Bike Medic is thankful to the Dexter Farmers Market and the Dexter community at large for allowing us to serve this spring during May and June. Presently, our team is training for the Wish-A-Mile event later this month to help grant wishes to kids with serious health conditions. Please join us by donating to our team Bike Medic.
Our team also is continuing to work through the bikes so graciously donated to us in an effort to give them new life in the hands of another owner.
Bike Medic
It’s that time of year again!
You may have opened the garage door, swept out last year’s leaves and the winter salt from the floor. Maybe you’ve even taken inventory of lawnmower needs, or made space for social distance gatherings within its shelter during April showers.
But what is that in the corner, covered in cobwebs and dust? Is that the bike you planned get serviced and ride again? But where and how? Most bike shops that survived the pandemic are so backed up as to be nearly inaccessible.
Bike Medic to the rescue!
Our volunteers are available on Saturday mornings during the months of May and June at the Dexter Farmer’s Market. Schedule a visit with us where we can give it a bath and perform triage. We frequently replace tubes or tires, straighten wheels, lube chains, and adjust brakes or derailleurs.
Our service and parts on hand are free of charge. While we can’t anticipate parts for all makes and models (That would require more space than our minivan provides), we freely offer what we have on hand. If you know for sure what part you need, pick it up at your local retailer or order online and bring it by the clinic and we will do our best to help.
Sometimes…
the problems are just too big for a field medic given the limited parts, tools and time at the clinic. When this situation arises, we will refer you to a local bike shop with all the resources to help you out and get your steed mobile again.
Other times a well-used bike just isn’t worth the cost to repair. Bike Medic can repurpose a bike donated to us. (Contact us for details of how to do this outside of the Farmer’s Market.) Whether we rebuild it with parts from other donated bikes or find new life on another bike for some of those hard-to-find parts, our hearts and hands are here to serve others. In our six year history we have donated to Delonis Shelter, Dawn Farms, and others in need who have reached out to us. This year we are excited to begin working with the Michigan Foster Care Closet of Ann Arbor, providing bikes to displaced children who will receive a little slice of freedom and joy during a turbulent time.
You might be asking, “How can I get in on this great deal?”
Set an appointment to have your bike serviced by Bike Medic. We are scheduled to be at the Dexter Farmer’s Market each Saturday from 8:00am through 1:00pm, May 8th through June 26th.
We don’t accept monetary donations on site – it is central to our mission and ministry. While some find this uncomfortable, we maintain that our service is absolutely free, serving as an imperfect reflection of the perfectly free gift God offers to everyone. For those who wish to support this ministry, you can donate in other ways. Two local churches have continued to support us from the beginning with volunteers and funds to buy inventory and equipment. If you wish to send a donation to them, simply indicate “Bike Medic” on your donation.
Dexter Gospel Church, located at 2253 Baker Road, Dexter, MI 48130 (734)-426-4915 www.dextergospel.org
Scio Community Church, located at 1293 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103 (734)-662-7351 www.sciocommunity.org
Another way you can help is to support our Wish-a-Mile team. We are currently raising funds for the 2021 Wish-A-Mile. Our team is training and plotting a 50 mile route for our “bubble” to complete the last weekend of July, so we can help grant wishes to kids with serious illnesses. You can find us on the web here at our Wish-A-Mile online Bike Medic Fundraising Form.
We are committed to getting you back on the road. Minus the dust. *wink*
Who am I?
Hi! My name is Bill Rittinger. In 2003, a friend convinced me to go on a bike ride to Delhi Park. I hurt pretty bad the next day, but I was hooked! Soon I began to share this adventure with my family and the number of bicycles in my garage grew. I quickly realized they needed maintenance. Over the years, I have found a great deal of enjoyment from maintaining bicycles for my family and close friends. Although I have not had any formal training in bicycle repair, I have learned from others and simple repetition.
What am I doing? Offering free bicycle maintenance service. I’m a medic, not a surgeon, so there are some things I’ll refer you to a professional to handle — but I’m glad to help any way I can! Some of the common repairs I can help with include:
When am I here? I am scheduled to be at the Dexter Farmers Market from 8am to 1pm on Saturdays in May and June. (Stand by to find out if Covid Restrictions cause us to relocate.) Other dates may be added down the road.
Why am I doing this for free? First, I love bicycling and enjoy seeing others benefit from the same experience. I have logged many miles around the Dexter–Chelsea area and across Michigan. In 2007 my family visited Montana, where I rode with my daughters along the Missouri river, following the Lewis and Clark expedition trail. That trip opened my eyes to the value of non-motorized pathways. Returning to Michigan, I became interested in the Border-to-Border Trail planned for Dexter. When it opened, I was convinced it would catch on and realized a station to help travellers with repairs would be helpful.
Second, as a Christian, I am called to love my neighbors just as God loves me. True love shows itself in serving and blessing others in real and practical ways. Repairing bikes is a unique way I can do this, and I hope it may provide a glimpse into the kind of love God has for people. With my hands, tools, and a little gift of time, I can repair bicycles at no cost to you; God offers a much better gift that cost him dearly. If you want to know more, I am happy to share.
Bike Medic