Road Trip 2020 - Buying Bikes in Sacramento

Juneau > Sacramento

January 7-9, 2020

How buying bicycles restored our faith in humanity

"Looks easy, jus' settin' here till you put in your eight or maybe your ten or fourteen hours. But the road gets into a guy. He's got to do somepin. Some sings an' some whistles.... A few takes a pint along, but them kind don't stick long." -- The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

     We departed Juneau on Alaska Airlines 5:10 a.m. flight. Roger checked a large, 50-pound duffel bag. I checked a 25-pound dry bag and a 35-pound box. The bags will easily fold up for storage, and we can dispose of the box once we get to the van. We each also carried on full backpacks. We had almost everything we needed for a two-month road trip. What we didn't have already, we would buy.

We arrived in foggy California.

     We arrived in Sacramento in the fog. Thankfully it was beginning to lift, and visibility was much better than what it had been a couple hours earlier, according to our Uber driver. We Ubered to Morning Star RV Storage and retrieved the van. It was in good condition. We thanked the friendly staff at Morning Star and said we'd return in a year or two.

     We had an errand to run and a friend to meet in Vacaville, so we headed west on I-80. We opted to overnight at the Vacaville Moose Lodge. (Roger is a member of Juneau lodge, and many lodges offer RV overnight spaces.) It cost $18 and included electricity and water. While there, we visited the social club for a drink with a few of the members. Unfortunately, we missed out on Taco Tuesday because of a lack of volunteer cooks.

     The next morning, we stopped at McDonald's for breakfast, hoping to use the wifi to work. The wifi was too slow, and posted signs asked customers to limit their visits to 30 minutes while eating. Later in the day, we worked at a Starbucks where the wifi was reliable, and the tea was hot.

     Our goal of the day was to purchase bicycles and a bike rack. Roger already had a two-inch hitch installed on the front of the van. We want the bike rack mounted in front because we want to leave the rear door accessible and available as an emergency exit. Roger also had read that a front mount puts less stress on the hitch because it is closer to the wheelbase than a rear-mounted bike rack.

     Another consideration was the price. We didn't want to spend too much in case they were stolen or damaged on the trip. We wanted bikes to use recreationally on pavement or gravel. A couple of used hybrids in good condition would do.

     While in Vacaville, we stopped at a few places, including Ray's Cycle. Ray's has a good reputation and a long history as a bike shop; however, they only sell new bikes that are beyond our price range.

     On our way back to Sacramento, we stopped at the Green Bicycle Depot in Davis. They sell both new and used bikes. We were able to test-ride a few possibilities, but we felt even the used bikes were priced a little too high for what we wanted.

     Perhaps a cheap, new bike would work? Continuing on I-80 back to Sacramento, we stopped at Target. New bikes sold for a little over $200. There were a few options for me, but none that would fit Roger. We would keep looking but keep Target and Walmart as options.

     We arrived at Cal Expo RV Park, and after a rest and something to eat, we went to REI to look at bikes and racks. Again, too expensive for what we wanted.

     Then Roger suggested we go to a place called the Sacramento Bike Kitchen. "It's only open from six to nine at night. It's run by volunteers. They fix and sell bikes. I know it's a long shot, but we should check it out."

Fix your bike at the Sacramento Bike Kitchen.

     What a gem of a place! The Sacramento Bike Kitchen (SBK) is a community-centered bike shop. For a suggested $5 donation, a person can use the shop, its tools, and the advice from volunteer bike mechanics to work on their bikes. It's a loosely structured, non-profit organization run entirely on volunteers and donations.

A volunteer sets out bikes for us to test-ride.

     As soon as we arrived and explained what we wanted, a volunteer wheeled a few bikes out for me to try. Roger was a little harder to fit because of his size, then someone said, "How about this one? It just came in today." The bike was covered in dust and cobwebs as if it had been sitting in a garage for years. It had two flat tires.

Patrons pay a suggested $5 donation to
to use the resources of the Bike Kitchen.

     Right away, someone grabbed it and put it onto the workbench to fix the tires and tune it up, so Roger could test-ride it. In the meantime, I was test-riding three different bikes. All were good options until the DiamondBack blew a tire with a loud POP that sounded like a firecracker. I was disappointed because that DiamondBack looked sweet. Like new. Pretty blue.

     Again, before I realized it, they had a new tire on it, so I could try it again. It was the one. We walked out with my DiamondBack Vital2 and Roger's Marin Sausilito for $150 total.

     The volunteer staff at SBK impressed us with their friendly customer service and with their sense of community service. The atmosphere was social as well as productive.

     We observed that some of their patrons might be experiencing homelessness, and I picked up a brochure at the front counter about a group called Mercy Pedalers. I had never heard of them before. Mercy Pedalers are bicyclists who reach out to people experiencing homelessness in the spirit of "Works of Mercy" and "Welcoming the Stranger." Their mission is guided by the value of treating all people with dignity, respect, and love.

     One of the volunteers told us, "I hate to see perfectly good stuff go to the landfill. So many people see bikes as disposable now. They're cheaply made, and when something goes wrong, they're thrown away. I'd rather see them fixed and go to someone who could use them."

     Another volunteer said when he started volunteering, he could do a few things, such as fix a flat tire. Now he can do so many more things. Everyone helps each other. They're always learning.

     A sign on the wall states, "We'll help you fix your bike, but we won't fix it for you."

We'll be able to explore more of the world with our new bikes.

     Purchasing our bikes at the Sacramento Bike Kitchen was one of the most inspirational shopping experiences I've ever had. Every community should have a Bike Kitchen.

     Before leaving Sacramento, we made a final stop at Rack N Road and found the perfect bike rack. We experienced superb customer service and practical advice. Roger put the rack together on the sidewalk outside the store, and the shop tech came outside a few times to ask if Roger had any questions or needed help, then they made sure we secured the bikes correctly.

     Finding our bikes was a labor of love. We were both exhausted by the time we arrived in Chowchilla for the night. Now we just need some golf clubs.

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