DETROIT, MI - Five years ago a summer bicycle club was launched in a garage in Southwest Detroit, where local youths could come and learn how to fix up bikes and work to earn their own.

Locals began to drop by during off hours to see if their bikes could be serviced, and it was clear that there was a need for a regular bicycle shop in Southwest Detroit, said Jon Barth, of Urban Neighborhood Initiatives.

So Barth and others at UNI have been organizing Southwest Rides, a permanent spot for Southwest Detroit residents to fix up and buy bikes.

“There’s a lot of excitement around this project,” Barth said. “The bike shop effort is almost entirely volunteer run.”

As such, UNI is trying to raise funds through an IndieGoGo campaign to help get the Southwest Rides off the ground.

With 21 days left, the campaign has raised $3,175 of its $18,000 goal. But Barth said the shop will open regardless of what happens in the fundraiser.



"This will just dictate what kind of scale it is," he said, noting that the temporary garage at All Saints Church the group has been using has a minimal amount of tools.



In any case, Southwest Rides is not intended to be a profit-making venture, he said.



"The eventual goal is to turn this into a full-service bicycle shop," Barth said. "The difference being that it is community focused, and will remain non-profit. The shop for the foreseeable future will be run by neighborhood initiatives."



UNI volunteers teach Southwest Detroit youths about bicycle maintenance at All Saints Church.

Though there is no definite opening date for Southwest Rides, Barth said it is all but certain to open this summer, likely in June.

Barth said he credits the Southwest Detroit Business Association with helping to encourage an already growing interest in cycling in the area by putting bike lanes down the long retail stretch of Vernor Highway.

“There’s a lot of cycling in southwest,” Barth said, adding, “Even in the winter, people ride in those bike lanes.”