MPS students repair bikes for free through WI Bike Federation program

• The Wisconsin Bike Federation employs high school students to provide free bike repairs in underserved Milwaukee neighborhoods.
• The mobile program aims to expand repair access for residents who may lack transportation or a local bike shop.
• Students gain hands-on mechanical skills and are paid $15 per hour for their work.

On a typical summer day, Tanysia Kelley pedals a cargo bike loaded with tools and supplies to parks and libraries across Milwaukee.

Kelley, a junior at Milwaukee High School of the Arts, is one of three high schoolers working this summer for the Wisconsin Bike Federation to repair bikes for free in underserved neighborhoods. On a scorching July afternoon, Kelley and her fellow mechanics set up shop in the shade at Emigh Playfield, on Milwaukee’s south side, where a steady queue of riders waited for the team to fix their flat tires, loose chains and worn-out brake pads.

For Kelley, the best part of the job is giving back to the community and watching them ride away with a bike she worked on herself.

“I love seeing all the kids come over and getting their bikes fixed,” she said as she adjusted the seat of a bike with a wrench. “Yesterday, we fixed this little boy’s bike with his brakes, and he just started zooming all over the park.”

Toni Casagrande, the program’s manager and lead mechanic, said the goal of the program is to expand access to repair services in communities that lack bike shops while giving teens hands-on mechanical skills. The nonprofit Wisconsin Bike Federation pays the students $15 per hour, trains them to perform minor repairs and provides each with a cargo bike for transportation.

Casagrande said the team expects to repair about 300 to 400 bikes by the end of the summer. The program particularly focuses on Clarke Square, Layton Boulevard West, Harambee, Lindsay Heights and other low-income neighborhoods where residents may face transportation barriers. Over 40% of residents in the City of Milwaukee do not drive, according to a county service assessment released last year.

A majority of riders who used the Wisconsin Bike Federation’s mobile repair service last year were people of color, according to the program’s annual report.

The mobile bike repair program launched in 2014. Jake Newborn, assistant director of the Wisconsin Bike Federation, said the organization had long brought bikes and education programs into Milwaukee Public Schools, but staff noticed some families stopped using their bikes when they lacked access to a nearby bike shop or couldn’t afford repairs.

After moving from North Division High School, the program’s main base is now at Bradley Tech High School, where students learn to identify issues through a a 30-point bike inspection. The most common repairs include replacing brake pads, tubes, tires and chains, using both new and recycled parts from donated bikes.

“Many of these are pretty significant repairs,” Casagrande said. “People are often surprised by what we can do with the setup we have, given that it all just fits in a cargo bicycle.”

Kelley said she had no prior mechanic experience – or even a bike – before starting the job. Now she finds herself biking everywhere and is confident in her skills. After returning one rider’s repaired bike, Kelley received a $20 tip. She said some participants also offer donations to the Wisconsin Bike Federation after receiving repairs.

“Most of them are very grateful,” Kelley said. “We’re really trying to help people.”

Casagrande said many students end up pursuing jobs in mechanics once the program is complete. After the summer, Kelley said, she wants to learn how to fix cars or pursue opportunities with other local bike organizations.

For now, she’s happy spending her summer helping neighbors get back on their bikes.

“I really like doing work to feel accomplished in the end,” Kelley said. “I’ll work on things for a really long time just to feel confident, so this is the perfect job for me.”

Mobile bike repair locations

• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 20-23 at Green Bay Ave Playfield, 3872 N. Eighth St.
• 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. July 20 at Villard Square Library, 5190 N. 35th St.
• 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. July 23 at Atkinson Library, 1960 W. Atkinson Ave.
• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 27-31 at Whittier Playfield, 4382 S. Third St.
• 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. July 27 at Mitchell Street Library, 906 W. Historic Mitchell St.
• 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 1 at Good Hope Library, 7715 W. Good Hope Road
• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 3-7 at Merrill Park, 461 N. 35th St., and Lyons Park, 3301 S. 55th St.
• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 10-14 at Holt Playfield, 1716 W. Holt Ave.

Kayla Huynh covers K-12 education, teachers and solutions for the Journal Sentinel. Contact: khuynh@gannett.com. Follow her on X: @_kaylahuynh.

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