Repaired instead of new – bike workshop at DialogPunkt

“Make your bike ready for summer” was the motto of the invitation to the bike repair café. Bicycles are one of the most popular means of transport here in the Lower Rhine region, especially in summer. Even though it is often advertised how carefree cycling is, no bike can get by without repairs. Whether it’s a puncture or a broken light, lucky are those with skilful hands.  Those who dropped by DialogPunkt Kleve on Thursday afternoon with their bikes in need of repair were also in luck.

Günther Borsch, who volunteers at the Joseph Beuys Gesamtschule Kleve to supervise the “Fitzflicker”, was a guest at DialogPunkt Kleve. Together we showed how easy and worthwhile it is to repair old bicycles instead of replacing them. The Repair Café encouraged all citizens to take their bikes into their own hands and repair them.

Repairing instead of throwing away!

Shortly after setting up, the first interested people arrived with their battered bikes. A colourful mix of international students, Kleve natives and families welcomed the opportunity while enjoying a cool refreshment. For retired teacher Günther Borsch, it was sometimes a challenge, but with a certain amount of skill, many things could be repaired on the spot.

Over the course of the afternoon, several bicycles were mended and made fit again for summer excursions. The event showed how old bikes can be brought back into shape with little effort, the right know-how and a little technical skill. Günther Borsch put it in a nutshell: “It’s important to me to show that repairing and refurbishing bicycles not only helps the environment, but also teaches valuable practical skills. Making old bikes fit again instead of throwing them away is not only environmentally friendly, but also a way of passing on this knowledge to the next generation.”

Fietzflicker

At the Joseph Beuys Gesamtschule Kleve, Günther Borsch guides year 6 and 7 pupils twice a week in an educational programme called “Fitzflicker”. In the bike workshop, the young people not only learn how to repair bikes, but also acquire basic knowledge about bicycle technology. What they have learnt is applied to bicycles from pupils and parents.

Repairing together – experiencing sustainability

Whether small repairs or safety-related defects – we were on hand to offer help and advice at the DialogPunkt Kleve Repair Café. We also clearly communicated what could not be repaired on site or posed too great a safety risk. There were also valuable tips and tricks from Fitzflicker Günther Borsch on how to carry out repairs yourself using the appropriate spare parts.

Together with our partners, we are working to raise awareness of sustainability and pass on knowledge. Together we can make a difference – and not only for bikes.