Phoenix Bikes

♪ (upbeat, funky music) ♪

(click)

(clack)

(puff)

(whirr)

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(Edoardo)
On youth-run-the-shop day,

the youth here can fully run the shop,
without any adults being there.

My role is nothing,
which is awesome

because they really take ownership of it,

because they care about it greatly.

What I'm doing here is
I'm cleaning out the derailleur,

the jockey wheels--
so, the spinny things.

I'm 14.

I ride my bike now to high school--

which I promoted to high school just now--

like, freshman year.

I wouldn't join another program.

I think Phoenix best suits me.

It taught me leadership skills,
so I can talk more in public.

I got to this point by my friend Noe,

and he's actually the person
that's running the shop day today.

(Noe)
Today is youth-run-the-shop day.

We're not working
on any projects or truing wheels.

Just help out the kids and customers.

Do you want to be a mechanic today,
or do want to work with the youth?

Every day, I'm a bike mechanic,

but I'm also a role model for everyone.

So for example, with Robel,

when he first started the program,
he was shy.

He was afraid of getting out
of his comfort zone.

That reminded me of me
when I first started out,

because I was shy.

He's been a role model for me
since I've gone into the program.

We get along.

(Noe)
I just met him like three years ago,

we used to play soccer.

And I told him about Phoenix Bikes,
and how you can get a free bike,

and I think that got him interested.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah--cut, cut.
-(laughs)

No, this is not what happened.

-I never--
-I don't remember.

(Robel) I usually have him
boss me around all the time.

Like, "do this, do that."

And if I don't agree with him,

then he's going to be like,
"Well, I'm the manager of the shop today."

"This is youth-run-the-shop day."

And I'm like, "Okay."
-You're making that up.

(Edoardo) I've seen Noe grow
in height and also as a person.

It's really cool to see him

mentor Robel, and mentor
other youth through the program.

(Robel)
I've learned from Noe.

He taught me a different way
of looking at things, I guess.

At the shop, I would always talk a lot.

I wouldn't be that productive.

And then he taught me
how to be productive.

And I guess that's how
I'm doing sale bikes today,

and customer bikes today, I'm--

-Speaking here today.
-Speaking here today.

If it wasn't for Noe,
I wouldn't be on camera right now.

It would be somebody
different right here,

standing right next to Noe.

(Noe)
As a kid, he was shy here.

He would be afraid to talk to people,
and lacked confidence with making friends.

Now that he's in high school,
I know that experience,

and I can give him hints
and tips about that.

(Edoardo)
Cycling brings a lot of people together.

It's a common bond,
it's a common interest.

Not a lot of these youth
would have the opportunity

to learn from each other,
meet each other,

or even be friends, really,
outside of this environment.

♪ (upbeat theme) ♪

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