Bike shop robbed of tools

What is a bike repair shop with no tools? Unfortunately, that’s the conundrum currently faced by Oldspokes Home, the “community bike shop” run out of an old train car on the edge of the GRUB Cooperative’s Dayton Road property. A Craigslist ad and posts on Facebook explain that on April 19, all of the tools from Ron Toppi’s shop were stolen. Many of them were specialized bike tools that he used when repairing bikes, for cheap or for trade of goods or services.

“I envision this place as a collective where people support it through both work and financial support. … I’m trying to build that here,” Toppi (pictured) told the CN&R back in 2012, shortly after opening his shop. In addition to repair services, he also offered the space—and the use of his tools—to those who wanted to fix their bikes themselves.

To make matters worse, the theft will make it difficult for Toppi to finish repairs for the May 18 bike swap for the Boys & Girls Club.