LOUISVILLE, Colo. — So many people wanted to find a way to help after the Marshall Fire, and the Louisville Cyclery has been working late to fix up bikes after hundreds have been donated for people who lost theirs in the flames.
"We didn't really know what we were getting into. We're far from experts on federal disasters," said Greg Jones, the owner of Louisville Cyclery.
They are, however, experts in bikes, and at 10 p.m. the Saturday after the fire, Jones decided to start a donation drive.
"We've received probably 450 to 475 donated bikes," said Jones. "We've managed to fix up about 400."
Jones said there are still about 50 people with a need for a bike that he doesn't have.
"We have a need for adult bikes," he said. "All types, hybrids, mountain bikes, size medium to extra large is kind of the primary need. And yeah we're searching high and low for those."
In the month since the Marshall Fire, the Cyclery has created a system. Bikes with blue tape are fixed up and ready to go. Jones' team is giving them a full tune-up, and replacing parts if needed all for free.
The green tags mean the bikes are spoken for, and the pile of bikes toward the back still need some work.
When Jones looks at all the bikes there are, he goes through several emotions.
"I'm still kind of shell shocked by what happened to us to be honest with you," he said. "We're in a weird situation we're talking to dozens of people a day about what happened to them. And it can be really hard. It can be challenging. You're constantly reminded of what the town went through, and what the people went through."
All of his donated inventory comes with new meaning, too.
"If it helps them check one box out of the thousands of thousands of boxes they now need to check to get their lives back together, we hope that helps them," he said.
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