Geneva event offers free bike inspections
Dane Honeyman, a third-generation member of the family that owns The Bike Rack in St. Charles, centered the front wheel of Paige Lewis' touring bicycle in Geneva Saturday to eliminate the rub on her front brakes.
Lewis, her husband and two young sons had stopped at Wheeler Park while riding their bicycles from Randall Square to take advantage of "Spring into Bicycling," an event that offered free safety inspections and a skills course.
"My husband's parents are avid riders, and they got our kids started," said Lewis, who lives in Geneva. "I was really interested in the safety course because they teach how to cross intersections. We talk about it all the time, but I think it's important for them to hear it from other people."
Alexis Cooper of Geneva was on foot, but her children Warren, 2, Madeline, 4 and 6-year-old William all had their helmets and bikes checked -- the younger children still use training wheels -- before heading to the safety course.
"They make sure their helmets fit properly, that there's air in the tires and that their brakes work," Cooper said.
The inspections were done by experts from three bicycle shops who each donated an hour.
Gary Ross, Dave Peterson and Wayne Johnson, Geneva residents who all ride their bikes to their jobs at Fermilab in Batavia year round, also were on hand to help out. They are members of the Geneva Bike and Pedestrian Committee, which sponsored the event.
"We can help with the ABC's," Peterson said. "Making sure there is air in the tires, brakes that work and that the chains have a small amount of lubrication."
Peterson, an electrical engineer, makes his 14-mile round trip to work five days a week, 50 weeks of the year.
"We're a new committee and this is our first event," said Lucinda Olson of Geneva. "We want kids to establish good riding habits. We also want to see more bike paths in Geneva and make it a pedestrian- and bike-friendly city. Because of the river, there are north and south paths, but we need more east and west paths."
The bike committee meets at 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at city hall, 109 James St. It is a subcommittee of the city's strategic plan advisory committee.
For details, visit www.genevaspac.org.