by Ingrid Gillies

For the last eight years, Ian Carr has spent countless Saturday afternoons at the Ace Hardware in Petworth, near the intersection of Upshur and 13th. He isn’t there working behind the counter, or shopping for a new paint color — rather, Ian can be found teaching DC residents how to repair their bikes. He is one of dozens and dozens of volunteers whose time and effort make up the Bike House.

The Bike House is a community-based bicycle repair co-op in DC with a mission to “Build a place where all people can learn about, work on and enjoy bikes.” During the last 15 years, the co-op has provided weekend clinics and mechanic classes to thousands of nascent and expert bikers alike. The Bike House is not a traditional brick and mortar repair shop, rather it’s a community of enthusiasts and experts that provide tools and assistance to locals looking to fix their bike or grow their cycling knowledge. It is an entirely volunteer-run and donation-based organization that partners with community businesses to host their clinics and classes. Petworth Ace Hardware is one of these partners.

The Bike Shop sets up shop, so to speak, on the side of the parking lot at Petworth Ace Hardware, 1240 Upshur St NW.

The Bike House is more than a co-op and a way to volunteer, it is a strong community of passionate people. Ian began working at a bicycle shop at just 15, so when he moved to DC for graduate school, volunteering with the Bike House was a natural continuation. It allowed him to leverage his expertise to help his new community and provided a way to meet other bike enthusiasts. The Bike House brings volunteers together for quarterly potlucks to show appreciation, incentivize continuation and build community. Volunteer-only clinics provide the time to focus on personal repairs that may not fit within the general clinic setting. Additionally, the Bike House occasionally coordinates group rides throughout the city.

Bike clinics are hosted Saturdays in Petworth and on Sundays in Brookland, providing a three-hour window for riders across the District to drop-by and use professional tools and repair stands to fix their bike.

Volunteers are around to answer any questions or guide a rider through a repair, and the focus remains on education and demystifying the steps necessary for maintenance. Ian says the most common need at the clinic is assistance fixing a flat tire. “For some, a popped tire is an inconvenience. For others, they’ve lost their way to work.”

Providing tangible assistance, whether through tire repair, chain replacement or a variety of other services, keeps Ian coming back to volunteer. “There is a feeling that you are helping people out in a very direct way, especially when the individual uses their bike as a main form of transportation.”

Though many riders come to clinics when something is broken, the Bike House also provides general tune-ups. Ian explained that 10 years ago a repair shop might charge $60 for cleaning and adjustments, but today, that same tune-up is now over $100. As rising costs increase barriers to entry for novice cyclists, the Bike House remains steadfast in their commitment to provide free clinics. Money that is donated through class registration and fundraisers goes directly back into the co-op to cover tool replacement and volunteer appreciation events.

Those looking for deeper understanding of bike mechanics can enroll in Introduction to Bike Maintenance, a month-long class hosted on Wednesdays between April and October. During the hour and a half sessions, participants learn to patch tubes, adjust breaks and dial in shifting, among other skills. Classes attract people from all over the District, including Torrye Hart, a cyclist who decided to sign up for the most recent October session.

Torrye prefers navigating the city on two wheels, but her current bike needed significant attention before she could continue riding. Instead of dropping it off at a shop, Torrye decided that understanding the repairs was important to her. “The issues, mostly related to adjusting and shifting, were beyond my ability, but I wanted to learn how to fix them. It is important to me to have skills to do things independently.” A web search led her to the Bike House, and two weeks later she was in the parking lot of Petworth Ace Hardware for her first class.

During the colder months, the Bike House offers one-off classes as requested. Volunteers will lead shorter sessions on more in-depth topics, like cable and housing replacement or overhauling a hub.

While the Bike House is winding down for the season, they are always looking for volunteers of all skill levels. Those interested in volunteering can learn more on their website, and follow their social media accounts to stay connected about upcoming events and orientations.