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By Erik Hare

University Avenue is one of the most colorful streets in Saint Paul.  Along this broad ribbon of asphalt you can find Asian markets, soul food, discount importers of fine crafts, and car repair shops that do business almost entirely in Spanish.  And if you look carefully enough at 712 University, one block west of the new Rondo Library and community internet portal, you’ll see a simple sandwich-board sign on the sidewalk that says “Bikes”.  If you find it, you’ll be at one of the most amazing operations on this amazing street.

This is the home of the Sibley Bike Depot, a non-profit operation that provides bikes to people who need them and so much more.  It is a combination advocacy group, charity service provider, school, workshop, and recycler.  Their work may not be all that well known in Saint Paul, but it is very important.

Sibley Bike Depot was started in 2001 in Downtown Saint Paul.  They opened their doors to advocate for more bike lanes and related facilities in the city as well as provide bikes to people at very low cost.  The mechanical part of the operation soon took over as it became obvious that many people who couldn’t afford bikes were hungry for a chance to get them.  With so many bikes being discarded by those who were done with them, for what ever reason, the operation became an elaborate system.  Bikes were brought in and either marked for repair or stripped down for parts, gradually filling large filing cabinets with everything you could ever need to repair a bike.

People who needed bikes but can’t afford them were allowed to “work off” their purchase of a reconditioned set of wheels by helping with the operation.  This quickly led to the development of a large shop and a staff of experts who help make a new set of human powered wheels a reality.  Many of those who are earning their bikes are kids, but a fair number are adults who need an economical way to get around.

This year, the operation moved out of Downtown when their building was closed down.  The new place was difficult to find, but it’s proven to be a great help.  By locating in a neighborhood, the Sibley Bike Depot is much more accessible to kids who need both the wheels and the knowledge of how to care for them. 

The new shop has more of a storefront feel to it, which is much more in line with their real mission of selling bikes.  There are still bikes lined up all over the place like you wouldn’t see in a more commercial enterprise, and the shops are a beehive of activity.  But the workstations are what are unmistakable and set this operation apart from what you might expect in a regular bike store.  The Sibley Bike Depot isn’t a place where you just walk in and buy a bike, unless that’s what you really want to do.  This is a place where you pitch in and become a part of the operation while you learn a thing or two.

The selection is amazing, too.  If you want an old Raleigh or Peugeot bike, they have them.  There are Schwinn Hawthornes with banana seats just like my daughter loves.  And there are parts and accessories everywhere, just what you might need as long as you’re willing to take some time to go through and look for it.

As we all wait for Spring to finally come to Saint Paul, there are a few things we need to do to get ready.  Tilling the earth, raking the yard, and getting out the shorts come to mind pretty easily.  But why not spend some time fixing up your bike properly, or perhaps even getting yourself a reconditioned one that’s just right?  Whatever it takes to get you out when it finally does get warm, Sibley Bike Depot is the place to find it.  Like most good things in life, it takes a little bit of effort to make it just yours, but like bicycling the journey is often its own reward.  It all starts with a trip to a little corner of University Avenue that’s not always easy to find.  It’s worth the effort.