The Health and Fitness Czar, Gwen Foster, with Nighborhood Bike Works volunteers who assembled her new Sun Retro Cruiser.

Gwen Foster, Health and Fitness Czar for the City of Philadelphia, received a new bicycle at the workshop of Neighborhood Bike Works in West Philadelphia. The bike, which was assembled by youth participants in NBW's bike repair and maintenance program, is a Sun Retro Cruiser, a reproduction of a vintage bike and includes coaster brakes and aluminum wheels. Foster preferred the older style which she had ridden as a youth and believes that seniors, whom she wants to re-interest in cycling, feel more comfortable with the retro model as well. According to Andy Dyson, mechanic and program director for NBW, "I'm glad we convinced her to get this newer version rather than rehab an old bike. This bike has the added feature of 4-speed indexed gearing and is about 10 pounds lighter than a vintage bike. I think she made a good choice." Dyson and his crew of young mechanics painted the bike a bright forest green, the color requested by the director of Fun, Fit and Free Philadelphia, Mayor John Street's fitness initiative. They even pasted her name, "Fitness Czar", in gold letters on the top tube. 

 Neighborhood Bike Works increases opportunities for urban youth through bicycling. NBW offers an out-of-school program of bicycle mechanics, repair and safety to youth, ages 8-17, in West Philadelphia, using old bicycles donated by the community. Kids can earn their own bicycles and acquire job-related skills. NBW actively promotes cycling as a healthy, environmentally friendly form of recreation and transportation.

For more information on NBW, contact Claudia Crane, executive director, 215-386-0316 or neighbike@earthlink.net. NBW is located in the parish basement of St. Mary's Episcopal Church at 3916 Locust Walk