Skip to main content

Catalyzing worker co-ops & the solidarity economy

Phoenix bike co-op offers parts, labor and a place to find independence

Walk into the Rusty Spoke and you'll find organized chaos. Used tires hang from a side wall, tubes pile on the floor and rims dangle from the ceiling, catching light from a half-open garage door. People crowd a work station, tinkering with parts and tools alongside bins filled with brake components.

Bill McComas is a long-time volunteer at the shop and bicycle advocate who leads monthly group rides in Phoenix. He's often at the front of the Rusty Spoke when it opens, explaining the rules of the co-op to new arrivals and helping others around the garage with tools or parts.

"We are a volunteer-run community bike shop, so we don't have any paid employees," McComas said. "We don't charge for teaching people how to work on bikes, we don't charge for using our tools or equipment."

Read the rest at The Arizona Republic

 

Go to the GEO front page

Add new comment

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Web page addresses and email addresses turn into links automatically.
CAPTCHA This question is to verify that you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam.

What does the G in GEO stand for?