Working with Bikes Not Bombs and the city’s Boston Bikes program, the Boston Cyclists Union is proud to announce a new program that directly helps cyclists.

Huge swaths of the city, such as Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, and Eastie, are not served by bike repair shops. This makes it difficult for some folks to dust off the bikes in their basements, or for others to simply keep their bikes on the road.

So once a month, around eight open-air farmer’s markets around the city will host the Boston Cyclists Union’s new mobile bike tune up stand!

In addition to fixing up bikes, the BCU will be promoting anti-theft tactics, selling affordable U-locks and bike lights, directing folks to other city resources for affordable helmets, and collecting inside information from local cyclists on where they would like to see safer streets, which routes they use, and what changes in city policy might improve their cycling experience.

A small grant for the program has been provided by the City of Boston, and the Union hopes to expand the program next year through fund-raising and the BCU’s new dues-paying membership program (soon to be online!).

The schedule and locations are available under our Resources pull down menu above, or here. More locations may be added soon.

Also, anyone interested in becoming card-carrying members of the Boston Cyclists Union can come sign up at any of these locations!

If you are interested in volunteering for this project, contact pete@bostoncyclistsunion.org. Both mechanics and non-mechanics are needed to help out.