Video Produced by Domenico Nicosia
Scattered across the backyard of a house in Phoenix’s Garfield Historic District lay the frames, wheels and handlebars from dozens of dissected bikes. Tools and parts pile in all directions and jagged shapes cast shadows against the brick walls.
But what looks like a bicycle graveyard is breeding grounds for a resurrection.
Located on the southeast corner of Portland and 11th streets, HoodRide is a local bike shop that works out of the home of Derrick Pacheco, a 30-year-old Phoenix native.
“I started fixing bikes about five or six years ago just because there wasn’t a close-by bike shop,” Pacheco said. “I was the only one who had a set of tools and that’s how it all started.”
Pacheco said the business is often a “last resort shop,” a place where people can come once they tried everything they know to fix their bike.
“There’s no sign up front. There’s no noise, there’s no commotion. You wouldn’t even know there’s a bike shop back here,” he said.
Cargo containers act as the brick and mortar “shop.” One is filled with locks, helmets and other accessories and the other is stuffed full of bikes and bike parts.
The variety of services range from welding a frame together to filling a bike’s tires with air.
Pacheco accepts cash, card and work-trade for any project he undertakes.
“It’s kind of the basics, keeping people on the road,” Pacheco said.
HoodRide was originally located off the corner of Fifth and Roosevelt streets in the space currently occupied by Jobot Coffee.
The shop was forced to move after it violated city zoning ordinances and neighbors complained about loud music.
However, Pacheco said he saw the move as an opportunity to focus on the community and shop work.
“I haven’t gotten too familiar with all the bike shops in Phoenix,” said Marie Lopez, an ASU student and bike rider who recently moved from Tempe. “I think a shop should be really accessible with the area. Something off the main road.”
While HoodRide’s current location is tucked away from the constant traffic on Roosevelt Street, Pacheco said business has increased since it went “underground,” with the majority of work brought in by word of mouth.
As for community, Pacheco said that the neighborhood on Portland Street has been welcoming and supporting. Neighborhood kids make the location a place to hang out and learn something new.
“Not only do hipsters get their fixed gears worked on, but little kids get to bring their BMX and put some work into that,” he said.
Pacheco added that HoodRide gives local kids the opportunity to learn good habits like cycling and being outdoors.
“The neighbors that know what we’re doing, sure they love us,” Pacheco said.
Pacheco collaborated with The Hive, a Phoenix art gallery located on the southwest corner of 16th and Cypress streets, to expand HoodRide to another location.
The move was conducted about a month ago as an experiment to see how quickly a shop could move and be up and running, a feat Pacheco said took three days.
Pacheco will continue to operate at the Garfield location, but hopes to transition more business to the new space at The Hive.
“It’s a commercial space so we have a little bit more flexibility. And it’s an on-the-street location so we can probably bring in more people,” Pacheco said.
“I think Derrick has a fantastic vision and a bigger picture for the community at large,” said Julia Fournier, co-owner of The Hive.
Fournier said that she especially likes Pacheco’s business model of helping others build and work on their bikes.
“There are a lot of communities down here where bikes are the primary mode of transportation,” Fournier said.
Pacheco said he believes that shops like HoodRide are what downtown Phoenix needs.
“Cycling can definitely be the catalyst for connecting what is now independent islands of people doing their own thing,” Pacheco said. “With this modular bike shop concept and the ease and quickness of deployment I think it can definitely serve as a future model to help connect the dots.”
Contact the reporter at tchawtho@asu.edu
