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Antique of the Week rolled out with the twenty-and

Over 200 kids, teens, and adults earned bikes with

Over 200 kids, teens, and adults earned bikes with us from our earn-a-bike programming this summer: Kids Bike Party and Bikes for All Mainers! Not only are these classes helpful for meeting transportation needs, they are also fun, a way to make new friends, and to explore our city by bike! 🚲 🚲 🚲

Thanks to all of our supporters and donors this year, including: the Onion Foundation, the Quimby Foundation, the Rines Thompson Fund, the Michael Goulet Foundation, Martins Point Health Care (@martinspointhealthcare), Kryptonite locks (@kryptonitelock ), Kali Helmets (@kaliprotectives ), the Majorie Harris Reynolds Foundation, L.L. Bean (@llbean ), Smith Charitable Trust, and ALL OF YOU who make individual donations, in-kind donations of bikes, support our shop, and volunteer. THANK YOU.

#communitysupport #reducereuserecycle♻️ #earnabike #gearhubbikeschool #bikesforallmainers

Antique of the Week solving mysteries with @jesseb

Antique of the Week solving mysteries with @jessebillypilgrim

This Week's Antique is a bit of a mystery. We were donated a Mossberg branded bicycle, and I can honestly say that I hadn't ever seen one. The ornate head badge says Little Falls, New York and has a knight's helmet on it. I'm a sucker for a good head badge and this one did it for me.

I had always known Mossberg as a gun manufacturer, and it turns out that the bicycle Mossberg and gun Mossberg are the same Mossberg. Bikes and guns have historically been made on the same factory floors since the start of the bike and it makes sense. Companys like BSA (British Small Arms) and Ivers Johnson used similar tooling to mill gun barrels and bike tubes in huge brick factories along rivers, though it turns out Mossberg guns and bicycles were never made in the same factories. It turns out that Mossberg (a New Haven, Conn. based company) bought out the Snyder bicycle company which produced Rollfast and Hawthorne bikes and started producing bicycles under their name using the existing factory in Little Falls, NY.

Rollfast and Hawthorn were always known for making Balloon tire cruiser style bikes but were not really known for lightweight performance machines. It seems like Mossberg wanted to see if they could compete with some of the lightweight imported bikes that were coming from Japan and Europe, and they produced some surprisingly nice-looking bikes. The Mossberg we have here at the PGH is outfitted with lightweight UKAI Rims and US Made ACS hubs and has 4130 Cr-Mo tubing. It even has a pair of Mossberg branded Alloy handlebars that are pretty darn comfortable. My favorite part is the big reflective M brazed into the seat stays.

While digging for info about this bike I found that Mossberg created the first US made carbon fiber bike and built one of the first purpose-built BMX bikes. It may have been this drive for perfection that was their undoing because it seems like they only existed from around 1970 to 1980. If you are looking for a unique piece of Northeastern US bicycle and gun history that also shreds, we have one here at the Portland Gear Hub.

#antiqueoftheweek

Saturday, October 7th join us for a self-supported

Saturday, October 7th join us for a self-supported* Benefit Ride for the Gear Hub. Routed and organized by our very own board member, this will be a lovely fall ride through the rolling hills of Freeport. Registration is free with donations strongly encouraged to benefit our organization!

25, 35, and 45 mile options

*Self-supported means you ride at your own pace - it’s not a race! Riders can download the route to your preferred device. We’ll have cue sheets available day of and will mark turns on the road. There’a 1 rest stop but no sag vehicle.

🍻 Participants will get $1 off a beer at Good Fire Brewing after the ride!

➡️ Link in bio for more info and to register ⬅️ 🚲 🚲 🚲

Antique of the Week carried to you by papa pilgrim

Scenes from our last Bikes for All Mainers class o

Scenes from our last Bikes for All Mainers class of the season!
The rain held off and we were able to ride bikes, and for some Learn to Ride!

It’s been an incredible summer meeting new people through the class, working with our outreach partners, and teaching with our All-Star Program Team led by Sara and our youth leaders!

As always, excellent photos taken by Francisco 📸 @cisco_2201

#bikesforallmainers #earnabike #gearhubbike #gearhubbikeschool

YOU’RE INVITED! 🎈We’ve got 2 upcoming event

YOU’RE INVITED! 🎈We’ve got 2 upcoming events in October!!

🧁 Please join us for a Celebratory evening on Thursday, October 5th to thank and congratulate our volunteers, program participants, donors, and YOU ALL for another successful summer season.
📣 📣 We’ll also be making a very exciting Special Announcement about the Gear Hub’s future that we don’t want you to miss.
RSVP on our website or via the link in bio.

🚲 Saturday, October 7th, our own board member and volunteer Bob Brown is hosting a benefit ride in Freeport to raise funds for the Gear Hub. It’s a self-supported ride with 25 -35 - 45 mile options on routes Bob rides! Registration is free, donations encouraged. ➡️ Registration is live on our website and via a link in our bio.

Hope to see you all soon 🥰🪩🌸

Blowing the Yard Sale out to next month. Officiall

Blowing the Yard Sale out to next month. Officially POSTPONED to Saturday, October 14th due to Hurricane Lee. 💨

We’ll plan to be open though and we will have new Camping Gear on sale inside the shop for those venturing out. 🏕️

Very happy for a sunny day this week! ☀️
We’ve got bikes out, a volunteer shift this morning, and a team of students volunteering this afternoon! 🔧
This evening @mainecycling is leading one of the last road group rides of the season, leaving from the Gear Hub at 6pm. Join us and bring your lights!

#shopusedshoplocal #reducereuserecycle♻️

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The Portland Gear Hub
155 Washington Ave.
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 761-7632

© 2023 Portland Gear Hub. All Rights Reserved.

Ketcha Outdoors
336 Black Point Rd
Scarborough, ME 04074
(207) 883-8977

site by iKnow

Fall Ride Benefitting The Portland Gear Hub

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