7 minute read
TACOMA
ONE BIKE AT A TIME
NONPROFIT BIKE SHOP INCREASES ACCESS TO BIKES FOR EVERYONE
By Rachel Kelly Photos Courtesy of Second Cycle
“W e believe in bikes,” says Noah Struthers of Second Cycle, a Tacoma used bike store that is so much more than a place to buy parts. From the orderly display of almost new or stylishly vintage bikes, to the community tool space, to their knowledgeable mechanics, there’s something different about Second Cycle. It is not just a place of business; it is a space for community.
Their mission is simple: to demystify and normalize the use of bikes. To hasten the realization that the bike is a tool for community and personal empowerment. It’s common knowledge that bikes can be used as an alternative to cars, especially for small distances. It’s also widely known that bikes can be used to lower congestion, increase the health and mental well-being of people, and to decrease one’s environmental footprint. Bikes are inherently good. Second Cycle just wants to see more of that good out in the community. They accomplish this less through awareness and more through providing everyday access.
When Noah founded the bike shop 12 years ago, it was with the mind to see more of his friends ride bikes. The general excuse to not ride centered around bikes being too expensive to buy or too complicated to maintain. Noah had been a bike mechanic for several years by then, so he was familiar with the ins and outs of the professional biking world. The more he looked into getting his friends into biking, the more he became aware of the privileges enjoyed by his fellow bikers. If Noah was going to see more people from his community on a bike, he was going to have to address those privileges that bar so many from riding. This meant a little more than simply selling used bikes. He was going to have to make an inclusive space,
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one that lowered barriers to bike riding for everyone. This is why Second Cycle offers a community tool space for anyone looking to fix their bikes.
As he moved forward in his plans to open shop, Noah’s inspiration naturally evolved into a nonprofit venture. The nonprofit avenue seemed the best way to open up opportunities for community partnership and to lend a listening ear to those people who might have something to say. As a nonprofit, Second Cycle gains only 25 percent of its revenue through grants and community donors. While these donors are incremental in expanding community ventures that normally would be inaccessible, Second Cycle is unique in that the large majority of its revenue is generated. This means that Second Cycle is a working, sustainable bike shop. This is one of the many reasons why it is so successful. It is a business turned nonprofit. Noah is a bike mechanic turned nonprofit board member. Second Cycle pays its experienced mechanics (two of which are women) a fair working wage for their knowledge and time. They also fix and re-use working machines and then sell them at an affordable price.
Second Cycle doesn’t stop at simply doing business (although business is certainly important); they also reach out into their community, using education and activity as a means to demystify and normalize the bike as a tool for everyday use. Every first and third Friday is the women’s/ trans/non-binary night. Biking is a predominantly male sport and tool space; holding a night like this means free and uninhibited access
THE NONPROFIT AVENUE
by community members who are often intimidated
SEEMED THE BEST WAY TO
by the biking world. A OPEN UP OPPORTUNITIES mechanic is always on hand for demonstrations FOR COMMUNITY and advice. There are also youth programs, whose PARTNERSHIP AND TO aim is to see young people have access to bikes. LEND A LISTENING EAR Youth generally have lots of places to go but very TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO little money to get them there. Why not ride bikes?
MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING
It’s no wonder why youth TO SAY. have been the most loyal and longest supporters of Second Cycle. More recently, Second Cycle has been hosting community bike rides every two weeks. The bike rides are set at an easy pace, meant for riders looking to dip their feet in the biking world. It’s not a 40-mile trek that requires an expensive amount of equipment. It’s simply a leisurely stroll with the community.
While outreach is essential, even more important is the space that Second Cycle offers. Space to be heard. Space to be seen. And space to work. It’s simple, and it is exactly what the community needs. Just a little bit of space. With Second Cycle there’s access for everyone, not just because they have stepped outward into the community, but because they have invited others in. This invitation to be a part of something inherently good is what makes this local shop so unique. By creating a space that is welcoming, Second Cycle creates conversation. Bikes are used as the campfire around which the community gathers; a campfire that brings safety, warmth and inclusion.
As the stay-at-home orders continue, Second Cycle has become busier rather than less. They are considered an essential business and have
been allowed to stay open. However, there are certain restrictions in place. Attempting to maintain a distance of 6 feet with only two at a time in the shop has been a challenge. Unfortunately, the community tool space is closed temporarily. However, Second Cycle recognizes the need for bikes right now, since biking is both a solitary and community sport. Being able to feel safe while relieving stress outside has prompted more attention to the biking world. An increase in business in a time where income is low shows that they are doing exactly what they intended to do— breaking down barriers for a more just urban landscape.
Contributing to Second Cycle is as easy as buying a bike, donating a bike, or ordering parts for a bike. All bikes are accepted and properly recycled. Proceeds go toward supporting their community activities, community tool space, and to changing the urban landscape into something that is healthier for us all. Little by little we may just see “a world where biking is accessible to us all.” Supporting Second Cycle with your biking needs means to contribute to something that is, simply put, just good.
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