Enthusiastic mechanics and cyclists: (from left) Rainer Flüggen, Ruzdija Redzematovic and Rainer Paffenholz are on hand to provide advice and support in their workshop. © Sp
A volunteer team at Benediktbeuern Monastery helps to get old bikes back on track
Benediktbeuern – Oiling the chain, repairing the hose, tightening the brakes: Very few people have the know-how to repair their bike themselves. It's a good thing that there is a bicycle workshop in the Maierhof of the Benediktbeuern monastery for this purpose. Three passionate cyclists – Rainer Paffenholz, Rainer Flüggen and Ruzdija Redzematovic – will be there to help and advise you. Every second Saturday between 16 p.m. and 17 p.m., interested parties can come by and repair their bike together with the three of them.
In 2016, the trio took over the workshop, which had previously been run by a priest. They are supported by the Centre for Environment and Culture (ZUK). "The idea for the bicycle workshop was born during the refugee crisis," reports Rainer Paffenholz. "We wanted the refugees to be mobile and able to move within a certain radius." To this end, he and his comrades-in-arms spruced up old bicycles. And the refugees accepted the bikes well, even if bikes with coaster brakes were not very popular. "The coaster brake is almost only known to people from Germany," says Paffenholz with a smile.
The goal: to be able to repair your bike yourself
In recent years, the clientele has changed. In addition to people with a migration background, some students and low-income people also visit the workshop. Rainer Flüggen is delighted: "I want to get people on their bikes, and it's nice to see when they can repair it themselves in the end."
The trio mainly takes care of flat tires, electrics and derailleurs. In addition to repairs, they also accept old bicycles to recycle certain parts. As far as possible, they also make the wheels functional again and sell them at a very low price. They use the proceeds to finance their equipment. There are currently around 20 bicycles in the workshop. "It's important that we have a certain choice. Larger men's bikes in particular are rarely given away to us," says Paffenholz. Customers can rest assured that the bike has been thoroughly checked before it is sold.
"We try to recycle as much as possible"
During the visit to our newspaper, three customers come by with their bicycles. "The season is slowly starting, and we have a lot of crowds, especially in summer," reports Paffenholz. He and his comrades-in-arms emphasize that they do not compete with the normal bicycle shops. They would work differently and provide a different service. "Our stuff is second-hand and not modern. We try to recycle as much as possible," says Rainer Flüggen. For the future, the trio would like to see more public traffic. They are also considering offering repair courses. "Some people have forgotten that we exist because we moved to another corner of the monastery last summer," Paffenholz said.
People also like to screw at home
All three men are avid cyclists. Rainer Paffenholz himself owns six bicycles at home. "When I'm done here, I'll continue working at home," says the Benediktbeurer with a laugh. Rainer Flüggen is already looking forward to taking part in the Eroica cycling race in Italy this summer. He starts with a bike that was built before 1987. (Text: Stefanie Pfleger)
The bicycle workshop in the Maierhof of the Benediktbeuern Monastery will be open this Saturday, May 13, from 16 p.m. to 17 p.m.
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