Mobile bike repair shops

Here's a fun and useful thing: Mobile bike mechanics who run their business out of their own home or even set up shop like food trucks, maybe with a regular tent at your local farmers market, or an elusive nomad whose ever-changing location you follow on Instagram, or the knowledgeable technician who makes house calls.

I'm acquainted with a guy who left his corporate office job to work in a bike shop. It's not because the pay is better. These tend to be people living their passion, and some of them have found a sustainable business model in omitting a leased brick-and-mortar.

I'm not suggesting you shun your local bike shop. A permanent location has many benefits for the workers, the customers, and the community. First of all, you always know where they are. They can hold a larger inventory of new bikes, parts, accessories. They're often the host and meeting spot for riding groups. Sometimes they have a store cat, like a used bookstore. I'm in!

Today, I'm simply highlighting the cool idea of these mobile bike shops. They contribute to our sense of community in other ways. For starters, you typically have to call them for the day's location and hours. They bring more visibility to biking culture by being all over the place. Sometimes, they're just kinda neat. I was inspired to talk about mobile bike shops and to try to find a few out there by an article in Bicyling featuring a bike shop on a boat in London's canal system. How cool is that?

So, here are just a few I found that may or not be in your area. I can't give you an honest thumbs up or down on the quality of service for any of these, as I have not used any of them yet myself.

Floating Bike Repairs, River Lea, England - the bike shop on a boat.

Chad's Mobile Bike Repair, Naperville, IL - will even come work in your garage. I think maybe I've called him before about a spoke repair, and he was straightforward with me that he'd have to go to a bike shop anyhow to get the parts, so I might consider just taking it to the shop for such an easy repair. (I've replaced my own spokes before, too, but sometimes you just don't feel like doing the work yourself!)

Velofix, multiple areas, North America - a fleet of van-based bike shops locally operated by residents within those communities.

On the Fly Mobile Bicycle Repair, Chicagoland, IL - their truck brings the bike shop to you.

Mike's Bikes, mid-California - these are actual storefronts that offer mobile service. It doesn't exactly fit into the cool, nomadic bike mechanic lifestyle I'm glorifying today, but I included them because of the words on their homepage (when I visited it, anyway): 

Wind in your hair, money in your wallet! Skip the gas pump! Shop Gazelle E-bikes!

Yes! People. A good number of us could be getting around town powered by own free energy (and maybe assisted by a little battery power), instead of by car. So, I'll end with that. Bicycle commuting season is open!

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