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Great Maine Bike Swaps Prove A Big Success
Three hundred seventy-one bikes were bought and sold, nearly double the number of the previous year. Both swaps were festive events featuring biking information, vendor displays, entertainment and refreshments. The swaps raised thousands of dollars for the Bicycle Coalition of Maine's safety and education programs. The Portland swap, held at the University of Southern Maine's Sullivan Gym on April 27, drew more than 1,500 people, far exceeding last year's attendance. Green Streets Portland organized an Earth Day bike parade around Back Cove in conjunction with the swap. "I thought it was an overwhelming success," said Brandon Gillard, owner of the Cape-Able Bike Shop in Kennebunk. He sold 18 of the 20 bikes that he brought to the swap. "This is a great way for people in the Portland area to recycle and find great bikes at reasonable prices," said Gillard. "It was very well-run, very professional. I'll be up there again next year - with even more bikes." The first-ever swap at the University of Maine's Student Recreation and Fitness Center on the Orono campus the following weekend drew a crowd of more than 500 people. Feel It Robot, a Bangor indie band, performed original bicycle songs during the swap. Many thanks to our hosts at the University of Southern Maine and the University of Maine and to the student groups that worked on the swap - the UMaine Cycling Club, the UMaine Tackle Football Club and USM's Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). We appreciate our sponsors: University Credit Union, Lee Auto Malls, RBC Wealth Management, GOMAINE and Duratherm Window Corporation (York Spiral Stair). We give special thanks to the more than 200 swap volunteers for all of their hard work, great attitudes and creative ideas.
Better Bicycling in Maine Since 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
By all accounts, the 2008 Great Maine Bike Swaps held in Portland and Orono were a huge success.
