Video: Bike Parts Vending Machine in Action

The first bike part vending machine in Williamsburg—and the first in NYC, for that matter—is now in service 24/7 on South Sixth Street. Stationed outside Baruch Herzfeld's Traif Bike Gesheft (Yiddish for non-kosher bike shop), the machine is stocked with bells ($2 to $10), locks ($5), inner tubes ($6), lights, bicycle tire patch kits ($2), pumps, brake pads, etc. Watch the maiden voyage of the machine, narrated by an exultant Herzfeld, below:

According to City Room, vending machines for cyclists exist in other cities like Madison, Wisc., and Seattle. Herzfeld, who has tried to bridge the gap between Hasids in South Williamsburg and the cyclists who ride through their neighborhood, bought the used vending machine for $1,800. He installed surveillance cameras and stocked it, but he says he won't be upset if it isn't a financial success: "We’re not very commercial. You buy the machine and you figure it out."

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By John Del Signore in News on March 26, 2010 2:00 PM

Comments [rss]

ms acras

wow. thefacts isn't just a smug, self righteous, anti-semite; he's a psychologist, too!

Baruch

thefacts,

you arguments are intelligent . you make a lot of sense. Its civic minded people like you that ensure that this city is run to the benefit of all.

Thank you for your concern.

thefacts

And thank you, sir.

Btw, congratulations on a good concept with the machine.

ms acras

thefacts can't stand it because your name is too jewey. nothing more. If it was Billy McNamara's bike crap , you wouldn't hear a peep.

thefacts

Projecting your anti-Semitism onto others won't cure it.

Gwinny

How ironic coming from the dude who regularly refers to bikers as Nazis and adds a couple extra K's to Jeannette Sadik-Khan's last name.

What an angry little man thefacts is -- not to mention completely nonsensical!

thefacts

You pay your landlord rent, right?

Well, pay your concession fees to the city for a sidewalk-vending permit as well.

The people of NYC need the money. Schools, subways, bus routes are shutting down for lack of money, but you are entitled to free space to sell your products? No way!

Also get rid of that ATM machine that you profit from on our public sidewalks! You don't own the sidewalks. The streets belong to the people!

Pay your fair share if you want to profit from our sidewalks. Why not just close the store and sell everything on the sidewalk, like a street urchin.

Baruch

thefacts,

that's why we call it the Traif Bike Gesheft you cranky soil sport.

thefacts

This is illegal.

You cannot place vending machines on public sidewalks.

It's bad enough cyclists are on the sidewalks constantly. Now must they have their parts-supply shops operating there illegally as well?

Let's see if DOT issues them a summons and orders removal.

rasputinsghost

cool

LongShanks

This is cool. There's a book that's just out about vending machines, too. Tons of photo clips from weird machines around the world. Cool to see where the tech is headed!

Here's the book, by Christopher Salyers:

http://www.fastcompany.com/pics/weirdest-vending-machines-world

SikBug

Good idea, I've def needed a part after all the LBS's have shut down for the night. Luckily I can walk to this, but maybe some more will spring up elsewhere.