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The idea for the bike program came from discussion at the 2007 Valley Futures Network (VFN) retreat. Two participants, Laura Brines and Bobbi Rood volunteered to head-up Valley Moves, a VFN working group focused on issues of transportation, out of which grew the Mad Bikes project.

The Project's success to date is largely due to the important partnerships with other organizations and businesses. Most importantly, the Waitsfield Selectboard brought this project under the auspices of the Town by creating a new committee to manage the Mad Bikes project. The Mad Bikes of Waitsfield has received funding from the Mad River Valley Rec District. The Mad River Valley Health Center designed and built 12 bike racks with financial support from the Mad River Valley Rotary Club, local businesses, and private individuals. Troy Kingsbury of the Village Grocery and other volunteers continue to be very active in finding bikes for the fleet, ensuring that they are maintained, and helping to keep them distributed around town. The team at Stark Mountain Bike Works has been very supportive. We hope to collaborate with VYCC this year, in which case a group of high school students will help us paint and tune the bikes. We now have a permanent home for storage for the bikes and racks, and this space will also serve as a workshop to conduct routine maintenance of the bikes.

With ongoing financial support from the Mad River Valley Rec District, the program will be in good shape for rolling out year three this spring in conjunction with the annual Mad River Valley Walk and Roll Festival, May15-23. This year's Walk and Roll Festival includes a Family Bike Swap, May 15 at Waitsfield Elementary School and a bike-to-work & school day.

Aside from its primary service of providing bikes to those who choose to use them within Waitsfield, the project is helping to enhance Waitsfield as a bike-friendly community and setting the stage for further development of bicycle oriented projects and infrastructure.

If you have an adult bike to donate to this community bike program please drop it off at the Village Grocery. If you have a child's bike, you can sell it at the Family Bike Swap. Thank you.

The Mad Bikes of Waitsfield Committee members:
Laura Brines, David Cain, Troy Kingsbury, and Peter Lazorchak of Waitsfield, Bobbi Rood and Alternates: Sue Frechette of Warren; and Liz Weller, Moretown.