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September 22, 2005
Thursday night in the Grease Pit
Cool. That's a good description for the Grease Pit bike shop on the West bank. The other night I met Jon from the Bedlam, which is right above the Grease Pit and he was telling me about it. So I started doing a little checking on the web, and found their website, which is a really out of date. Anyway, I found their address and went to there tonight with Dan. It was a great training ride from downtown St. Paul, out to Ft. Snelling then up the river on the west side. We came up and rode by Freewheel, another block to the Grease Pit. There were already some people waiting outside for it to open at 6pm.
I was truly amazed that such a loose organization, free and open to the public, all-volunteer run, could be so clean and organized and full of parts, bikes and people. As I was looking around and talking to people I observed a little boy fixing his flat tire. He was doing a good job. He tried several times to get it himself, then got a little help patching the tube, then he put it back on himself and pumped it up. He told me comes in there a lot and he lives close by. It was cool because he just made himself at home fixing his own bike, and he picked up his tools and put them away and cleaned up after himself. Then he wheeled his bike out and was on his way. No cash was exchanged and he did it himself.
I helped one person take off his pedals and search for a matching set to replace them and gave a little technical advice. I helped another person with a cable problem. Then a little later Chris helped the same person and she got it done right. I were several women in there fixing their own bikes and hanging out. And they put an old cassette of Prince in the tape player.
I make the proclamation that the Grease Pit people are doing good. This is a really good asset to the community. I'm going to help them more in the future. For those of you in Minneapolis, this is a great place to donate parts, bikes and other things. It's a great place to volunteer. I'm going back in two weeks to help out all night. That'll be fun. Anyone want to join me from 6-9pm at the Grease Pit, Thursday, October 6th? And then Spokes Pizza afterwords?
Viva la Grease Pit!
Oh, and thankfully Freewheel was right there, because I forgot my headlight at home and my tail light was dead. I bought a new headlight and batteries for the red blinky and was on my way home. Daylight is going fast! Riding time will all be in the dark soon I think.
Posted by carl1236 at September 22, 2005 09:55 PM | Bicycles
Comments
For some time now I've been trying to find anyone that has been to, or knows about, the Grease Pit. I'm a fairly recent transplant and have recently purchased my first FS mountain bike and want to learn how to take care of it. I've ridden for years, but since I'm not too mechanically inclined have never really been patient enough to work on my own bike (beyond basic maintenance).
Well, that's all changed now and I've been looking for a place to learn how to wrench a bit without having to dish out bokoo bucks for a canned 2-session short course that doesn't really cover much beyond "fixing flats, lubing your chain, etc.".
I'm still looking for a place I can have some guidance rather than just dropping off the ride and paying way too much to have it worked on. Sounds like you had a good experience at the Grease Pit...are you still going there? Are they still open?
I've tried to drop them an email, but it just got sent back saying undeliverable or something like that. I'd like to swing by there sometime soon, can you send me any current info. Much appreciated!
Posted by: Shahram at June 21, 2006 12:03 AM
The Grease Pit is open after six pm and is underneath the Bedlam Theatre. Their email doesn't work and they don't have a phone. Go around back, there is a non-descript old beat-up metal door. Go in and down the stairs. It's really a do-it-yourself workspace, so go in and dig in, ask questions when you need help.
Another option is the Sibley Bike Depot in St. Paul. It's a non-profit community bike shop. You can buy a 25 dollar per year membership and go in and use the shop any time to fix your own bike. Also Wednesday nights from 6pm to 8:30pm are volunteer nights and there are usually between fifteen and thirty volunteers hanging out, working on bikes and helping each other. It's a great way to learn. No membership is required to volunteer tearing down, building up or fixing the bikes in the shop.
Hey, good luck with your biking! It's a great way to get around and be healthy.
Posted by: John at June 21, 2006 10:14 PM