New repair stand allows you to fix your bike at the grocery store

Remember the good old days when air at the gas station was free? Those days are back if you are riding your bike and you happen to be near Whole Foods Market in East Liberty.

This summer  a new Fixit station was installed near the row of Three Rivers Bike Racks at the entrance to the store. The Fixit is an all-in-one basic bicycle repair station. It includes a bike stand, air pump, and basic tools to help keep bicycles in good repair as people ride around town.

The grocer is the first business in Pittsburgh to offer this excellent benefit to their customers and staff. Amenities like this demonstrate a significant step forward for not only Whole Foods, but the city in general. It’s a testament to the growing number of people riding bikes in Pittsburgh. “Many of us neglect even the most basic upkeep of our bicycles,” says, Eric Boerer Advocacy Director at BikePGH, “having an air pump and tools conveniently located at a grocery store will encourage people to do basic stuff, like keep their tires inflated.”

Whole Foods was among the inaugural class of BikePGH’s Bike Friendly Employer program announced this past Winter. Marketing Team Leader, Kim Wynnyckyj worked closely with Bike Pittsburgh to help the company further promote and support the choice to bike when you shop or go to work. “We’ve been receiving such amazing feedback about [the Fixit], everyone is so appreciative”, exclaims Ms. Wynnyckyj. Whole Foods is regularly supportive of bike related projects in Pittsburgh, adding the Fixit to the stores bike friendly profile was a natural progression for Wynnyckyj and store manager Casey Dill.

Business and properties owners interested in learning more about bike amenities like the Fixit are encouraged to contact BikePGH.  We can help you find a solution to better accommodate customers and staff that prefer to go by bike.

Celebrate at Transportation Exploration: Friday, September 23

You’re invited to Transportation Exploration, an event celebrating sustainable transportation, on Friday, September 23 from 7:30 – 9:30 AM in Market Square. All are encouraged to bike, bus, carpool, or simply walk downtown to celebrate and show support for sustainable transportation.

The Port Authority will use the event to officially announce that their entire fleet, ie 100% of their buses are now outfitted with bus-mounted bike racks – a very important development for people who want to combine transportation options. A Port Authority bus will be parked in Market Square to allow people to practice racking their bikes.

Click here for more information about the Transportation Exploration

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