Get Set to Cycle into Spring!
The garage's walls are covered with black inner tubes and tires of various sizes, small wooden shelves bear rows of tools and spare parts, and a number of bicycles stand in the midst of it all. There is little room to maneuver and a lot is going on, but the work proceeds at a brisk pace here in the AStA's bike repair shop.
Credit: Rheia Martiny
In the hour and a half that the workshop is open each week, volunteers get up to ten bicycles back on the road. Those volunteers include, for example, Lucas Sperber, a fourth-semester psychology student at the University of Mannheim who has been repairing bikes here for almost a year. According to Sperber, the repair service is popular with students: “We are scheduled to open once a week for an hour and a half, but sometimes it turns into more like two or two and a half hours because the line is so long.” The bike repair shop is run entirely by volunteers, and the repairs are free to students. “If spare parts like tires, brake pads, or lights are necessary for a repair, though, the students are expected to reimburse the purchase price. And of course we are happy to receive small donations,” Sperber said with a smile.
The bike repair shop team is always looking for reinforcements, and volunteers are welcome anytime. Those interested don't have to bring much with them—according to Sperber, it is mostly about learning by doing and explaining things to each other. “The most important thing is to have fun while you work—and not be completely unskilled with your hands.”
Text: Rheia Martiny/
The bike repair shop will be open during the spring semester 2023 on Mondays from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Students can come to the bike repair shop (Parkring 39) for minor repairs without an appointment.
If you are interested in joining the bike repair team, please feel free to contact Lucas Sperber: lucas.sperbergmx.de