Southern Tier Bike Project

December 12, 2011

• The Shopping section of the Bike Art page has been updated to include additional categories and more cool cycling related stuff. Check it out. Any proceeds earned through our association with Amazon benefit the Southern Tier Bike Project.
• We found a front wheel for Bike 043, the Western Flyer, and it turned out to be a very nice machine when all cleaned up and adjusted. Emily, a BCC student in need of transportation, is now the proud owner of this bike.
• Thanks to our friends at Babcock Bicycles, we have two more 24" girls bikes in our inventory. Rick from Endicott was looking for a worthwhile place to give away two 24" girls bikes he had been storing in his garage for quite some time. Keven put him in touch with us and we've added Bike 069 and Bike 070 to our Inventory. Thanks so much Rick and Kevin!
• Steven Bard recently gave us a nice 20" BMX that we already have a request for. At the moment Bike 071 is in the inventory but we're holding it for Craig at Catholic Charities.
• We spent $8 on some BMX hand grips for Bike 071.

October 31, 2011

As we look back over our first 2 years of operation, it is both exciting and scary to see the trajectory we are on in regard supplying bikes to the community. As you can see from the chart at the bottom of this page, we have given away significantly more bikes this year than last year. During all of 2010, we donated 15 bikes. So far this year, we have given away 66, with 2 months left to go. For the most part, we have been able to satisfy all requests. Unfortunately, if we see a similar 4X increase next year, we probably won't be able to come up with over 260 bikes.

Generally, we have been trying to fill requests as they are received. If demand outpaces supply next year, we may have to come up with some kind of qualification criteria. We will be considering options over the winter, so please let us know if you have any ideas. You can e-mail your comments to Webmaster@SouthernTierBikeProject.com and we'll put your ideas in the pot as we stir it.

In the mean time, now is a good time to make that donation of $$ or Bikes. Winter time brings prime bicycle restoration weather to the Southern Tier, so bring them on.

Special thanks go out to the Southern Tier Bicycle Club and Steven Bard for their efforts to make the first 2 years of the Southern Tier Bike Project a success. We wouldn't be where we are without their support.

It's been a few weeks since the news and inventory have been updated, but lots has happened. Perhaps that's why I haven't gotten around to doing an update. At any rate, here's the latest:

• We gave Bike 046 to a BU student. Hopefully it will be a suitable replacement for his stolen bike.
• Another BU student picked up a bike that was not yet in the inventory. We hope David enjoys his "new" wheels.
• A BU student who enjoys a combination of on and off road riding received bike CS017. Hopefully Kevin will get many enjoyable miles from his new machine.
• Sasha, another BU student got a nice machine from Augie via Steve. From all reports, she loves her new bike.
• Yet another BU student, Michael, picked up a non-inventory bike from Steve.
• We received a "like new" Schwinn Skyliner from my friend Andrew. Before this bike even hit the inventory, we matched it up to a BCC student who just moved back to the area to begin a new career. We're sure Christina will love this bike for some time to come. Thanks so much Andrew.
• A Binghamton resident donated some BMX bike frames, wheels and other various parts. Thanks so much Devin.
• A BU student stopped by to pick up Bike 056. Since it was a beautiful day, Ray immediately took it for an off road ride at the BU nature preserve.
• A young man from Binghamton stopped by Steve's house and picked up a nice Mountain Bike that was not in the inventory. We're sure Ryan is enjoying his new bike.
• And still another BU student scored a non-inventory bike from Steve. Enjoy the bike Sarah.
• A high school special education teacher who recently moved to Binghamton received another non-inventory bike from Steve. We hope David gets a lot of use out of his bike and also that he finds a permanent teaching position soon.
• A BU student stopped by Steve's house and picked out a non-inventory bike to get him around campus. Thanks for helping Rong out Steve!
• A young Binghamton woman requested a bike to get to work and around town. We were able to provide Melissa with a non-inventoried bike. We hope she is putting it to good use.
• Bike 068 found a new home via Broome County Catholic Charities. This was a very nice bike and we're sure the recipient will enjoy it.
• We spent $51 on 3 tires and some handle bar tape.

October 6, 2011

• We received a very nice 26" Free Spirit PhysioFit women's bike this morning. Thanks so much Mike and Cindy. Bike 068 should find a new home soon.

October 3, 2011

• Bike CS027 has found a new home with a very happy BCC student. We hope Mary enjoys her new mode of transportation. Thanks, Steve, for helping get her on her way.
• Robb, a BU student, stopped by and picked up Bike 052. At the same time he dropped off Bike 067, a nice 24" Montgomery Ward road bike. This bike is in pretty good shape and should be ready soon. Thanks so much Robb.
• We have now received 100 donated bikes. We have distributed nearly 70 of them. Thank you to the many of you who have contributed to our efforts.

September 22, 2011

• Bike 065 and tricycles 063 and 064 have been delivered to a family in Binghamton. We hope the kids enjoy riding them around the neighborhood.
• Bike CS021 found a new home with a BU grad student.

September 20, 2011

• My apologies to all of those waiting for bicycles and/or responses from the Southern Tier Bike Project. Since the flood disaster I have been assisting in cleanup efforts as well as addressing some relatively minor damage to my own property. Unfortunately, response time to requests has been exceptionally long.
• We currently have a demand for adult road and mountain bikes that far exceeds what we have on hand. I am concerned that once the flood victims get their basic needs fulfilled, there will be a very high demand for children's bicycles.
• In my travels to assist flood victims, I have seen many, many, many bicycles of all shapes and sizes cast out on the roadside, contaminated by the toxic brew of flood muck. While some of these may be salvageable the land fills will get most of them before anyone has a chance to try.
• I urge any and all readers to spread the word that we are in need of bicycles in anticipation of the even higher demand that will undoubtedly follow this disaster.
• Please donate NOW. Winter is the ideal time to repair/restore bicycles so they are available to people in the spring. There are many, many people reeling from the enormous pressure and expense of rebuilding after this flood. Hopefully we can provide a few rays of sunshine by providing free bicycles to some kids who have been through some very unsettling events.

September 5, 2011

• We received two bicycles and two tricycles from Tom via the FreeCycle network. These are all in pretty good shape and are ready for anyone who needs them. Check out bikes 062-065 on the Inventory page.
• A while back we received an adult tricycle but it never made it to the inventory. Bike 066 is a Sears Free Spirit adult tricycle that would be a great mode of transportation for the right person if we can get it in working order. That is a tall order since it has been in storage for a very long time and some parts are severely corroded. We'll give it a shot this winter and see if we can get it functional, but don't hold your breath. Thanks to Virginia for the trike!

August 31, 2011

• A Binghamton University Student who recently had her bike stolen stopped by to pick up Bike 038, the sweet Motobecane. We hope it helps get her around town.
• We received a generous $10 donation from Sarah. Thanks so much!!
• We are still desperately low on bikes. We have a backlog of 15 adults waiting for road or mountain bikes. Please contact us if you know where we can get more bikes.

August 30, 2011

• Four young boys are very happy with their "new" bikes after picking them up today. Bikes 058, 059, 060 and 061 are now gone.
• We received a generous $40 donation to help pay for parts and supplies. Thank you so much!!

August 28, 2011

• We are currently experiencing high demand for bicycles. We have a waiting list and the inventory is not always up to date. Please continue to make requests, but understand that it may be a while before we can provide you with a bicycle. We are trying to satisfy requests in the order that they are received. Thank you for your patience.
• In light of the above, WE NEED BIKES!! Please contact us at Donations@SouthernTierBikeProject.com if you have, or know where we can get more bikes.
• The interesting Auto-bike (CS006) has found a new home in Elmira. We hope Dennis enjoys his new ride.
• We had a request from Dale for a mountain bike in our inventory. When she came to look at it, she picked out a different one that wasn't yet on the inventory. We hope she enjoys her selection.
• Craig, from Catholic Charities, picked up two 20" BMX type bikes for some clients. These bikes were not yet in the inventory either.
• We provided another non-inventoried bike to a woman in need of transportation in the Binghamton area. Leah was very happy with her selection of a road bike.
• Heather, from Catholic Charities, requested one of our inventoried 3 speed bicycles for a client. When she came to pick it up, she decided on a different bike not in the inventory. We hope her client enjoys his bicycle.
• Bike 015 was in pretty bad shape on receipt and we have been using it for spare parts. We'll count it as a "Bike Out" and it has been removed from the inventory.
• We received a box of bike parts, including some seats, seat posts, chain rings, cranks, etc. Thanks to our friends at Babcock Bikes for sending Amy our way.
• Sarah from Endwell donated a beautiful 24" 1940's Montgomery Ward (Hawthorne) bicycle. This bike is in great shape for it's age and we hope to restore it to "like new" condition as time permits over the winter. Check out Bike 057 on the Inventory page. Thanks again to our friends at Babcock Bikes for sending Sarah to us.
• Steven Bard generously provided 4 bikes for a family that has been on the waiting list for a while. Steve provided two 20" BMX Bikes (Bike 058 and Bike 059). He also provided two 24" Mountain Bikes (Bike 060 and Bike 061). Thanks Steve, Lorie will be by to pick up the bikes soon.
• We received a generous $25 donation from Virginia. Thank you so much!
• Over the past month, we've spent $114 on tires, tubes and hand tools.

August 4, 2011

• We've received 6 more bikes since we last posted. Bikes 051 to 056 represent a broad range of types and condition. We even got a little scooter (Bike 055) that is in "like new" condition. Hopefully someone can use it. Check out the new bikes on the Inventory page.
• The Raleigh M-60 (Bike CS010) has found a new home.
• Bike CS023, nice Huffy Cerrera has found a new home with Alisa, who was in need of some transportation.
• Gunjan, a BU student, will be seen riding around town on a Huffy Inkota, Bike CS024 courtship of the STBP.
• Bike CS025 has been removed from the inventory since we were unable to determine if it was subject to a recall notice.
• Sage, another BU student, will be seen around town on a red Raleigh Rapide, Bike 045. We hope she enjoys her new wheels.
• A previous recipient of our bikes asked for a couple bikes for a neighbor. We were fortunate to be able to provide a 20" girls bike and a 26" mountain bike (Bikes 054 and 047) to them. We hope they enjoy them for the rest of the summer.
• According to our sometimes suspect record keeping, we have reached another milestone by giving away our 50th bike. Hopefully our success will continue. As soon as I upload this update, I'll enjoy a celebratory adult beverage!
• Bike 039, a nice Mongoose mountain bike, has found a home with a young man via Catholic Charities.

July 4, 2011

• We gave 4 bikes (019, 026, 048 and 049) to a large family who are trying to get enough bikes so they can all ride together. We hope they enjoy the bikes we were able to provide.
• We donated Bike CS018 to a BU student for transportation. Enjoy the bike Devra!
• We received a generous $20 donation from Bunny.... Thanks so much!

June 30, 2011

• We received 2 more bikes for our inventory. One is a nice Jamis hybrid type bike. It has 700c road type tires, and flat handlebars. The other is a 21 speed Mantis Ghost mountain bike. The rear derailleur is serverely bent, but we'll try to get it back on the road. Check out bikes 046 and 047 on the Inventory page. Thanks Jennifer
• Florie, a BU student, was happy to pick up a nice Magna Glacier Point bicycle. We hope she enjoys riding around campus and wherever else her travels take her.
• We received 3 childrens bikes (048, 049 and 050) from the Southern Tier Bike Club. We plan to donate these bikes, as well as a couple 24" bikes to a family with 12 children and limited income. Thanks Augie for hooking us up with these bikes.
• We spent $36 on some brake pads, 2 sets of hand grips and a set of cables.
• We received a generous $40 donation. Thank you so much Jenny.

June 22, 2011

• Bike CS016 has found a new home with a Binghamton resident in desperate need of transportation. Good luck with your new wheels Ken.
• Abby and Ellen made the trek out to the Southern Tier Bike Project to collect Bikes 040 and 044. I can't remember which one got which, but they both seemed to like their choice after a short test ride. Good luck and happy riding to Abby and Ellen.

June 14, 2011

• 12 more bikes have been added to the inventory. Check out Bikes CS016 to CS027 on the Inventory page. Thanks Steve!!
• We spent $30 on a BMX tire, hand grips and a set of cables.
• We've had difficulty consistently getting cable sets at Walmart lately, so we ordered 15 sets from an online source to make sure we have them as we need them. The cost, including shipping, was $82.
• Due to the generosity of many friends and family, Gary has reached his fundraising goal for the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure. That doesn't mean you can't still donate to this worthy cause. The Tour is on August 20, 2011 and he will be doing a 100 mile loop around Cayuga lake. Visit his Tour de Cure Website at http://main.diabetes.org/goto/garywilde for more info and to sponsor his ride.

June 10, 2011

• We placed 3 bikes with a family in Johnson City. Bikes CS013 and 014 as well as a BMX bike that wasn't yet on the inventory all have a new home.
• The Zebra Pacer (Bike 027) has found a home with a BU student who will be using it to get around to various places on his summer job in the adjacency Mountains.
• We received a very generous $20 donation from Matthew. Thank you so much!!
• Thanks to Steven Bard, we have about 12 more bikes to add to the inventory. There is quite a wide variety and we will get them on the inventory page as time permits.

June 4, 2011

• A fellow Southern Tier Bicycle Club member donated a nice late 70's or early 80's Raleigh Rapide road bike. Check out Bike 045 on the Inventory page. Thanks so much Stan.
• Bike CS011 has found a new home with a BU Student. We hope Claire enjoys her new transportation.
• We are running very low on bikes; particularly adult cruiser type bikes. If anyone has one to donate, please contact us. If anyone sees one at a garage sale, notify us and we'll try to get over there and beg for it.

May 24, 2011

• Bike 030, a solid Schwinn Traveler, has found a new home with a BU student who hopes to do some serious riding this summer.
• We spent $10 on some 26" tubes.
• After stealing parts from Bike 037 to restore Bike 035, there wasn't much left. Fortunately, we had a request for a fork and wheel, which we were able to satisfy with the remainder of 037. We'll keep the rest of 037 around for parts, but it is now off the inventory.
• We received Bike 043, a Western Flyer 10 speed road bike, sans front wheel from a BU student heading out of town. Hopefully we can come up with a front wheel for this one and get it back on the road. Thanks for the bike Lenny.
• Lenny also gave us Bike 044, a nice Montgomery Ward 10 speed cruiser. Thanks again!!
• We received a frame with brakes, brake levers, shift levers and front derailleur from Stefano, a BU student. We will not include this in the inventory yet, but other parts may well materialize to allow us to morph this frame into something useful. Thanks Stefano.

May 15, 2011

• We donated two bikes (Bike 034 and Bike 035) to the George F. Johnson Dream Center Annual Bicycle Give Away.
• We received a generous $40 donation from Stefano as well as a very nice Columbia Commuter bike. Thank you Stephano!!
• Steve Bard contributed Bike 039, a nice Mongoose EFX mountain bike, to the project. Thanks Steve.
• Steve also contributed Bike 041, a great French LeJeune road bike. As it turns out, this one has already been promised to a BU student who will be studying in southern Mexico during June. She will pick the bike up when she returns.
• We received a generous $50 donation from Jill in Johnson City. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts!
• We picked up a left-over bike from the Dream Center Bike Give Away. It's a Peugeot City Express. While it's in pretty rough shape at the moment, it appears to be fundamentally sound and it should turn into a very nice commuter for someone.
• I dragged Bike 009 over to Steve's house to try out his new high tech fork straightener on it. It seemed to work quite well. Unfortunately, the tires and tubes have been cannibalised for another bike. As soon as we get new rubber on this one, we'll try it out. If it rides well, this one will be ready to go.
• We spent $75 on 2 26" tires, 2 sets of bar tape, a set of cables, a seat for the LeJeune and PayPal expenses.
• We gave Bike 031, the nice Raleigh Grand Prix, to a BU student. Good luck Bobby!

May 9, 2011

• Bike CS002, has been given to a BU student.

May 6, 2011

• For the second year, we have donated a bike to the Tioga County Council on the Arts. The Marlboro Tiger mountain bike will be part of the basket raffle fundraiser later this summer.

Apr 26, 2011

• Bike 021, a nice old Huffy Olympia has been fixed up as much as possible and turned over to a young woman with some back issues who wants to try to ease back into some lightweight cycling. Hopefully this bike will get her started and she will move on to bigger and better things.
• We received a classic 70's Motobecane road bike. This is the original French Motobecane, not to be confused with the current Motobecane, USA company; they are totally unrelated. Check out Bike 038 on the Inventory page for more details. Thanks to Kaitlyn for the great bike!

Apr 24, 2011

• Bike 023, a fantastic Lotus Excelle, has found a new home with a BU student in need of transportation. Hopefully, Kaitlyn will have many happy and productive miles on this great bike.

April 18, 2011

• Bike 002, a very nice Haro BMX bike, has been given to a 17 year old male in need of both transportation and entertainment. The bike was delivered via Tom at Catholic Charities. We hope the young man enjoys his "new" bike.

Apr 16, 2011

• We reached a milestone this week with the donation of our 20th bicycle. Bike CS015 went to a BU student in need of transportation outside where the bus lines go. Hopefully this bike will fill her needs.
• We reached another milestone with the receipt of our 50th bicycle. Thanks to all who have contributed!!
• We were delighted to be able to provide THREE 20" bicycles to a set of triplets who had outgrown their 16" bikes. Check out the Testimonials section below for some pics of three happy kids. Bikes 029, 032 and 033 are now gone.
• Bike CS001, a nice Huffy Express, was given to a BU student who will be moving off campus next year and is in need of transportation. Natalie seems to be very happy with her new set of wheels.
• We received a generous $75 donation from Emily. Thank you so much!!
• We were very pleased with how well the Haro BMX bike cleaned up. This bike is now ready to be picked up and hopefully the new owner will love it. We did have to get some new cones for the rear wheel at a cost of $11.
• We received 4 children's bikes, three 16" and one 12". These bikes have been well used, but for the most part, they are salvageable. You can check out bikes 034-037 on the Inventory page.
• We received a very nice e-mail from the recipient of Bike 028. See the Testimonials section below.

Apr 8, 2011

• The beautiful Schwinn Traveler (Bike 016) has found a home with a woman that has been away from cycling for 30 years. Hopefully, this bike will suit her current needs and it will come back to us when she moves on to the next level.
• We have a request for the Haro BMX bike (Bike 002) so we're busy brushing the rust off and getting it in shape.
• We had to buy some BMX hand grips ($8) and a couple more wire brushes for the Dremel tool ($7). We also spent $5 on another set of cables so we have them handy next time we need some.

Mar 28, 2011

• A BCC student is the proud new owner of a Roadmaster Mt. Fury mountain bike. We hope it serves her needs well.
• We spent $40 on a pair of 26" tires and some bar tape.
• We've added Facebook "Like" buttons to several pages (Home, News, Inventory and Bike Art). If you're a FB user, "LIKE" us.
• We've also started a Twitter (@bikeproject) feed to keep you up to date in semi-real time. If you're a Twitter user and want to follow us, just find the "Follow Us" button at the top of this page.

Mar 21, 2011

• We were fortunate enough to be able to help out the young daughter of a single mom. The girl's grandfather had lost his job and wanted to be able to spend some time riding the rail-trail with his granddaughter. We were able to fix them up with the beautiful Jamis Laser (Bike 028).
• Thanks to Steve Bard, we have 3 more bikes in our inventory. He has provided a very nice Raleigh Grand Prix road bike (Bike 031), a "like-new" 20" Pacific Glimmer mountain bike (Bike 032) and a solid 20" Pacific BMX bike (Bike 033). You can check out more details on the Inventory page. Thanks so much Steve!
• We spent $75 on a pair of 27" tires and tubes, rim tape, brake hoods to get a couple of our 27" road bikes on the road. We also spent $8 on grease for headsets, wheels, etc.

Mar 10, 2011

• If you are a regular visitor you will recognize that we have moved the Highlights and Project Status (now known as Ins and Outs, Bikes and Bucks) to this NEWS page. This gives us a little more flexibility to add other news type articles as they come up.
• Speaking of news articles, several of us recently visited a bike project at the Vestal BOCES center. Details appear elsewhere on this page.
• Bike 026, another Magna Glacier Point like 025 is done except for replacement of cables. We thought the existing ones would be good enough, but after getting it all back together, it just doesn't shift to our satisfaction. We had to replace a broken bearing and cone on the front of this one as well. One of the ball bearings had actually split in two. This one can be ready in a jiffy, but we've switched our focus to the Falcon Black Diamond.
• We started work on the Falcon Black Diamond, Bike 024, after a request from a BU student. The bike has been stripped to the frame and we are cleaning it up piece by piece. The bike will need new cables, tires and tubes and handle bar tape.
• We spent $8 on a new bearing and cone for Bike 026. We also got some cables and bar tape for 024 ($13) as well as another jug of Simple Green and some wire brushes ($14). And finally, we had to fork over $5 to our uncle Sam and Andrew for 2010 taxes.
• We've finally mounted the St. Etienne bike art project over the front door. Check out the photos on the Bike Art page and in the Blog.

Mar 2, 2011

• Bike 025 has been completed. This 24" 12 speed mountain bike works great and is ready for anyone who wants it.
• We spent $11 on another two sets of cables; one set for Bike 028 and one for the next bike that needs some.

Feb 25, 2011

• After Steve did a great job straightening the rear wheel, we put some new grips on the 20" Jamis BMX bike (Bike 028) and finished cleaning and lubricating. This bike is in great shape and it's ready to go.
• We replaced the cables and finished cleaning up Bike 029, a nice 20" mountain bike. It is now available for anyone who needs it.
• We spent $22 on a couple sets of cables, BMX hand grips and some WD-40.
• We were recently notified that the George F. Johnson Dream Center for Community Empowerment will hold its 4th annual bike give-away on May 14th at the Sarah Jane Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church in Johnson City. We plan to make most of our available inventory for this event. If you have a need, or know someone who has a need, for a bicycle, look over the inventory now and we will hold a bike for you. If you don't see anything suitable in our inventory, you may want to consider attending the event on May 14th.
• Gary has once again committed to participating in the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure on August 20. Gary plans to do a 100 mile ride starting in Watkins Glen and circumnavigating Seneca Lake. For more information and to make a donation to the Diabetes Association on Gary's behalf, check out his web page at: http://main.diabetes.org/goto/garywilde

Feb 16, 2011

• Bike CS014 has been given to a BU graduate student. It has been removed from the "Available" list.

Feb 1, 2011

• We have received a very very generous donation of $500 from the Southern Tier Bicycle Club. Thank you so much!!
• We received a nice 12 speed, 26" Free Spirit Adagio road bike from Steve. This is Bike CS015 in the inventory. Thanks Steve!
• As it turns out, Steve is absolutely brilliant at straightening bent rims. I was about to give up on the rim for the 20" Jamis BMX bike when Steve volunteered to give it a shot. A week later, it returned and it's as straight as new. Thanks to Steve, this bike (Bike 028)can be ready to go any time.
• We have the rear portion of the 1950 Humber disassembled and we're in the process of cleaning and polishing, a much more difficult task than anticipated. Check out the progress on the Bike Art page and visit our Amazon store while you're there. All proceeds from the store go to parts and supplies for the Bike Project.
• Speaking of parts and supplies, we have purchased another gallon of Simple Green and dust masks for a total of $15.
• And finally, at long last, we have (hopefully) made the Inventory Index sortable. If your browser has java script enabled, you can now click on any heading and sort the table in the order of the data in that column. For example, if you are looking for a road bike, click on the "type" column heading and the entire table will sort by the type of bike and all road bikes will be together. Try it.... and let the webmaster know if it doesn't work. We've tested it with Firefox, Internet Explorer and Chrome.

Jan 21, 2011

• We received a nice 12 speed 27" Schwinn Traveler road bike from Don in Port Crane. If the rear wheel can be straightened, this bike should be ready to go in short order if someone needs it. Thanks so much Don!
• We have started to disassemble our 1950 Humber, which is definitely a learning experience. Even Gary isn't old enough to have played with one of these before. We managed to uncover the iconic "Five Guys; One Head" chainring after scratching our head a bit to figure out how to get the chain guard off. With artwork like this underneath, it's a shame to cover it up!

Jan 13, 2011

• We are really excited to be starting our second "Bike Art" project, the 1950 Humber. Even though Gary had his first bike in the 1950's, he's never seen anything quite like this before. Hopefully we can get it fully functional and maybe even take it on the road from time to time. Come back often and check our progress on the Bike Art page.
• We have finished restoration of Bike 023 and we have a potential interested party coming to have a look at it soon.
• We spent about $23 on steel wool, rubbing compound and wax for the cleanup activities as well as an adjustable wrench with wide opening jaws for stubborn headset nuts, etc.

Jan 7, 2011

• Steve Bard has provided another bike, a clean 10 Speed All Terrain Bike. This is a sweet ride to get someone around town on. Check out Bike CS014 on the Inventory page.

Jan 4, 2011

• We received two very nice 24" girls mountain bikes as well as an interesting 27" touring bike from a neighbor. These are bikes 025, 026 and 027, respectively, in the Inventory. Thanks so much Steve.
• We received 2 very nice 20" bikes from a generous donor. Bike 028, a Jamis Laser, is in need of some serious rear wheel straightening, or perhaps maybe even a new wheel. Bike 029, however, is in pretty good shape and will be ready to go soon. Check them out on the Inventory page.
• We received a generous donation of $20 from Kirsten. Thank you so much!

Dec 22, 2010

• We just gave Bike 020, the nice BMX bike we just finished, to an 11 year old who's family is going through a bit of a rough time. Hopefully this bike will help make Christmas a little happier for him.
• We received a generous donation of $20 from Penny and David. Thank you so much for helping keep the project going.

Dec 17, 2010

• We found a brake lever and bought some new grips for Bike 020, a sweet 20" BMX with SST Oryg SST detanglers. For those who don't know, this is a brake cable system that allows the front wheel to spin completely around without wrapping the brake cable around the steerer tube. This bike cleaned up nicely and is now available.
• We have started the restoration of Bike 023, the Lotus Excelle Road Bike. We bought some new bar tape and cables. It looks like the headset bearings will have to be cleaned and re-packed, but other than that, a good clean and lube should put this beauty back on the road.
• Thank you to all who have supported the Southern Tier Bike Project in 2010. Because of your generosity, we have placed 14 bikes in the hands of people in need. Also, because of your generosity, we have completed the year ever so slightly in the black financially. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

Dec 10, 2010

• The Project received a generous $50 donation from Susan and Scot. Thank you so much!
• In our continuing quest to make our inventory more user friendly, we have added a category called "Available On Request". While we don't have time to repair every bike as it comes into the shop, some of them are in reasonably good condition and can be restored in relatively short order if needed. If you see a bike you need in the "On Request" section, don't hesitate to ask for it. We will move it to the top of the queue and get it done as soon as possible.
• We have given two bikes (018 and 022)to the Rochester students mentioned in the highlights of Dec 5. We hope that the "new" bikes solve any transportation issues they have had since theirs were stolen.
• We received a very interesting Falcon Black Diamond road bike from Susan and Scot. Bike 024 is a classic English built 10 speed road bike that should clean up to be a very nice ride. Read more about it on the Inventory page.
• We received 3 more bikes from Steve Bard. These bikes (CS011, CS012 and CS013) can be found in the "AVAILABLE" section of the Inventory page
• We purchased a set of cables for Bike022 to make it ready to give away.
• Other than a missing Soubitez Catalux 10 tail light lens, our first "Bike Art" project is complete. Check it out on the Bike Art page and let us know if you've seen a tail light like the one shown there. Be sure to check out the "Shopping" section while you're there for any last minute Christmas gifts for the cycling enthusiast on your shopping list.

Dec 5, 2010

• We have a request for Bikes 011 and 022 to replace a couple of stolen Rochester student bikes. The bikes were locked, but unfortunately, the locks were no match for a good pair of chain cutters. Bike 011 is ready to go and we're getting Bike 022 in shape so that Susan can pick them up before Christmas.
• We have nearly completed our first Bike Art project; a 1970ish French built St. Etienne. Check out the Bike Art page for the latest photos.

Nov 30, 2010

• Bike CS008 has found a new home with a very enthusiastic young woman.
• We received a generous $20 donation from Patty. Thanks so much!
• The 40 year old Dremel tool that was inherited from the proprietor's late father finally bit the dust. This tool is invaluable in removing rust and polishing frames, wheels and drive train components. We spent $81 to purchase a new one along with miscellaneous brushes, polishing wheels, sanding wheels, etc.
• The Southern Tier Bike Project Privacy Policy has been updated to reflect our association with amazon.com.

Nov 28, 2010

• Thanks to the generosity of Tim Wilde, our web site is now hosted on a robust remote server. This should improve both response time and availability.
• We have added a Bike Art page to our web site. Check it out for news about some interesting art projects and some Christmas shopping ideas.

Nov 16, 2010

• Bike CS003 is no longer available. It has been given to a Binghamton University student working in the Binghamton Outdoor Pursuits office. Good luck to the new owner in all his pursuits!

Nov 9, 2010

• Bike CS004 has found a new home via Catholic Charities of Broome County. Hopefully the new owner will get many happy miles and smiles from it.
• Steve Bard has donated 5 more bikes in "Ready to go" condition. Check out Bikes CS006 to CS010 on the Inventory page. Thanks Steve!
• We added a clickable Inventory Index to the Inventory page. Now you can find a bike by size and/or type and simply click on the row in the index to jump directly to a description of the bike. Comments on this new function are welcome. In the future, we plan to make this index sortable to make it easier to find bikes of a certain type or size.

Oct 27, 2010

• Bike 018 has been restored and donated to a gentleman in need of transportation through Catholic Charities in Binghamton. The bike required new cables, a front tire and a good clean, lube and adjustment.
• We received Bike 023, a Lotus Excelle road bike that is in great shape. This bike has a small frame (48cm) which makes it suitable for someone in the range of 4'8" to 5'4". This bike doesn't need a lot of work, it can be ready to go in short order if someone needs it. Thanks for the donation Len!!
• A friend and fellow Southern Tier Bike Club member, Steve Bard, has donated 5 restored bikes to the Southern Tier Bike Project. Steve works with the youth at the Boys and Girls Club of Western Broome, particularly restoring bikes and leading short after school rides for teens. These bikes have numbers prefaced with "CS" to help us keep track of where the bikes are located. Hopefully these will help meet the needs of youth and adults in the Southern Tier. Check them out on the Inventory page under the "Bikes Available Now" heading. Thanks so much Steve!!
• We have purchased some much needed tools and supplies including a brake tool, chain ring tool and lube. Total cost was $60.

Sep 30, 2010

• We have received a generous donation of $125 for the project. This money will go a long way toward the restoration of the bikes we currently have in the inventory. Thanks you so much Liz!!
• We have spent $10 on a set of cables and some dust masks to hopefully keep the dust from rust removal out of the lungs of the proprietor!!

Sep 22, 2010

We received a nice 26" Huffy Rockslide All Terrain Bike (Bike 022) from a generous neighbor. If anyone needs this bike, it can be ready to go in short order. Thanks again Nick!

Check out this bike and more on our inventory page.

Aug 22, 2010

• The Cannondale Mountain Bike (Bike010) that we donated to the Tioga County Council on the Arts is a part of their Basket Raffle Fundraiser. If you would like to support the TCCA and take a chance on winning this great bike (or any of the other great prizes), please visit the link and purchase some raffle tickets.
• We received Bike 021 from an anonymous donor. While this bike appears to have been in storage for some time, the frame and components are in remarkable shape. After some new tires and cables and a good clean and lube job, this bike should be in great shape.
• We have rearranged the Inventory page to make it easier to find available bikes. The Inventory is now arranged in 3 sections: Available, In Process and Given Away.
• We delivered 4 bikes to the Tioga County Family Fun Event on Aug 18th. The bikes were given away to families who earned raffle tickets by visiting the various health and wellness related agencies present at the event. For a more detailed description of the event, check out the blog article here.
• At the last minute, we had to substitute the 26" Huffy Expedition (Bike 017) for the 26" Marlboro (Bike 011) for the Family Fun Event. We discovered a bearing issue in the rear hub of the Marlboro. That issue is now fixed so Bike 011 is available.
• We received a bike frame complete with shifters, brakes, etc as well as some tires and a rim from a generous donor. Thanks Patty, the spare parts will come in handy when we receive bikes with broken parts.

We purchased a set of handle bar grips for Bike 014 and a 26" tire tube for Bike 011 for a total of $18.

Aug 1, 2010

• Bike 014, a 24" Mountain Bike has been completed and is ready for distribution. If anyone knows someone who could use this bike, please contact the project.
• A kind neighbor donated 4 more bikes that are in repairable condition. Check out Bikes 017, 018, 019 and 020 on the inventory page. Thanks so much, Nick. Note: In the early 90's there was a recall involving Huffy Expedition bicycles. I have checked the model numbers of all three of these Huffy bikes and none of them were involved in the recall.
• We bought a set of cables and a small flashlight for inspection in tight places... and PayPal expenses $18
• We received generous $50 donation. Thanks Steve and Annette!!
• As the Southern Tier Bike Project approaches it's first year in operation, we are pleased with the results and anticipate that the project will continue for the foreseeable future. With this in mind, we have renewed our Internet domain name for 2 years ($22) to beat a price increase.

July 19, 2010

We continue to make some exciting headway in July.

• Bike 004 was completed and donated to a student intern working with the BMTS.
• We received Bike 016, a very nice classic Schwinn. This is a 1983 World Tourist in very good condition. Once restored, this bike will be a very sweet machine for getting around town. Thanks so much Annette!!
• We are still running low on bicycles! If you, or anyone you know, has a bicycle that needs a new home, please contact us!!
• If you check out garage sales, and you happen to see a bicycle, perhaps you could mention the Southern Tier Bike Project and see if you can get it donated. We will pick them up if necessary.

July 4, 2010

Wow, what a month!!

• 4 bikes have been donated to the Tioga County Health Fair to be held at Marvin Park in Owego on August 18 from 2-7PM. This is a fun event for the whole family and these 4 bikes will be raffled off at the event. The price of a raffle ticket is simply attending the event and answering a questionnaire. You can't beat it. Please attend the event and take a chance on one (or more) of the following bikes:
1. 24" Coyote Pass 10 Speed Mountain Bike
2. 20" Girls Sheer Fun
3. 12" Girls Sea Star
4. 26" Marlboro 10 Speed Mountain Bike
• 2 bikes have been donated to Glove House, an non-profit organization that serves youth and families in crisis from ten counties in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions of New York State, operating numerous group homes and providing foster care, preventive and school-based services.
• One bike has been donated to the Tioga County Council on the Arts, who will raffle the bike as a fund raiser.
• We have received a generous $60 donation to put the project back in the black. Thank you so much!!
• We are running low on bicycles! If you, or anyone you know, has a bicycle that needs a new home, please contact us!!

June 5, 2010

• We have received two more bikes recently:
• Bike 014 is a 24" 18 speed mountain bike made by Pacific. This bike is in fair condition and needs a good clean and lube and possibly some cables and brake pads. Thanks so much for the bike Jenny!!
• Bike 015 is a 24" 18 speed mountain bike made by Huffy. Initial inspection shows significant corrosion of the drive train. We'll make an attempt to free things up and get this one ready to go. Thanks to Babcock Bikes for directing Chuck and his bike to the Southern Tier Bike Project.
• Many of the donated bikes we receive have bent rims. They can be straightened unless they are severely damaged (eg. run over by a car). Unfortunately, it is very difficult to straighten a rim without a "truing stand". The project has bought a truing stand to enable saving these bikes with bent rims. Donations to defray the cost of this tool would be helpful. As you can see, we are currently in the RED.
• Gary continues his preparation to ride in the Tour de Cure on June 26th, logging 585 miles in the saddle during May. Also, Gary surpassed his goal of raising $500 for the American Diabetes Association. Additional contributions to the American Diabetes Association at the above Tour de Cure link will be appreciated.

May 9, 2010

• We were hoping to give at least 6 bicycles to the 3rd annual bicycle give-away event at Sarah Jane Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church this month, but unfortunately the event was canceled.
• On a more positive note, we did a presentation about the project to the Owego Rotary Club on May 4th. One of the Rotarians put the word out to people involved with local social service agencies. Hopefully this will lead to some bikes being distributed.
• We received an interesting bike donation this month. Bike 013 is a 1950 Humber, which is an English brand bought by Raleigh in 1932. This bike has many interesting characteristics, including solid rod brake linkages between the handlebars and front and rear drum brakes. More about this bike can be found on the Inventory page. We will attempt to restore this bicycle and see if we can do something interesting with it. Thanks Ray and Linda.
• Gary continues his preparation to ride in the Tour de Cure on June 26th, logging 568 miles in the saddle during April. Please consider sponsoring him if you can.

April 25, 2010

• Bike 012 is another bike that has come to us in great shape. Thanks so much Jeff!. This bike needed a general cleanup and some wheel straightening as well as some brake work. This has all been done and this bike is ready to go. If anyone knows a young lady who would like to get into cycling around the neighborhood, let us know.

April 21, 2010

• Bike 010 comes to us in "like new" condition from a generous donor. Thank you so much Frank! Initial inspection of this bike indicates that very little work will be required... a bit of clean and lube of the drive-train and perhaps some new cables. This bike should be ready soon.
• Bike 011 is actually a bike that the sole proprietor has owned since about 1993. He purchased it while in assignment in England and it was used to take rides in the country with his children, stopping along at a pub along the way every now and then (for lemonade of course). This bike has been on loan for a couple years and has recently been returned. While Gary would like to keep it for sentimental reasons, he thinks someone else, perhaps, may have more of a need for it than him, so here it is. It needs a little TLC, but should be ready for distribution soon.
• If you haven't done so already, don't forget to check out Gary's Blog on the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure website. You can follow his preparation progress and make a donation to the American Diabetes Association if you wish to do so.

April 1, 2010

• Gary will be riding 100 miles in the 2010 Tour de Cure on June 26th at Watkins Glen, NY. If you would like to sponsor Gary in his efforts to raise money for the American Diabetes Association, please visit his web page on the American Diabetes Association website. Help Stop Diabetes

February 24, 2010

• We received a $20 donation at the end of January. Thank you so much!!
• Bike 001 has been restored and is ready for distribution. In addition to new brake and shifter cables, the seat and rear wheel were replaced by those from Bike 004. Other than a bit of rust on the rear wheel, which is unavoidable with steel wheels, this one is in great working order.
• The BLOG has a new post.

January 28, 2010

• Bike 003 has found a new home with a budding new road biker! We hope to see this bike and it's new owner on the Southern Tier roads this summer!
• The BLOG has a new post. Check it out, but remember.... we're not recommending trying it!!

January 5, 2010

• Bike 008 has been restored to "almost new" condition and is ready for someone take it home. We're now up to 4 bikes ready to give away.
• Bike 009 came to us in almost new condition, except for one minor detail. Unfortunately, the previous owner forgot it was on top of the car when entering the garage. Ouch!! The fork is totally wasted and the rear wheel is badly bent. We'll try to straighten the rear wheel, but we'll have to keep an eye out for a fork to put on the front of this one. The frame appears to be in excellent shape! Thanks Gary for the bike and thanks to Babcocks Bike Shop for sending him our way.
• The cause for the demise of Bike 009 is more common than you might think. Always, always, always put something in front of the garage door to make you think before driving in if you use a rooftop carrier.

December 5, 2009

• We now have 3 bicycles ready for distribution.
• Bike 003 is a fine bicycle that has been beautifully restored. It would be perfect for an adult who wants an entry level bike for either racing or touring. A small donation to cover the cost of restoring this bike would be appreciated, but is not necessary.
• Bike 005 is in what we would call "gently used" condition. Mechanically it is in perfect condition and it looks almost new. A perfect gift for a young girl.
• Bike 006 is in almost new condition and would be the perfect Christmas gift for a toddler just starting to try out his/her bicycling skills.
• For more information on the bikes check the Inventory page.

December 4, 2009

• We have received our 7th and 8th bikes thanks to Ray and Linda. You can check it out on the Inventory page.
• The Huffy 3 Speed has a lot of rust and is missing the rear fender and chain guard. While this bike will take a considerable amount of work, it should eventually be a nice bike for tooling around the neighborhood.
• The Murray Totally Hip appears to be in good condition and can be ready for distribution quickly if someone needs it.

November 28, 2009

• We have received a generous $30 donation to bring us back (barely) to the black. Thank you so much for your generosity Linda.
• The Huffy Sea Star (Bike 0006) has been completed and is ready for distribution. Looks like new!!
• We have the 20" girls bike (Bike 0005) stripped to the frame to remove some minor surface rust. It is cleaning up nicely and should be ready to go in a couple days.

November 20, 2009

• We have received our 5th and 6th bikes thanks to Phil, who is keeping his eyes open around the neighborhood. These two bikes are excellent kids bikes that will be cleaned up and ready to send out in no time. Check them out on the Inventory Page.
• One of the items in the box of parts we received earlier in the week is a Jumbo Size Christmas Bike Bag, perfect for wrapping a bike for a Christmas gift. The first person to take a bike to be given as a Christmas gift can have the bag with it.

November 18, 2009

• We have received our 4th donated bike thanks to Andrew. It is a Coyote Pass Roadmaster that is almost the same model as the Coyote Pass Rallye (Bike 0001). Between the two, we should be able to come up with a complete functional bike. Check it out on the Inventory Page
• We have also received a box of parts which includes some seat-posts, a rear derailleur and several chain rings. Hopefully they will be useful as our bike inventory increases.

November 7, 2009

• While cleaning up the Trek Elance (Bike 0003), it became clear that it needed new bearings in the headset and new cables. The purchase of these items have put us (temporarily) in the red. The headset has been rebuilt and works smoothly. The frame has been cleaned and looks great. The remaining work to be done is to install the new cables, clean up the wheels, fix a flat tire and put her back together.
• There is a new blog post available if you would care to go there and have a look.
• The Welcome Edition of the Newsletter is available. If you haven't subscribed to the Newsletter yet, please do so now.

October 28, 2009
If you've been here before, you might notice a slightly different look.

• We have removed the redundant "Contact Info" block on the left sidebar, and replaced it with some more relevant content where applicable.
• We have set up several e-mail addresses to make it easier for you to contact us regarding a specific subject. These can all be found on the Contact page. Thanks for the help with the addresses Tim.

October 26, 2009

• Bike 0003 is in the shop and it's a beauty. Thanks so much Mary!! Check it out on the Inventory page.
• A new post has been added in the Blog section.

October 24, 2009
An update on the status of our first 2 bikes.

• Bike 0001 is cleaning up nicely. The brakes have been reworked and work smoothly. The brake pads and cables will have to be replaced, but that is not a difficult task. The main problem with this bike is that it has steel rims and the paint has been rubbed off the rear wheel and it is corroded. While the rust can be cleaned off, there really isn't a way to repaint the wheel as it will just rub off the next time the brakes are used. There are some 24" wheels on eBay in the $15 range, which isn't bad, but shipping it like $20 on top of that. Perhaps someone will donate a 24" bike with other issues that we can scavenge a wheel from. We'll also check around the local bike shops to see if they have anything. With a new wheel, this bike could be ready to go soon.
• Bike 0002 is actually in better mechanical condition than first thought. It's been stripped down and and there is only one major issue: the frame is badly rusted. While it can be cleaned up and put back together to make a perfectly usable bike, we really don't want to let it go without a paint job. That won't be expensive (since labor is free), but it will take quite a bit of time.

October 17, 2009
Our first two donated bikes have been added to the Inventory page. The page includes the current status of the bikes and will be updated as the repairs progress.

The Contact page has also been updated, including instructions for adding a link to this site from yours. If you are so inclined, please add a link.

October 14, 2009
There are two items of interest to report today.

• We now have a blog up that you can get to by clicking on the BLOG tab at the top of the site. There isn't much there yet, but we have big plans for some interesting content, so come back often to see what's new. The blog is hosted on the Google Blogger platform and you will be redirected there from the blog page as soon as you click it.
• The second item of interest is that we have received our first two bikes!! Thank you Mike and Cindy. The next project will be to take some pics and get them up on the Inventory page. Stay tuned for an in depth analysis of what needs to be done to prepare them for distribution.

October 10, 2009
INCREDIBLE!! After being up for less than 24 hours, we have received our first donation!! Thanks Em!! You're the BEST!!

October 9, 2009
Registered the domain name for SouthernTierBikeProject.com

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