A Warehouse of Working Bikes

In the wee morning hours of Chicago’s West Side, we put on our grubs and working gloves, ready for a day of toil with the Working Bikes Cooperative. An artsy fellow who calls himself Danny Danger greeted us and opened a small door through which we stepped. Very soon we were digging through piles of discarded bicycle wheels, frames, seats, and various other rusty parts, intermingled with abandoned medical supplies. Beneath us was a layer of assorted particles recently matted together in a gruesome sludge. Above us was an enchanting sparkle from the sunlight that cut through a rusted corrugated steel roof.

The warehouse stretched the length of a city block. By day, it was used to store Chicago’s recently discarded bicycles, as well as used medical supplies kept for re-use and distribution to underprivileged populations by another non-profit who shared the space. By night, the space was home to fifty armed dogs, who kept local thieves – namely, those disadvantaged children from surrounding neighborhoods – from leaping through the rusted roof and stealing bikes.

Our purpose in this chaotic rubble was to restore order to the warehouse from which Working Bikes was in the process of moving. They needed to relocate their storage facilities to a safer venue, especially one that did not tempt wayward children into thievery. Because the Cooperative has been so busy collecting and refurbishing bicycles, they have not had the time or resources to clean and move out of the warehouse. Our help, therefore, was much needed and appreciated. Lee Ravenscroft, founder of Working Bikes, expressed his gratitude before taking off at day’s end in his diesel pick-up.

During our day with the Cooperative, we were struck with the extensive service they provide not only to Chicago residents, but also to international partners. For example, a woman named Lucy stopped by in the morning to collect bicycles that would soon be refurbished and shipped off to Ghana. We helped her collect and load a number of them into her truck. She was a soft-spoken woman who worked very hard for her cause. On Working Bikes’ website you can find a list of their various local and international partners. Even just one bicycle can change a life. Working Bikes changes many lives. In 2005, they gave away over 5,500 bicycles locally and internationally. This year, they plan to do even more.

After our day in the grit, the Legacy Crew showered and made our way to the home of Ariel Diamond, a fellow Udall alum from 2004. There we ate, drank, and were merry until late in the evening, a fine finish to a dirty day of good deeds.


By: Crystal Olin