The Twin Cities has been lauded many times for its bike-friendly routes and strategies, but what happens if you have a flat at 10pm?
Until now, repair service has been limited to bike shop hours, but local startup
Bike Fixtation aims to change that. Started by entrepreneurs Chad DeBaker and Alex Anderson, the firm creates kiosks that pair a large vending machine with a standalone bike repair rack.
The idea was sparked during DeBaker's bachelor party, when he and a group of friends were bar-hopping by bike. One of them got a flat tire, and no one had a spare tube.
"We thought it was crazy that we live in one of the biggest biking places in the country and we couldn't get a tube after 8pm," he says.
Bicyclists can buy products such as tubes, patch kits, tools, and even sunscreen and energy bars, whenever they like. The repair rack features a collection of tools, attached by theft-proof cords, and an electric tire pump.
The first kiosk was installed inside the Uptown Transit Station, just above the Midtown Greenway. A second location is planned for Lake Street and Hiawatha, in the light rail station there.
Bike Fixtation has been building up its capital by selling equipment--like the bike repair station--worldwide, so other cities can duplicate the effort. In addition to more locations, the company is also working to bring out more products, like public bicycle pumps.
"In general, everyone has been very supportive of the project," says DeBaker. "Cyclists are getting a lot of use out of it, and that's great to see."
Source: Chad DeBaker, Bike Fixtation
Writer: Elizabeth Millard