The Rockville Bike Hub is heading into 2024 with optimism for a fantastic year full of wrenching, teaching and providing refurbished bikes to the Montgomery County community. The beginning of the new year is a fine time to look back and make sure all of the wonderful volunteers who generously supported our efforts know they are appreciated. We have a core of dependable, talented volunteers and if you have visited the shop you know just how helpful they are when you need assistance with a bike repair or purchase. Recently their work has been made easier by the addition of new work stations and tools. These additions are one result of a generous donation by our 2023 donor of the year, Dan Treadwell.
Dan is an avid bicyclist who, with the guidance of a brother who worked in a bike shop, purchased a steel framed ten-speed bike in 1980 and still rides that bike, nearly daily and year- round, today! It is easy to see why Dan would appreciate the work the Rockville Bike Hub does, teaching people how to maintain and repair their bikes, because he has over the years replaced several components to keep his 1980 bike rolling along. Dan likes to do his own bike maintenance and he tells us that he appreciated the quality of the RBH classes he attended and recognized what a unique service we offer to the community. He was also impressed by the number of used bikes and parts that we provide at affordable prices. We sure are glad he found us and recognized that since RBH is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization he could donate to us and benefit from a lowered tax liability.
The broader bicycling community is fortunate to have Dan's support as well. He is a member of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), Bike Maryland, League of American Bicyclists, Action Committee for Transit, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, and Montgomery County Bicycle Action Group (MCBAG). If you pursue reviews of bike trails in Traillink you can also thank Dan for his input on and photos of area trails. Dan also provides input to Montgomery County on bicycle related projects. He has plenty of ideas about how to improve bicycling infrastructure and safety in our community and takes the time to provide his input to the County.
When he is not advocating for bicyclists, or working on his own ride, he enjoys bicycling on Beach Drive and Sligo Creek Parkway on the weekends when they are closed to motor vehicles. Other favorite rides include the Rock Creek Trail, Matthew Henson Trail, Northwest Branch Trail, and the Intercounty Connector Trail. He has high praise for the Carl Henn Millennium Trail in Rockville and thinks it offers a model for planners in other urban areas to follow.
Thanks to you Dan for helping RBH serve bicyclists in Montgomery County and for providing all of us with a model of community generosity!
