Different Spokes

Downtown Brampton DIY Bike Repair Co-op

September Hours

Monday – 3:00 – 9:00pm
Tuesday – CLOSED
Wednesday – 3:00 – 9:00pm
Thursday – 3:00 – 9:00pm (Walk-in ONLY)
Friday, Saturday & Sunday – CLOSED

Registration link for DIY Repairs & Rides

DIY Space is limited. Registration required for attendance at all our events.

Pedalwise

Ride with confident cyclists. Want to find some sweet cycling trails, meet bike-mined neighbours, practice for that 100km, or ride with others who regularly use bikes to get around? Click here to sign up for some intro rides! Contact sonia@bikebrampton.ca to find out about intro, intermediate and advanced riding days.

Social Ride Safety Briefing

Who we are at Different Spokes

Different Spokes, 8 Nelson St W, is Brampton’s downtown DIY bike repair co-operative, operating BikeWrx for Brampton Bike Hub & Caledon Bike Hub.

Different Spokes is located on the northwest corner of Nelson and Main Street, where the ZUM bus stops under CN Rail. Google map. The GO train parking lot is immediate north of the train tracks on the west side of Main.

Roll into Different Spokes where we have the tools, knowledge, and some used parts to help you get your bike rolling smoothly. Please read the policies and guidelines below.

Membership

Only Members of the Bike Hub can use the space. Membership* for the Bike Hub is currently free. To become a member, sign-up here and fill in the registration form that follows, or arrive early before your appointment, to have one of our staff walk you through the survey.

Hours

Different Spokes is scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 3-9 p.m. (See September hours above.) We have 4 work benches. Drop-ins are okay provided there is space. Appointments take priority. Use the link below to select your time so you are not disappointed.

Booking System Select a Date & 1 1/2 hr time slot

Reserve your spot on the calendar by clicking on the date and selecting the time you want to attend. The booking system is designed to enhance the overall efficiency and capacity of BikeWrx stations at Different Spokes. If you cannot make your appointment, please reschedule or cancel at least one day before your appointment. When you book an appointment, and show up late or miss it, not only disrupts the booking system by wasting time slots, it also results in us having to turn away walk-ins that could have benefited from our expertise.

Bike hub administrators may cancel appointments under the following conditions:
– Member did not adhere to the Code of Conduct (see below)
– Member missed or arrived late for appointment(s) without cancelling or rescheduling in advance
– Member scheduled multiple appointment without describing the work needing to be done.

Members do their own work (DIY)

Mechanics and volunteers are available to provide support, advice and explanatory instruction. The actual work is to be done by the member and not the mechanic or volunteers. In conjunction with a mechanic, members are responsible for assessing their ability level relative to their project, including the time required to complete it.

Footwear Safety

Closed-toed shoes (ideally non-slip) are encouraged for working with tools machinery.

Volunteers advise within the limits of their individual abilities

Volunteers are of varying skill levels and defer to the Lead Mechanic or simply decline guidance on any area in which they are not experienced. This means that Different Spokes may not have the tools, parts or experience to help you with your project. There are some great for-profit bike shops such as Highlands that may be able to help you if we’re at a loss!

Repairs are not guaranteed

We can not guarantee that we will attempt (or guarantee) all (or any) repairs. Bicycle repairs can be complicated and time-consuming. The Brampton Bike Bike Hub and Caledon Bike Hub will approach repairs on a case-by-case basis, and reserve the right to turn some repairs/projects away. Volunteers and/or staff may make purchase recommendations, but there is no guarantee that this part will work or be appropriate for your bike. Please do your own research for any purchase decisions. Staff and/or volunteers cannot fix your bike for you.  

Respect the Hours

We keep regular hours & we don’t store bikes overnight. If you have a lot of work to do, plan ahead and come early to get it done. Please have a plan for taking a bike project home that may not be rideable.

Using Different Spokes facilities, parts and tools for profit, is not allowed.

This means no building bikes or buying parts to sell to others, or charging others for work you’re doing while at the shop.

Specific parts or accessories may not be available at Different Spokes

Code of Conduct

Different Spokes is committed to maintaining a safe, comfortable, and welcoming atmosphere and require everyone using the space agree to the following:

• Be kind, respectful and courteous of all people regardless of gender, age, ability, race, cultural background, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.
• Be respectful of someone’s pronouns, and if uncertain please ask which pronouns they use.
• Refrain from harassment or violence of or by staff, volunteers, or Bike Hub users. Harassment includes but is not limited to the following: verbal or physical abuse, deliberate intimidation targeting individuals in a manner that makes them feel uncomfortable, unwelcome, or afraid; teasing or ridicule.
• Refrain from using alcohol or other intoxicating substances.
• Respect others, their personal belongings, and their personal spaces.
• Be respectful towards the space by returning tools to their designated homes, leaving workstations neat and tidy after finished, disposing of waste in the appropriate bin, and leaving the washroom and other areas clean.

Different Spokes has a zero tolerance policy regarding the items listed above. If there is a breach in the Code of Conduct, the staff reserve the right to respond in a manner they deem appropriate, which may include, but not limited to: being asked to leave, permanent bans, and/or referral to external authorities. 

*Regarding the Membership Survey – We will not share your personal information with anyone. Identifiable information about you may only be shared with mentors and program administrators from The Brampton Bike Hub and Caledon Bike Hub. Non-identifiable, aggregated data (without any names) will be shared with staff from the Region of Peel (which provides funding for this program), and may be included in reports and promotions for the program.

More Information about Programming

LinkTree
Brampton Bike Hub
Caledon Bike Hub
Bike Library
Pedalwise
Pedalwise Mentors
Track Kilometres
Bike Donations
Bike Theft

Blog Posts

Summarizing 5 Years of Community Cycling in Peel Region
BikeWrx 2022 Success
Different Spokes Grand Opening of Do it Yourself Bike Repair Co-operative in Downtown Brampton

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