Our Spring Season Is Starts Soon!

Open Shop is Back April 8th!


We'll be back at the Grove in Lower Allston from 12pm-4pm on Saturday April 8th! Look for us in Lower Allston between the Trader Joe's and Swissbakers.

Bring a bike project, questions, or just come and hang out with our awesome staff and volunteers!

The Practice Midnight Marathon Ride is Back!

We had to take a long hiatus due to the pandemic, but we're excited to bring back this ride. 

One of my favorite things about CommonWheels is the chance show people a new path! If you have been thinking about the Midnight Marathon ride but are intimidated by the route, you can join us for an out and back ride on the route to Wellesley with a stop for lunch. We won't complete the full out and back, but you'll get a chance to experience the Newton Hills and that Finish Line feeling. 

Details:

  • When: Saturday, April 8th

  • Meet: Artisan's Asylum Parking Lot in Allston

  • When: Meet at 10, Roll at 10:30

  • Distance: Approx. 25 miles

See you out there!

Want to Volunteer? There are 2 ways to help out!

1. Volunteer at our events!


We're always looking for additional support at events, open shops, and anywhere else. Sign up at commonwheels.org/get-involved.
 

2. Join our Board of Directors!


CommonWheels Bicycle Collective is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Allston, and our mission is to use the bicycle as a tool that empowers all people to be more self-reliant, healthy, and connected to their community. If this sounds like the future you want to see, then come join the team! We're seeking dedicated people that are interested in helping us get more butts on bikes. No previous board experience required. Contact info@commonwheels.org with the subject line "Board of Directors" for more information.

Keep the rubber side down,

Team CommonWheels

P.S. As we said, CommonWheels is a non-profit. If you'd like to support future rides and programming, please consider clicking on the link below to donate!
 

You + CW staff and volunteers = Butts On Bikes! DONATE TODAY

Friend of Commonwheels!

Did you know that in 2022 Commonwheels turned ten years young? That’s a full decade of skill-sharing workshops, lending tools and guidance, fostering community and hosting social rides for all skills levels And don’t forget our marquis event - the Allston Rat Race - which made a triumphant return in 2022 and spotlights the people and businesses of Allston that we hold so dear.

Much has happened in ten years, including the exit of several brick and mortar bike shops from the neighborhood - International, Bicycle Bill’s, and Crimson bikes just to name a few - which makes our work all the more urgent. Even during the pandemic, Commonwheels has consistently provided Open Shops and supported our community with other critical programs that use the bicycle as a tool that empowers all people to be more self-reliant, healthy, and connected to their community. And we are just getting started…

Brand new for 2023 we are psyched to announce our move into the new Artisan’s Asylum to the neighborhood! This will allow us to supplement our seasonal outdoor programming with year-round, indoor options to engage with you in the dynamic, creative community space that is A2! Planning for 2023 is underway now and we need your help to turn the ideas and the passion of our staff and volunteers into a butts on bikes in Allston-Brighton.

Many of you have donated in the past and the entire group of Commonwheels volunteers, staff, and our board of directors all thank you for your continued support and to all who consider making a donation today. Your support will help keep our wheels turning in 2023, and beyond. Cheers!

Register for the Rat Race!

The community ride of the season is filling up fast! Register now for the race that's not a race! Your event ticket comes with a tee-shirt, 2 meals, and an after-party! And if you're feeling extra generous or you want a commemorative cup from the event you can add on a donation or an additional purchase!

Want to Volunteer? There are 2 ways to help out!

1. Volunteer at our events!


We're always looking for additional support at events, open shops, and anywhere else. Sign up at commonwheels.org/get-involved.

2. Join our Board of Directors!


CommonWheels Bicycle Collective is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Allston, and our mission is to use the bicycle as a tool that empowers all people to be more self-reliant, healthy, and connected to their community. If this sounds like the future you want to see, then come join the team! We're seeking dedicated people that are interested in helping us get more butts on bikes. No previous board experience required. Contact info@commonwheels.org with the subject line "Board of Directors" for more information.

Keep the rubber side down,

Team CommonWheels

P.S. As we said, CommonWheels is a non-profit. If you'd like to support future rides and programming, please consider clicking on the link below to donate!

Register now for the Allston Rat Race!

credit: Jacob Licht

Registration is now live for the race that's not a race!

Your event ticket comes with a t-shirt, 2 meals, and an after-party! And if you're feeling extra generous or you want a commemorative cup from the event you can add on a donation or an additional purchase!

6th Annual Walden Pond Ride!

This Sunday, June 26th we'll be making our annual trek to Walden Pond. This is a 40-mile ride with lots of breaks and food stops but please come prepared. We will stop at Walden for a while to hang out so fingers crossed for some nice hot weather!

Packing List:

  • Snacks

  • Water

  • Helmet

  • Bike

  • Sunscreen

  • Swim suit (optional)

Meet at the Grove (aka the space between Trader Joes and Jamaican Mi Hungry in Lower Allston at 10am, rolling at 10:30am. 

Let's ride!

Want to Volunteer? There are 2 ways to help out!

1. Volunteer at our events!


We're always looking for additional support at events, open shops, and anywhere else. Sign up at commonwheels.org/get-involved.
 

2. Join our Board of Directors!


CommonWheels Bicycle Collective is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Allston, and our mission is to use the bicycle as a tool that empowers all people to be more self-reliant, healthy, and connected to their community. If this sounds like the future you want to see, then come join the team! We're seeking dedicated people that are interested in helping us get more butts on bikes. No previous board experience required. Contact info@commonwheels.org with the subject line "Board of Directors" for more information.

Keep the rubber side down,

Team CommonWheels

P.S. As we said, CommonWheels is a non-profit. If you'd like to support future rides and programming, please consider clicking on the link below to donate!

Save the Date! CW is turning 10 this summer!!

Thank you to everyone that made the 5th Annual Hot Cocoa Ride a success!

We had over 65 people riding with us on a gorgeous 65 degree day. We are hoping to build that moment into more rides this season so please keep an eye on our socials as we announce more including our annual fundraising event. See details below!

If you missed it, check out this amazing recap video from Peter Cheung of the event!


SAVE THE DATE - The Allston Rat Race is back!

CommonWheels is turning 10!
Save the Date - August 13

We can't believe that CommonWheels has been serving the Allston-Brighton community for 10 years! We really want to celebrate with all of our supporters, friends, family, staff, board members, and future bike buddies! This summer we are bringing back out epic all-day Allston Rat Race event (loosely based on RiverWest24 in Milwaukee - definitely check it out if you don't know about it).

On August 13th, we will be back on the Allston streets to celebrate and we want you there. More details about the event coming soon, but for now... mark your calendars.

Want to Volunteer? There are 2 ways to help out!

1. Volunteer at our events!


Come to our Volunteer Welcome event on March 26 over Zoom. We'll take you through our needs and the various ways your can help the organization! Sign up at commonwheels.org/get-involved

2. Join our Board of Directors!


CommonWheels Bicycle Collective is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Allston, and our mission is to use the bicycle as a tool that empowers all people to be more self-reliant, healthy, and connected to their community. If this sounds like the future you want to see, then come join the team! We're seeking dedicated people that are interested in helping us get more butts on bikes. No previous board experience required. Contact info@commonwheels.org with the subject line "Board of Directors" for more information.

Keep the rubber side down,

Team CommonWheels

P.S. As we said, CommonWheels is a non-profit. If you'd like to support future rides and programming, please consider clicking on the link below to donate!

Donate Now!

It's Finally Happening! 5th Annual Hot Cocoa Ride Feb 12!

5th Annual Hot Cocoa /
Infrastructure Spotting Ride!

Hi Folks! We're sorry about the false starts this season, but the weather for Saturday looks amazing and we can't wait to see you all in person again! 

Please bring masks, helmets, and a canteen to enjoy the hot cocoa on the go, since sadly we can't stay inside and hang out! Gear up and get out for what looks like a nice sunny day this Saturday! Can't wait to see you in person!

The Details:
When: Saturday, February 12
Where: Meet in Lower Allston at The Grove (the Space between Trader Joe's and SwissBakers)
Time: Meet at 10am, leave at 10:30am
What: Visiting 3 Hot Cocoa Places
Link to Hot Cocoa Ride FB Event
Are you ready to ride outside again? Board President, Amy Ingles, will talk you through doing an ABC Quick Check to make sure your bike is ready for riding this weekend! 

We Want YOU for the CommonWheels Board!

CommonWheels Bicycle Collective is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Allston, and our mission is to use the bicycle as a tool that empowers all people to be more self-reliant, healthy, and connected to their community. If this sounds like the future you want to see, then come join the team! We're seeking dedicated people that I are interested in helping us get more butts on bikes. No previous board experience required. Contact info@commonwheels.org with the subject line "Board of Directors" for more information.

Keep the rubber side down,

Team CommonWheels

P.S. As we said, CommonWheels is a non-profit. If you'd like to support future rides and programming, please consider clicking on the link below to donate!
 
Donate Now!

Post Memorial Day

CommonWheels Late May Newsletter


Folks! Hope everybody is staying safe and getting outside now that the weather is beautiful out! We think it's certainly a great time to dust off that bike in the basement, and we're here to help. Our very own Tristan ran their first FB Live video a week ago covering the ABC's of bike maintenance, or Air, Brakes, and Chain maintenance. If you have further questions about getting your bike in shape, we're hosting another FB Live video this Sunday (5/31) at 1pm to help launch our #RepairMatch service.

We'd also like to take this time to ask you folks to help us promote biking in Boston. All we want is for you to take a selfie of you and your bike ride and tag us on social media! We'd love to spread people's bike stories, so absolutely @commonwheels on your platform of choice and let's share all our socially distant rides as we adventure in this wonderful weather.

That being said, we'd like to take a second to highlight some of your neighbors who have been helping us with our food insecurity campaign! 

Operation #Wheels4Meals


As you all know, CommonWheels has been working hard during this lockdown to help support our neighbors and we are so very proud of everybody who has volunteered. As of today, we've done 218 deliveries since we launched in March, bringing over 4,000lbs of food to homebound residents of Allston-Brighton. We wanted to highlight a few of our volunteers, because one of the things we're most proud of about #Wheels4Meals is how human it is. We're all just neighbors helping each other, and with this lockdown, we can't think of a better way to stay connected to others. So with no further ado: 
This is Rani, one of our wonderful volunteers who's been delivering with panniers. In her own words: "Rani earned how to ride a bike about three years ago and has fallen in love with the feeling of freedom, the adventures, and the Boston bike community. She now spends most of her free time advocating for safer streets for pedestrians and cyclists and better public transportation, or going on long rides trying to get lost in the woods"
Max here is an old friend of CommonWheels. He headlined one of our Musical Mystery rides a few years ago with one of the most unique and interesting uses of a digeridoo, a looper, and the Harvard Coliseum. He's a pedicabber, community activist, and a whole lot more and we at CW are grateful he's stuck around!
Pre COVID, if you were looking for Christian, all you had to do was wait somewhere in the vicinity of Fenway Park during a game day.  Not only is he loud and annoying, but he's really slow, so it's more or less impossible to miss the spectacle of this energetic, wonderful human being. He's fiercely passionate about community work and bicycles and through his org, TrikeHub he's also been working hard on trying to use bikes to solve the myriad problems of a coronavirus world.

#RepairShare: CW's remote open shop initiative


The other exciting thing we wanted to talk about was our new #RepairShare program. We're trying our best to get Open Shops running, but fo the meantime we're debuting #RepairShare to help you folks fix your bikes. We will be running a Facebook Live event 5/31 at 1pm until 3pm where we'll be doing remote diagnosis of bike problems. So feel free to pop in with your questions, and we'll do our best to guide you through the process! Our COVID bike resource has a detailed listing of bike shop hours and a few repair guides to help you through the process. Come hang out with us on FBLive on Sunday, we'd love to have you!

COVID-19 BIKING RESOURCES

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are working to assemble a resource guide to help you fix your bike or know where to go. If there's anything you think we should add or update, please email us info@commonwheels.org.

 

ONLINE MAINTENANCE RESOURCES

 

LOCAL BIKE SHOPS: THEIR HOURS AND UPDATED OPERATIONS (UPDATED 05/27/20)

 

ALLSTONVELO (442 CAMBRIDGE ST., ALLSTON)

We will be changing our operating hours to Tuesday-Saturday 12pm-5-pm for pickup and drop-off only. We will also only be allowing one customer in the store at a time. You can book an appointment on our site or please call before you plan on stopping by.

 

BICYCLE BELLE (368 BEACON ST, SOMERVILLE)

DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS,  WE ARE GOING TO APPOINTMENT ONLY FOR ALL SERVICES. DETAILS HERE.  WE ARE NOT CLOSING 3/24.

Please call the shop at 617-661-0969 to schedule an appointment.

 

BIKES NOT BOMBS (284 AMORY ST, JP)

The BNB Bike Shop will close for the next two weeks (through April 6) to adequately prepare our staff and space for the season. Upon reopening, we will take necessary precautions and actions to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and keep our staff and community safe!

 

BROADWAY BICYCLE SCHOOL (351 BROADWAY, CAMBRIDGE)

Broadway will remain open for bicycle repair services. We will not be offering classes, stand time, or instruction for the foreseeable future. General sales are also not permitted at this time by the city of Cambridge.

 

BUSTED KNUCKLE BIKE SHOP (159 BELGRADE AVE, ROSLINDALE)

We're doing our best to navigate this difficult situation and serve the needs of the cycling community.

At Busted Knuckle Bike Shop, we will be working in the shop until otherwise notified. Yes, we will be observing best practices at the store - social distancing and cleaning point of sales machines, door handles, etc. with disinfectant after each visitor.

 

CAMBRIDGE BICYCLE (259 MASS AVE, CAMBRIDGE)

We are open by appointment only!

If you have prior arranged service, have a bike here in storage, or have an urgent need, please call or email us and we can discuss options to accomodate you.

We are open by appointment only!If you have prior arranged service, have a bike here in storage, or have an urgent need, please call or email us and we can discuss options to accomodate you.

 

Crimson Bikes (1001 Mass Ave, Cambridge)

mon - sat: noon-6p

sun: noon-5p

we open at noon every day for the near future, please continue to call first if possible 617-958-1727

  

COMMUNITY BIKE SUPPLY (496 TREMONT ST, SOUTH END)

March 26, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATE!!

****WE ARE TEMPORARILY CLOSED!****

 

FERRIS WHEELS (66 SOUTH ST., JP)

After closing to clean and let the staff get strong again, Ferris Wheels Bike Shop is now open by appointment only until further notice. Bike shops are an essential service related to transportation. So we are working to meet the needs of our community while keeping everyone as safe as possible.

To schedule an appointment, please call us a t 617-524-2453 during our staffed hours:

Monday-Friday 11am-6pm

Saturday 11am-4pm

Outside of these hours, you can email us at info@ferriswheelsbikeshop.com

 

LANDRY'S (MULTIPLE LOCATION, GBA)

Order online at LANDRYS.COM
Curbside bike-repair dropoffs at our stores
Curbside pickups at our stores

To help promote safe social-distancing protocol, we advise you to shop and order online from our website. Choose to pick up at store or ship to home. 

We are providing curbside dropoffs at our stores for bike repairs and service.

We are providing curbside pickups at our stores for online/phone orders as well as for repair bikes ready to be picked up. Just call the store when you arrive at our parking lot. 

 

PAPA WHEELIE'S (362 COMM AVE, BACK BAY)

We are still open for business and are taking every possible step to protect our customers, staff and families. We are taking some precautions to remain open as safely as possible in these extraordinary times:

There are still many ways for us to help get you out on a bike. We encourage you to shop via our website www.papa-wheelies.com for curbside pickup or delivery. We can schedule service work over the phone, via email or text us at our landline numbers, and you can drop off your bike in the parking lot with minimal or no contact.

Boston Store is open 10-4 accepting repairs.

 

SOMERVELO (361 SOMERVILLE AVE., SOMERVILLE)

We will be changing our operating hours to Tuesday-Saturday 12pm-5-pm for pickup and drop-off only. We will also only be allowing one customer in the store at a time. You can book an appointment on our site or please call before you plan on stopping by.

 

URBAN ADVENTOURS (103 ATLANTIC AVE, NORTH END)

We've implemented big changes in our operations to keep everyone - staff and customers - safe and healthy. We now ask that you call us (617.670.0637) when you arrive at the shop, so we can determine how we can help.

If we need you to come into the shop, we've set up a big blue box to make sure we're all practicing social distancing.

This is a strange time for sure, but we are grateful to be able to serve Boston and make sure people are safe on their bikes.

WHEELWORKS (MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, GBA)

All Stores Open For Curbside Service Only | Mon. thru Sat. 10am - 5pm Sunday Closed

CommonWheels runs on donations from our community, and while we know times are tough for many of us, we'd appreciate anything you fine folks could spare to help us keep #Wheels4Meals and #RepairShare rolling. The easiest way to donate is directly on our homepage and it only takes a minute or two. Help us help our neighbors!

Sun's out! Time to pump those tires, check those brakes, and get rolling!

Hopefully the winter chill is finally over and we can focus on our favorite season at CommonWheels, the riding season! We don't know about you, but we've been hitting the streets all month riding a safe distance from others. and we'd love to help you fine folks do the same!

To that end, Tristan is going on Facebook Live this Sunday, 5/17 at 1PM to show you guys the ABC's of getting your bike ready to ride! If you haven't liked us on Facebook, definitely click here for cool stuff. We'll be running with a Q&A period following, so definitely check it out on Sunday.

We also wanted to highlight the resource guide we threw together to give you fine folks a head start. Included are hours for local shops (to the best of our ability), a bunch of useful repair guides, and severa videos we thought would be useful! They're located here
Operation #Wheels4Meals
 
As you folks know, since going into lockdown, CommonWheels has pivoted towards supporting community mutual aid networks. With the help of Allston Brighton Health Collaborative, we've done 150 deliveries, and over 2,000 pounds of food!! Christian, on the pedicab above was able to deliver to 5 families at once. We are so proud of our volunteers, but of course we could always use more help! We are so happy to be helping so many of our neighbors and we hope you folks are as proud of our volunteers as our staff are! Even if you're not able to donate time, please consider supporting us with a donation by clicking the donate button on our main page!

Donations


We just wanted to close with a quick note from our Program Director, Tristan:

Folks! I hate asking this I really do especially in these times, but CommonWheels is absolutely accepting donations. I'm really excited to be able to run #Wheels4Meals, and I want to launch some more mutual aid initiatives, but unfortunately, I need some financial support to make it happen. Now I know times are tough for many of us and we recognize that, but anything y'all can spare can absolutely help. For example, if we can get twenty people to donate $10 each, we can take that $200 and turn it right into brake pads and cables. With your donations, we can expand our Open Shop program to provide remote repair services and parts for essential workers in our neighborhood. I'd love to build this out and I could use your help! Just click the donate button at the top of the page

I hope everybody is safe and doing well, and I look forward to some fun (socially distant!) bike adventures with you folks this season!

CommonWheels April Update


Hey folks! Tristan here, hoping all of y'all are safe and well. I wanted to reach out to update everybody on what's been stewing here at CW. With everything going on I'd like to start by repeating some best practices for us CommonWheelers. Mayor Walsh has instituted several policies to increase public safety and we'd like to echo him. It is important that we social distance and stay home as much as we can, but I, like you, understand if it's tempting to go out for a bike ride to stretch out. If you choose to do so, definitely try to maintain a 6 foot or more distance from everybody else, and avoid busy areas. Unfortunately this includes most of the bike paths. Mayor Walsh encourages wearing masks at all times outdoors. We at CommonWheels also advise on wearing a helmet. While it won't protect you from COVID, it helps protect you from a whole lot more!

Operation: Wheels 4 Meals

Since we can't really offer our Open Shops for the time being, I thought it would be a great time to figure out alternative ways to get out in our community. To that end, I've partnered with the Allston-Brighton Health Collaborative and we've set up a system to help connect their patients with needed services in and around our neighborhood. We would LOVE to have you volunteer to help, and we've created a google form here. We are looking for healthy volunteers to deliver food and goods from local pantries to at-risk patients as safely as possible. Once you've signed up, you'll be added to our run list. Volunteers are encouraged to check the list daily, and sign up for runs as they come in. We have a modest supply of masks and gloves ready for volunteers, but we would also appreciate donations in both materiel, and direct cash via QGiv. 

Wheels 4 Meals: Special Monday Event (4/13)

My friend Anna over at ABHC put out a bulletin for an operation we are planning for THIS MONDAY, April 13th. I'd like to share this excellent email she sent out. For those not able to participate by bike, there are plenty of other volunteer opportunities to help Pastor Mark distribute this food. I thought this would be a great way for us CommonWheelers to give back to our community, and to help look after our neighbors in this wild time.
 
 
The Allston Brighton Food Pantry at the Congregational Church in Brighton Center is converting their Saturday pantry into an order-delivery system. They will receive orders on Saturday to be delivered on Monday. That's where we come in. 

Can you join Monday afternoon to deliver food?

On Monday, 4/13 at 1pm, we will assemble at the church parking lot (404 Washington St. in Brighton Center) to receive orders to be delivered. Each volunteer will be given the order of food, contact and address of the recipient. This will all be conducted using safety precautions and distancing measures. We will only be delivering non-perishable food.

We're working on receiving face masks from New Balance. Please bring and use any personal protective equipment you have, and at the minimum you should wear a face covering and gloves at all times.

At this stage, we don't know how many delivery orders will be received on Saturday, so right now this is a stand-by request. If you are able to join us Monday afternoon, please let me know. I will email Monday morning with a confirmation of how many volunteers are needed. 

If you are not available on Monday but still want to join the effort, please see Pastor Mark's message below for help needed on Friday and Saturday and email him directly.

Thank you so much for stepping up and I hope to see you Monday!
Anna

---
Pastor Mark Seifried: volunteer.abfoodpantry@gmail.com

So here are the volunteer opportunities ...


We are in need of volunteers to help pack food baskets on Friday from 1:00 PM to 3:00.

We will need help with with the following duties on Saturday from 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM: 
    • Help constituents maintain physical distancing as they arrive and wait at church 
    • Check-in and register guests
    • Arrange for deliveries to people's homes
    • Replenish and fill baskets 
    • Sanitize returned baskets and food items
    • Runners to move food from inside to outdoors.
If you are able to volunteer for Friday or Saturday, would you kindly reply to this email to let me know of your willingness to help this week?

For those who are in the high-risk category or unable to commit the time this week, but want to help, we would welcome your monetary donations as we expect the need to increase as the days of the pandemic stretch before us. We may also need to offer grocery gift cards to folks that have dietary restrictions, which we cannot meet.

We'd love to see you Monday, but we will have plenty of delivery and special opportunities as we navigate this landscape, so if you'd like to get out of the house for a good cause, definitely throw your name on the list. We're in for quite the adventure, so I'd like to remind all you fine folks to be safe, be kind, and take care of your neighbors. We'll be back to Open Shops and Learn to Rides soon enough, so keep an eye on our fb and insta!

Tristan

Spring is here! New Season, New CommonWheels!

Hey folks, my name is Tristan, and as the new Program Director, I just wanted to start off this edition of the newsletter with a quick hello. Many of you have seen me at rides and open shops over the years and I am so excited to be able to bring all of you a full calendar of events this year. I want us to make this CommonWheels' best year ever and I can't do it without your help!

Pi Day Volunteer Onboarding and Pizza Party


 

Commonwheels is gearing up for a busy spring, and we're looking for volunteers to help us bring our amazing programming to you, the community. We welcome anybody who would like to get more involved to join us before Open Shop (at the Josephine A. Fiorentino Community Center this Saturday, March 14th) at 12:30p for a brief info session and training. Immediately following Open Shop we will be having a PIZZA PARTY for volunteers.

Interested in lending a hand? Reach out to info@commonwheels.org and we'll get you plugged right in!

4th Annual Practice Midnight Marathon Ride!

 















 

Our first ride of the season is coming up soon! While the midnight marathon ride is incredibly fun, it can be very daunting so we're doing a leisurely 20 mile daytime ride along the route. We are meeting at the parking lot for the Cassidy Playground in Cleveland Circle (Beacon St @ Chestnut Hill Ave) at 10:30a on April 5th. Pace is casual, we're just looking to have fun and stop for food in Wellesley before we turn around. We look forward to seeing y'all there! FACEBOOK EVENT

Call for Board Members

In this exciting new year, CommonWheels is also looking for Board Members to help guide our vision. We would love to hear from you and we invite you to email info@commonwheels.org with the subject "board member" to start the process.

Want to Donate?¿?

Love our programs and rides? Help us continue to support our community by donating today! Our splash page has everything you need to help us roll it forward and get butts on bikes! Donate today and help us bring Allston and Brighton the bikiest summer ever!

Join Us at the Brighton Winter Farmers Market
Last Friday of the Month through April. Join us from 10am-2pm where we will be running a lite version of Earn-a-Bike. There will be bikes available for you to learn to fix-a-flat, adjust brakes and more!
 

Join us for our annual Practice Midnight Marathon Ride and the Save the Date for the Allston Rat Race!

Practice Midnight Marathon Ride: Date TBD (usually two weeks before the marathon)
Allston Rat Race: Annual CommonWheels Fundraiser! Save the date for Saturday, June 27th!

More info coming soon for both of the events and future CommonWheels Rides!!
 

Open Shops continuing on Saturdays all winter!
From 1-4pm on Saturday, join us at the Josephine Fiorentino Center at Charlesview for some good D.I.Y. bike repair.

The Josephine Fiorentino Center at Charlesview is located at 123 Antwerp St in BRIGHTON, just a short ride down Western Ave from our outdoor location in The Grove. Enter through the main doors, take a left, and we'll be at the end of the hall, ready to help you with your bike!

If you get lost, you can call up the center at
617-699-2883

Hope to see you there!
 



 


Looking for more ways to support CommonWheels? We are seeking board members!


Email hiring@commonwheels.com with the subject line "Board Member" and a brief description of why you'd like to join!

Hot Cocoa and Hiring! 2020 is going to be a great year for CW!

Applications are still open for Program Director!

We've extended the deadline for the Program Director Position! CommonWheels is now poised for growth and is searching for an energetic and resourceful Program Director to help expand and grow the organization’s programs and outreach. The ideal candidate will have experience in program development and management, excellent communication and relationship building skills, be comfortable working for a small community based non-profit, and have the ability to work independently. Experience with education and youth programming and/or bicycle mechanics are beneficial, but not required.
 
Deadline to apply is January, 6, 2020. For more information or to apply, please email hiring@commonwheels.org

Join Us for Our Annual Hot Cocoa Ride

When: January 5th, 2020, 10am meet, 10:30am roll-out
Where: The Grove, Lower Allston (across from Trader Joes)
What: We will bike to 3 excellent Hot Chocolate joints and check out some of the new biking infrastructure that was installed in 2019!

Open Shops Continuing on Saturdays ALL WINTER!

 

From 1-4pm on Saturdays until April 2020, join us at the Josephine Fiorentino Center at Charlesview for some good D.I.Y. bike repair. 

The Josephine Fiorentino Center at Charlesview is located at 123 Antwerp St in BRIGHTON, just a short ride down Western Ave from our outdoor location in The Grove. Enter through the main doors, take a left, and we'll be at the end of the hall, ready to help you with your bike!
If you get lost, you can call up the center at 617-699-2883.

Looking for more ways to support CommonWheels?
We are seeking board members!

Email hiring@commonwheels.org with the subject line "Board Member" and a brief description of why you'd like to join!

 

Open Shops Update: Now on Saturdays (and INDOORS!) at Charlesview!

Open Shops are moving locations and times!
Now on SATURDAY AFTERNOONS at Charlesview!

We're working to continue Open Shop through the seasons with a few twists. Thanks to the generous hospitality of the Charlesview Community Center, we will be inside on Saturdays, 1pm - 4pm, through April 2020! No longer will we be subject to fickle weather or darkness!

When: Saturday, 1pm - 4pm
Where: Josephine A. Fiorentino Charlesview Community Center, 123 Antwerp St, Brighton, MA 02134


Join the CommonWheels Board!

We're always looking for new members to join our leadership team. If you're passionate about bikes, community, and awesomeness, then let's chat! Email info@commonwheels.org.

 

Help Keep Us Rolling!

In addition to in-person and website donations, did you know that you can help via AmazonSmile? Just click the picture above to set it up and when you shop via smile.amazon.com, Amazon will donate a portion of the sale to CommonWheels. Thank you!

Commonwheels Partners with Scouts to Help Homeless

This time we have guest authors from Girl Scout Troop 75006 who we partnered with this spring:
This year, we really wanted to do something that would help our wider community. After looking into some issues we care about, we learned that there is a serious transportation issue for homeless who live in non-urban areas, and in particular for the homeless on Cape Cod. We came up with a plan to collect, repair and donate bikes to a family shelter on Cape Cod – The Village at Cataumet, part of the Housing Assistance Corporation of Cape Cod – but we knew it would take a lot of work and skills we didn’t have yet in order to be able to help.
Luckily for us we found Commonwheels!!!! Sophie Massey and Brian MacKenzie came to our aid. After we had spent time telling others about the need for bikes to get homeless adults to jobs and markets in areas where there is little public transportation, we were able to collect 16 bikes, but needed to have them checked and repaired. Brian and Sophie were AMAZING!!!!! They came to our town with a van full of tools and stands for servicing bikes, and spent hours with us going over the bikes, showing us how to help tune them up and make some repairs, and checking over all of the work to make sure they were in good working order.
In the end, we were able to deliver 14 bikes for kids and adults to the shelter, along with bike safety information and tools for minor repairs. Sophie and Brian helped us purchase discounted helmets and locks, and provided bike lights to make sure riders would be safe.
We really appreciate all of the help that Commonwheels gave to us! We learned so much from Sophie and Brian, and it was really fun. It was amazing to be able to deliver bikes to the shelter and know that they would really be helpful to the residents there!
THANK YOU COMMONWHEELS!!!!!
Troop 75006 – Maggie, Tessa, Laurel & Jade

Bike!Bike! Southeast 2017

This past weekend Sophie and Brian took a trip to Alexandria, BA for Bike!Bike! Southeast a “conference” of community bike projects. Bike!Bike! serves as a way for a wide variety of groups that use bikes to make a social impact to engage with one another, learn, and share.  This was Commonwheels’ second time going to Bike!Bike! as, our former Program Manager, Chelsea traveled to Richmond, VA last year. Additionally, one of our volunteers Allister surprised us there as well wearing two hats, Commonwheels and Bike House, DC.  

 

Although this is labelled the Southeast Regional Bike!Bike!, we had participants from all over including Baton Rouge, LA and St. Paul, MN, (and us! making the trip down from the Northeast!). Throughout the weekend we participated in workshops on various topics such as youth programming, bridging language barriers, and strategic planning.

 

The weekend wasn’t all meetings, we also had plenty of riding! Our hosts Velocity Bike Co-op were kind enough to lend all the out of town attendees. We had rides around the neighborhood to visit Velocity’s shop and warehouse locations and into DC to see the sights, visit another community bike shop Gearin’ Up Bicycles and join up with the Women/Trans/Femme Alleycat Rolling Resistance which was taking place (Sophie participated and won a backpack!).

 

We’re both excited to bring back what we learned to make Commonwheels even better! Big thanks to all those who came to the conference and shared their knowledge, experience and passion with us, especially Watch City Bike Lab from just down the street in Waltham!

 

Commonwheels Annual Fundraising Gala

This Saturday was a busy day for Commonwheels. In the morning we hosted a volunteer day in Union Square, Allston in partnership with Jenae, a longtime Commonwheels volunteer. We handed out bike lights to passing riders and shoveled out bike racks, bus stops and crosswalks.

After the volunteer day we transitioned to an open at Zone 3. We helped clean bikes that had seen a harsh winter, put on bike racks, and all the usual fixes and adjustments. During the open shop, our board members and volunteers were setting up for our annual fundraising gala which had been hastily rescheduled due to snow.  The gala kicked off our spring season with music, food, beer and an all-around good time. We were excited to announce our Volunteer of the Year, Dave Robbins!

We are so lucky to be in a supportive community and are excited to continue old and new projects designed to help keep people riding all year round.

Special thanks goes to many generous community donations including: Garlic 'n Lemons, Zone 3 "a Harvard sparked initiative," The Incomparable Liam Neesons, Mix Master Mully and WMBR Cambridge Radio Station 88.1 FM, our stellar volunteer Frank for staffing the door, Aeronaut Brewery, Downeast Cider, the CommonWheels Board, and everyone who came out on a snowy night and rode in the Chaos Box. Thanks also goes out to the Raffle and Silent Auction Sponsors: Coolidge Corner Theater, Stingray Body Art, Hub Bicycle, Boston Pedicab, Newbury Comics, Clay Room Pottery, Recycle Spin Studio, and Coolidge Corner Yoga.

 

Jared Magee the Physical Education Teacher at Jackson Mann School hosted a fundraise to purchase 12 new bikes for his classes his fall. Sophie visited the gym classes last week to help assemble the new bikes. Students did a great job installing the handle bars, pedals, seat posts, pumping the tires, and putting on the front wheel. They learned how to use wrenches, grease parts, and the generals of assembling a bike. And it was awesome to see their excitement after putting together their first new bike. During the class we were able to put together 7 of the 12 bikes and Mr. Magee will put together the rest with future classes.
CommonWheels is excited to continue work with the Jackson Mann gym classes and all of the great bike programming that they are doing! It was a fun day and the first group of students greeted our program manager, Sophie, with this awesome card.

Commonwheels' Season of Earn A Bikes Classes Begins!

Our first session of the Women's Earn A Bike program has begun! The group meets every Tuesday and is the first of what will be six Earn A Bike classes held by Commonwheels this winter. There will be a second session of the Women's Earn A Bike Program and four community-based Earn A Bike classes for residents at Brian J Honan, Faneuil Gardens, Fidelius Way, and Brighton Allston Apartments. We are so excited to be able to offer this resource to the community with our partners at Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation and the Josephine A. Fiorentino Community Center at Charlesview.

The classes serve as a launching point for participants to begin learning bicycle maintenance and to integrate biking into their lifestyle. In addition to mechanical skills, classes include information about traffic safety, the history of biking and bike advocacy, and discussions about biking. At the completion of the course, each participant will leave with a working bike, a helmet, a bike lock, lights, and resources on how to maintain the bike going forward.

On November 29th, CommonWheels finished out a strong season of Open Shops and DIY Community Bike Repairs with a new community event called the Ally Skills Workshop: Combatting Sexism and Transphobia. The workshop was led by Kendra Albert and gave great information on guiding ways to intervene and support women and trans people when we notice sexism and transphobia. We broke into two groups and brainstormed ways to respond to scenarios that included examples of explicit and subtle sexism and transphobia.
The scenarios sparked great conversation and were a great entry point for developing the skill of allyship. The hearty/committed attendees who came out despite the rain participated with lots of energy. Thank you to Doug Johnson from the Boston Cyclists Union for lending a projector and Jackson Mann Community Center for providing the space!

Over at CommonWheels it was an exciting first event to spark some important discussion in Boston bike communities. The event was also helpful as we continue to think about and develop our efforts to create supportive and inclusive spaces for bikers. As a result of the workshop, we will start having name tags for bikers to write down their names and preferred pronouns at our Open Shops and other community programs. The name tags are one way to continue building a thoughtful environment and an opportunity for conversation and education around preferred pronouns! Please reach out to CommonWheels with any feedback, thoughts, questions about the training or ideas for building affirming spaces!
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