THERE’S A bike wizard in town. Chris Gee likes to ride, and he wants you to do the same. Working his magic for Bike To Work Week (May 27 - June 2), he’s been flying around with a bag full of tools to do free tune-ups for participating businesses and organizations.
To qualify, at least 25 per cent of a workplace must commit to either biking or walking to work at least once during Bike to Work Week.
The offer is in effect until the start of the week, May 27.
Gee will also be at the Skeena Valley Farmers Market May 25 to do tune ups.
Gee likes to show people the ropes so they can take care of their own bikes:
- Oil the chain correctly to avoid staining pant/dress bottoms. Apply a very small amount to the lower half of the chain. Use a rag to wipe down the sides and bottom of the chain to get rid of crud.
- Examine the brakes to make sure the pads fully touch the rim when applied.
- Fill up tires using a pump with a gauge or a handheld gauge to get the correct pounds per square inch needed. This number is located on a tire’s outer wall.
- If the gears make rattling noises, play with the barrel adjuster (which is a tiny twist knob on the end of the derailleur) turning it in small increments and rotating the pedals until the sound goes away.
Gee is also advocating for safety during Bike To Work Week.
“Safety is a main concern,” Gee said. “It starts with a helmet, and you’re safer with full tires.”
He also wants to mend stereotypes. According to Gee, recently-disgraced cycling champ Lance Armstrong presented a faked, overblown image of the cyclist: a rocketeer in futuristic Spandex breaking speed barriers on 100 km sprints.
Gee prefers a no-rush European approach.
He pioneered a program in Prince George very similar to the one Amsterdam is known for – a bike share program where a fleet of coloured bikes is given to the public.
Unfortunately the bikes ended up in ditches and tossed into rivers by an uncaring public.
Gee has spearheaded a similar program here, but tried to learn from the Prince George blunder.
He now has businesses and organizations sponsor a bike and they keep it locked outside. People who want to ride can get a key inside.
There are five such bikes currently, and many donated to schools and shelters.
Gee operates the non-profit Skeena Bicycle Service in the basement of the George Little House on Kalum.
It’s open Wednesday evenings to the public, where they can learn how to tune up their bikes, use supplied tools and benefit from the guidance of trained mechanics.
“We sell used bikes, accept donated bikes, and run bike repair courses. We operate a volunteer-run community bike workshop where you can drop in and learn how to fix your bike and we maintain a fleet of community bikes,” Gee said.
Thursday nights there is a biking group that meets at McBike.
“Terrace is a spectacular town to ride around in. For the most part it’s flat,” Gee said.
Breaking from his European laid-back perspective for a minute, Gee says that starting from Canadian Tire, he guarantees he can beat a vehicle to the Hwy16 and Hwy37 four-way stop in Thornhill by up to 3 minutes.
He adds that beyond Bike To Work Week is the incredible touring potential especially from Terrace to Rupert—a stretch of Highway 16 with large shoulders and plenty of fresh pavement.
To register for a tune up, call Tara Irwin at the City of Terrace, 250-635-3467.
And to register a group for Bike to Work Week, go to biketowork.ca and follow the instructions.