shocked at all they are doing. It’s amazing.”
Volunteer Coordinator McGuirk explains that some of their main initiatives these days are a “major focus on equity, racial justice, and access to bikes.”
In addition to all of the fun, inclusive activities, rides, and opportunities to learn and grow, the Bike Library is a steward of sustainability! Every Wednesday, they strip bikes of metal, rubber, and aluminum and divert it from the Landfill. They have recycled more than 40,000 pounds of metal from bikes that were not salvageable.
The Bike Library will be moving into their forever home on March 1, 2021 at 1222 South Gilbert Court. McGuirk inspires the crew with “Over the past week, every single volunteer who participated in packing, organizing, idea-sharing, hauling, everything(!), has played an essential role in this formidable feat before us: place-making! As a team, we will craft a workspace that is conducive to the ordinary and extraordinary tasks that combine to bring the mission we serve into being.”
Source: The Bike Library
The Fun Part
Regarding this hefty move, Wiedemeier reminisces “Exactly one year ago Lemoncello and Don Queerote performed a duet at the sold out Bawdy Bawdy Ha Ha Valentine’s Day show. Little did we know it would be the last time we’d all dance cheek to cheek. Drag Kings shows are ridiculously fun and I was just getting started in this artform (DQ is my drag persona) before the pandemic hit.”
We will be taking our celebration to the streets, and ceremoniously parading the bicycles the six blocks or so to 1222 S. Gilbert Court. A Final Drag Bicycle Parade marks a new chapter in the organization’s life. I am excited about all the positive and transformative effects the bicycle can have on us humans and this community we make up together.”
To find out more:
Bike to Wherever Day 2021 : the Environmental Benefits of Riding Your Bike
meet the author
Jennifer MacBain-Stephens
Jennifer MacBain-Stephens went to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and now lives in Iowa where she likes to rock climb, hike, and mountain bike. She is the author of four poetry collections and enjoys exploring how to blend creativity with nurturing the earth. She also hosts a free, monthly reading series sponsored by Iowa City Poetry called Today You Are Perfect.
Find her at: http://jennifermacbainstephens.com/.
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