The WRENCH: Learn How to Maintain Your New Bike

Recently, I found myself in need of a new bike. All summer, I’ve walked past The WRENCH pop up bike shop at The Forks, so it seemed like the perfect occasion to stop by and see what it’s all about.

The WRENCH provides mentorship to build, repair and maintain a bike. They have recycled bikes for sale and have experienced mechanics on hand to help you tune up your own bike. All bikes and parts are donated or ‘saved’ from the Brady landfill (how cool is that?).

Buying a new bike can be a bit overwhelming. There are a lot of bikes to choose from: cruiser, 10-speed, mountain bike, hybrid—it’s hard to know what works for you. I knew I wanted a bike to go to and from work and for evening and weekend cruising around town. Something comfortable and light, as I often have to haul it upstairs and maneuver it in elevators (part of both urban life and a complete cycling workout!).

The best way to try out a bike is to ride it and see how it feels. They had so many different kinds of bikes! It was good to get a feel for each one.

After a bit of deliberation, I selected this vintage green Sears cruiser. It was the perfect size and a light frame. But the seat wasn’t doing it for me — and this is the best part of The WRENCH…

You can modify and work on your bike right there! Out back, there is a train car full of bike parts to customize your bike to exactly your needs and taste. I found a very comfortable vintage seat and changed it MYSELF. The beauty of The WRENCH is that their experienced mechanics will teach you the skills needed to take care of your bike.

The WRENCH will be at The Forks every Sunday 11-4 from now until the end of September. You can follow cycling maps from all corners of the city leading to The Forks. We have lots of warm beautiful fall weather ahead, so ride on down to The Forks, get a tune up and check out what other cool recycled bikes they have!

Ride on!

Lindsay Somers is an urban lifestyle health expert. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram. All photos by Luckygirl Photography.

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