Great Maine Bike Swap to feature great deals and expert advice

Looking to sell your old bicycle? Or perhaps you’re searching for a new one? The Great Maine Bike Swap, scheduled for April 13 in Orono and April 27 in Portland, is a great opportunity to do both.

Courtesy of Bill Skoolicas Hundreds of bikes are organized for people to peruse at the 2013 Great Maine Bike Swap in Portland.

Courtesy of Bill Skoolicas
Hundreds of bikes are organized for people to peruse at the 2013 Great Maine Bike Swap in Portland.

Hosted by the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, the annual bike swap has grown over the years to offer hundreds of bikes, as well as bike accessories, at both locations.

“We’re just looking to get bikes in people’s hands,” said Brian Allenby, communications director for the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. “It’s that time of year, starting to get nice again.”’

The Orono swap will be 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, April 13, at the New Balance Student Recreation Center, 22 Hilltop Road, on the University of Maine campus. Bike registration and drop off is 5-7 p.m. Saturday, April 12, at the same venue.

The Portland swap will be 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, April 27, at Sullivan Recreation and Fitness Center, 55 Falmouth Street, on the University of Southern Maine campus. Bike registration and drop off is 4-7 p.m. Saturday, April 26, at the same venue.

Courtesy of Brian Allenby A wide selection of used bikes are organized for the 2011 Great Maine Bike Swap in Orono.

Courtesy of Brian Allenby
A wide selection of used bikes are organized for the 2011 Great Maine Bike Swap in Orono.

“It’s a great opportunity if you’re looking to clean out the garage,” said Brian Allenby. “Sell a bike and leave all the work to us.”

Bike registration is $3 per bike on the Saturday before the swap, $5 on the day of the swap.

Admission is $3 for adults; free for children younger than 12; free for students of the University of Maine and the University of Southern Maine; and free for anyone who has registered a bike to be sold.

Price advisors will be available to help people price the bikes they want to sell, and during the swaps, there will be several bike fit advisors on the floor to help customers choose between hundreds of bikes, including hybrids, road bikes, mountain bikes, children’s bikes, recumbents and more.

Area bike shops will be at the event to sell gently used rental bikes at discount prices, as well as bike parts, helmets and other accessories.

Last year, they had approximately 300 children’s bikes for sale at the Portland swap.

“Kids are outgrowing bikes every couple of years,” Allenby said. “[The coalition] wants to provide an affordable way to get people around the state on bikes.”

Admission and 15 percent upon sale goes to the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. Unsold bikes must be picked up at the venue before 2:30 p.m. on the day of the swap.

For information, visit bikemaine.org/swap. Fill out a bike seller form online at www.bikemaine.org/swap-seller-form.

 

Aislinn Sarnacki

About Aislinn Sarnacki

Aislinn is a Bangor Daily News reporter for the Outdoors pages, focusing on outdoor recreation and Maine wildlife. Visit her main blog at actoutwithaislinn.bangordailynews.com.