Getting a flat tire on a bike suuuuuuuuuucks. Getting a flat tire late at night, far from a subway, when the nearest bike mechanic is three drinks deep, and you forgot to bring an extra tube? That’s worse. Express Biker has got your back, though, if you happen to be biking in New York. The company’s building a network of bike vending machines to provide round-the-clock access to tubes, patch kits, and other sundry bike necessities.
There are already two machines in function in Brooklyn: One on the border of South Williamsburg and Bedford-Stuyvesant at the Emporium Gas Station on Flushing Avenue, and one at the Mobil Gas Station at 415 Empire Blvd. a few blocks away from Prospect Park. They want to partner with outdoor locations near major bike routes throughout NYC that are open for 24 hours, such as gas stations, parks, etc.
Of course, Minneapolis was on this two whole years ago, so New York retains its record of being about two years behind other, supposedly “lamer” cities on everything bike. But at least the people who are trying to drag NYC kicking and screaming into the bike age won’t have to abandon that mission just because they got a flat in the middle of Bed-Stuy.
