Riding into winter with VBC

Are these cold, wintry days causing MMBR (missing my bike ride)? Then I have the solution, visit us at Village Bicycle Cooperative where you can work on bikes, talk about bikes and, weather permitting, ride a bike. 

Volunteering at VBC requires no previous skills, just a willingness to learn and to have fun. Many of our refurbished bikes will be donated and we can use your help. Village Bicycle Cooperative's mission includes accepting new and used donated bicycles during open shop hours, repairing them when necessary and then performing a safety check. Bikes that pass the safety check are offered for sale to the public. The majority of our bicycles are under $100, but occasionally we have something special to offer that breaks that rule.

Volunteer hours are Wednesdays from 6:30-8 p.m. in the shop on the ground floor of the Community House at 303 Cahoon Road, Bay Village. 

On February 5, 8 and 12, we will be offering maintenance and tune-up classes with assistance from the Silver Wheels Cycling Club. Every month during the year there will be classes offered from fix-a-flat to safety tips for riding. You can visit www.villagebicycle.org for more information.

Progress is being made on a bicycle-friendly revision to Bay Village’s ordinances that are in line with the Ohio Revised Code. More information on this topic will be coming.

Congratulations to Village Bicycle Cooperative, spearheaded by Jennifer Smillie, for being named 2014 project of the year by Bay Village Community Council. In a message to the many volunteers involved in the co-op, Jennifer thanked them all and added, "Without your help Village Bicycle Cooperative would never have existed.”

The community is invited to a small reception honoring all those who donated their time, ideas and resources in helping Village Bicycle Cooperative earn the project of the year award. It will be at Bay Lodge on Sunday, Feb. 23. It will run 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., with a short presentation at 3 p.m. I hope you can join us. 

Here's a tip for February from "Cycling Shorts" by Fred Oswald: Share the road with bicycles. Cyclists should ride on the right side of the road and follow the same rules as other drivers. It is unsafe to ride on the wrong side and it is dangerous to ride on the sidewalk.

So shake off MMBR and join VBC!