Car being serviced? Local repair shop will loan you a bike

Farhad Ghafarzade in his shop.
(Photo: Green Drop Garage)

Green Drop Garage, a full service auto repair shop in Southeast Portland, now offers free bike loans to customers who need a lift when their car is being serviced.

Farhad Ghafarzade, President of Green Drop, has struck up a partnership with local bike shop Bike N’ Hike. Ghafarzade says he and his staff already run most of their errands by bike — including picking up parts from nearby suppliers with their trailer — so, “Offering our customers a bike to borrow is an easy way to reduce our carbon footprint just a little bit more.”

On average, Green Drop loans out two bikes every day and Ghafarzade says he hopes to get even more bikes to loan in the future as more customers hear about the service. “People really like the concept. I hear a lot of, ‘That’s so Portland of you.'”

In an email to customers explaining the new bike loan service, Ghafarzade wrote,

“Even though we fix cars, we still think the best way to get around is by bike, foot, or public transportation. These modes of transportation are more eco-friendly. They also allow us to meet new people, to share, and experience the journey outside of those sterile, air-conditioned, rage-inducing boxes on wheels.”

In addition to the bikes, Ghafarzade also loans helmets, locks, and lights.

It seems Green Drop is looking to find the balance between car dependency and carfree living, acknowledging that cars have their place and providing services to keep them running smoothly, while doing what they can to encourage people to bike, walk, and take transit whenever possible.

Check them out at GreenDropGarage.com.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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Amos
13 years ago

Awesome! I wonder how many people forget to come back for their cars.

Spiffy
Spiffy
13 years ago

that’s the most bike-friendly car business I’ve ever heard of… awesome!

Amos: hilarious!

patrickz
patrickz
13 years ago

A bubble of sense in all that rainwater…Good of/for them!!

Vivian
Vivian
13 years ago

Farhad runs a great business, offers women’s car maintenance education classes for a super reasonable price, is environmentally conscious, and has let local nonprofits use the garage space for shows. I don’t own a car or plan to, but I’d refer any car owner here without hesitation.

A.K.
A.K.
13 years ago

That’s really cool, and I’m glad people are taking them up on the offer!

This story caught my eye because just YESTERDAY I had to give my car up to a shop for two weeks to repair damage by a hit and run driver.

I’m not much of a wet weather cyclist, but decided to suck it up and go without a rental car. I picked up some race blades, slapped them on my bike, and you know what… biking in the rain isn’t that bad!

Now if I could just keep all the rain off of my glasses better…

resopmok
resopmok
13 years ago

A.K. – rain on my glasses has been a problem since i started commuting by bike years ago. i think now i’m just used to it.

and, by coincidence, “Fahrrad” is german for bicycle.

Jim Wilcox
13 years ago

Great to see in Portland. Eugene has this program with a car repair facility. Even get a discount when you use a bike while your car is being repaired. Go to Bikelane Coalition and click on corporate, then autohaus.

Kirsty
Kirsty
13 years ago

So fabulous!

Hawthorne Auto Clinic is another awesome bike-friendly business. They have a HUGE share the road mural on one side of their building, in addition to a “Drive Less, Save More” sticker prominently displayed on their front door, which always made me smile when I used to walk past!

twilliam
twilliam
13 years ago

Since we’re merging cars into a bike site…

Don’t forget about one of the largest independent auto repair facilities in Portland, who has been playing the “Green Game” for decades: Tom Dwyer Auto Repair

While I guess they don’t loan bikes out (which is the novelty of this story), from the owner on down they’ve been extremely well versed on Green tech, pro-alternative transportation, and they’re voted best place to get your car fixed by Willamette Week (scroll down a bit).

ecohuman
ecohuman
13 years ago

“It seems Green Drop is looking to find the balance between car dependency and carfree living”

It’s nice to loan bikes. But how exactly does a business that depends utterly on cars promote “carfree living”?

jim
jim
13 years ago

If i take my bike in to get worked on will they loan me a car??

mark
mark
13 years ago

that’s great. I’ve taken my car here a few times before and recommended others to them as well. I like that they are encouraging people to use cars responsibly and not for every trip they make. way to go guys, I’ll keep coming back! (hopefully not too much though, cause when I come in it’s because of a problem with the GTI)

mark
mark
13 years ago

also fitting since they’re in the old Recyclery building.