Bike Clinic Soft Opening Hours M-Th 5-8

Downtown San Jose’s first community bike shop is now open four days per week! Come on down!

We’re located at 19 North Second Street, Suite 101. Enter through the door to the left of Angelou’s, head down the hallway, and find us on the right.

We are open four days per week:

Monday 5 pm – 8 pm
Tuesday 5 pm – 8 pm
Wednesday 5 pm – 8 pm
Thursday 5 pm – 8 pm

We have stands, all the tools you’ll need for the most common repairs, and some spare parts. These initial soft-opening hours are a great time for you to start making use of your membership, accessing the tools, volunteer knowledge and shared space for bike repair you’ve been waiting for.

Volunteers repairing a bike at San Jose Bike Clinic

Some of the first volunteers to wrench on a bike in our new space.

Our volunteers will be continuing to build out the shop and work out the kinks, so we thank you for your patience and understanding during this soft launch period.

We also invite you to pitch in and join the team. Just email sjbc@bikesiliconvalley.org or attend one of our workdays on Tuesdays from 7-8:30 pm if you’d like to help.

Got Two Hours? SJBC Needs You

As always, we’re staffed by volunteers, each day made up of two 2-hour shifts: 4:30 to 6:30 and 6:30 to 8:30. We’re filling out our schedule over the coming weeks to the point where every shift has at least two volunteers.

If you’d like to join the team, please sign up for shop shifts in this form.

Whether you have bike repair skills or not, we’d be grateful to have a couple of hours of your time whenever you can spare it.

Tasks may include:

  • Teaching members/customers how to do repairs
  • Fixing donated bikes so we can sell them to generate revenue
  • Administrative tasks at the front desk
  • Building out/cleaning up the shop
  • Organizing spare parts
  • Triage of donated bikes and parts

Start the New Year off Right—Get Involved with Bike Clinic!

General Planning Meeting TUES Jan 7 6:30-8:30 p.m. @ 1922 The Alameda Room 105 (formerly the United Way Building just north of Hedding)
This meeting is where we discuss the ins and outs and strategic plans of SJBC.
RSVP: sjbc@bikesiliconvalley.org

Internal Skill Share THURS Jan 9 7-9 p.m. @ location TBD
Want to learn bike repair skills and—even better—how to share what you know at our Skill Shares? These trainings will get you ready to teach basic to intermediate bike repair skills. We need a small army of volunteer mechanics when we open our community bike workshop, so invite a friend!
RSVP: sjbc@bikesiliconvalley.org

Events and Outreach Meeting TUES Jan 21 6:30-8:30 p.m. @ San Pedro Square Market (usually near B2)
We count on our amazing volunteers to plan events and spread the good word about safety and bike maintenance. Want tips on how to do bike outreach with SJBC? Want to pitch an event? Bring it!
RSVP: sjbc@bikesiliconvalley.org

December 19 Skill Share

San Jose Bike Clinic is popping up shop once again for all your bike repair and education needs at our monthly Skill Share at San Pedro Square Market!

Come work on your bike, learn about bike repair, teach others what you know, or just hang out with some bike enthusiasts. We will have tools, work stands, expert mechanics and some essential spare parts like inner tubes and cables to help you with any repair you might need.

7pm – 9pm
Thursday December 19, 2013
In front of San Pedro Square Market
87 N. San Pedro Street, San Jose

RSVP and spread the word on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/480563475388350/

San Jose Bike Clinic T-shirt Want to volunteer? We need help with setting up, outreach, signing people up and teaching bike repair skills. RSVP via this form, and thank you in advance for making San Jose Bike Clinic happen!

Need the perfect gift for the bike and San Jose lover in your life? A San Jose Bike Clinic T-shirt would be just the ticket, and we’ll have a variety of sizes for men and women at the Skill Share.

Volunteer Training Dec 12–handlebar tape, hub maintenance & more

We’ll be hosting another free training for Bike Clinic volunteers on Thursday, December 12 from 7-9 at Arthur’s shop in Willow Glen. If you’re interested and available, RSVP ASAP through this Google form or email sjbc@bikesiliconvalley.org if you have any questions.

Arthur Rodriguez, owner of a bike repair education business called Bike Teacher, is offering a training that’s free to all SJBC volunteers—past, present and future. Our focus is on putting tools and knowledge in the hands and minds of our members and participants. So you’ll not only learn how to do basic repairs, but also how to share what you know and pay it forward. We’re always building our team of volunteer mechanics to teach bike repair skills at events and when we open a permanent space, and we want you to join us. These trainings are a great way to get involved.

Here’s what Arthur’s planning to teach this time, with help from another volunteer: 

  • Wheel hub and bottom bracket maintenance, with a focus on diagnosing problems. This is especially important in rainy weather and with older used bikes.
  • Handlebar wrapping. Need this done? Bring handlebar tape and your bike!
  • Generally get familiar with your bike, repairs and adjustments.
  • We’ll teach you parts and tools vocabulary along the way, or answer any questions you have.
  • Get a SJBC 101 overview so you know what we’re all about.

What to bring?

  • Your Bike
  • Multi-tool or similar (with chain break)
  • Tire Levers
  • Apron if you have one
  • Latex gloves optional

We will have some tools on hand to share. See you there!

SJBC November Volunteer Opportunities

Do you remember who taught you what you know about bike repair? Want to give back and pay it forward? We need volunteers for these upcoming Bike Clinic events. And if you’re not ready to volunteer, come say hi or bring your bike down with any questions or repair needs you have.

San Pedro Farmers Market on Friday, November 15

To sign up, email sjbc@bikesiliconvalley.org and we’ll plug you in.
Shifts available:
  • Mechanic 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
  • Outreach 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
  • Mechanic 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  • Outreach 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m..
Monthly Skill Share at San Pedro Square Market 11/21 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
RSVP on Facebook here.
We’ll need a few mechanics with at least basic repair skills, plus a few outreach volunteers to talk about SJBC and cycling. To sign up, email sjbc@bikesiliconvalley.org and let us know how you’d like to help.

Did you know … ?
For every event that we put on, we enlist an Event Lead. Event Leads are responsible for making sure that our table is set up and we have the tools that might be needed to repair bikes.
Have ideas for an SJBC event? Pitch it at the next Outreach meeting. Want to be in charge of an upcoming SJBC event? Read on!

Volunteer Mixer TUES Oct 29 7 p.m. @ San Pedro Square Market

RSVP on Facebook and invite your friends!
Volunteers past, present, and future are welcome to chat about just about anything. Find out how to get involved with upcoming projects in SJBC. There are also two more mixers coming up. Make sure to RSVP!

General Planning Meeting TUES Nov 5 6:30-8:30 p.m. @ 1922 The Alameda 
(formerly the United Way Building just north of Hedding) RSVP: sjbc@bikesiliconvalley.org
This meeting is where we discuss the ins and outs and strategic plans of SJBC.

Outreach Meeting TUES Nov 19 6:30-8:30 p.m. @ San Pedro Square Market (usually near B2)

We count on our amazing volunteers to spread the good word about safety and bike maintenance. Want tips on how to do bike outreach with SJBC? Do you just want to get to know bike friendly people? Want to pitch an event? Bring it! RSVP: sjbc@bikesiliconvalley.org

Halloween Skill Share!

San Jose Bike Clinic’s next Skill Share is Thursday 10/17 from 7-9 pm at San Pedro Square Market, just before Halloween. Invite your friends to the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/225514150942277.

Bicycle Jack-o-lanternBike Clinic’s Skill Share will get you ready for San Jose Bike Party’s Dia de los Muertos ride on 10/18 and for a safe Halloween. A bike is a fun, convenient and safe way to get around on Halloween and if you’re going to Halloween parties. Come get your bike tuned up for the festivities. Even better, if your bike is a part of your Halloween costume, come work on your creation or show it off!

If you’d like to volunteer, we need a couple more mechanics with basic bike repair skills like adjusting derailleurs and brakes, plus another outreach volunteer to staff the table, sign people up for repairs, talk about SJBC and biking. Come share your skills and help people learn to fix bikes! The commitment would be from 6:45 to 9:15, to help us set up and pack up. Email sjbc@bikesiliconvalley.org if you’d like to help.

SJBikeClinic @SubZERO Friday June 7

San Jose Bike Clinic will bring its stand and tools down to the SubZERO DIY/arts street festival in downtown San Jose’s SoFA District this Friday, June 7—come say hi! The event runs 6 pm to midnight, and we’ll be there most of that time to teach people how to fix their own bikes.

subzero2013sanjoseBike Clinic will be at William and South First, near the San Jose Bike Valet (@SJBikeValet) setup, so if you have any repair needs, questions, or are just interested in learning more about SJ Bike Clinic please stop by. We’re always looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help us put on more pop-up clinics like this. Also, if you’ve been wondering where to get one of those cool Bike Clinic t-shirts you’ve seen around town, we’ll have lots of different sizes available for a $20 donation.

You can RSVP to the SubZERO Facebook event here and read on to learn more about what to expect:

About SubZERO (@SubZEROfestival and #SUBZEROFEST) : Focused on emerging and present subcultures thriving in our region, SubZERO is a diy, artistically bent, hi/lo-techno mashup where street meets geek. Come downtown on June 7th to San Jose’s SoFA District from 6pm ’til midnight for an inspired evening of arts & culture. In addition to the South FIRST FRIDAYS monthly art walk you’ll find outdoor stages of entertainment plus artists, performers & musicians celebrating the indie creative spirit!

Skill Share: 3/27 7 p.m. @ San Pedro Square Market

San José Bike Clinic’s next Skill Share is Wednesday, March 27 from 7 to 9 p.m., at San Pedro Square Market in downtown San Jose, at the corner of San Pedro and Saint John. We hope to see you there!

Click here to RSVP to the Facebook event and invite everyone you know!

Bike Clinic Cafe TourCome for this month’s workshop on Roadside Tire Repair or work directly with our volunteers on your bike’s repair needs. Please ride/bring your bike so you can fix what needs fixing! The goal is always to put the tools in your hands so you can do it on your own the next time around (or share those skills with someone else).

This event is free and open to the public. Donations are requested ($5-$25) to help us open our own shop, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Continue reading

Skill Share: Feb 27 @ Faber’s!

It’s that time again!

San José Bike Clinic’s next Skill Share is Wednesday, February 27 from 7 to 9 p.m., at the historic Faber’s Cyclery at 702 S 1st St in downtown San Jose. Thank you Faber’s for hosting us again!

Volunteers and Bike Clinic fans at SJBC's first public Skill Share, Jan 2013

SJBC Skill Share, Jan 2013

RSVP and invite everyone you know! https://www.facebook.com/events/342076329238186

We plan to work on some children’s bikes used for local bicycle education, and we’ll have stands, tools and volunteers at the ready to help you with your bike repair needs. The goal is always to put the tools in your hands so you can do it on your own the next time around (or share those skills with someone else!). Workshops are in the works, and if you want to lead one yourself let us know: sjbc@bikesiliconvalley.org.

Please ride/bring your bike so you can fix what needs fixing!

Donations are requested ($5-$25) because we need to raise about $6,500 towards opening a shop, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Continue reading

Next Skill Share: Jan 30 at Faber’s Cyclery

The next San José Bike Clinic Skill Share is Wednesday, January 30 from 7 to 9 p.m., at the historic Faber’s Cyclery at 702 S 1st St in downtown San Jose. (Thank you Faber’s for hosting!)

Please RSVP on Facebook, invite your friends, and spread the word: https://www.facebook.com/events/461967340609213.

Bike Clinic volunteers will lead several workshops about repairing flat tires, basic bike maintenance and safety checks, and how to replace brake or shifter cables. Please bring your bike, questions, frayed cables, squishy brakes, flat tires and mysterious noises for another evening of bike repair fun. You can borrow Bike Clinic’s tools, tap our volunteer mechanic’s expertise, and fix what needs fixing!

Donations are requested, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. If you’d like to lead a workshop or teach people how to fix problems on their bikes, email us at sjbc@bikesiliconvalley.org, and we’ll plug you in. We’re always looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join the team!