400 bikes up for grabs at Estrie Aide annual sale
This year’s used bicycle sale, a collaboration between the City of Sherbrooke and Estrie Aide, will be held on Saturday, May 5 from 8 a.m. till noon at the Estrie Aide store on Wellington Street South.
This year’s sale has fewer bikes than past years. There are roughly 400, compared to averages closer to 600 in previous sales.
“I have a theory on that,” said Claude Belleau, Executive Director of Estrie Aide.
According to Belleau, since the sale started, the local community has been very supportive, cleaning out their attics and garages, bringing in their bicycles.
Now in its sixth year, Belleau said there are likely fewer bikes laying around.
In the past five years, over 2,500 bikes have been sold, Belleau said.
The annual event is always popular, often with people lining up in front of Estrie Aide before the 8 a.m. opening of the sale.
In additional to the bike sale, there is a complimentary helmet sale taking place.
Estrie Aide will have roughly 100 new helmets available for sale at cost, as well as some gently used options for between $3 and $5.
The City of Sherbrooke is also providing 70 helmets that will be given free with the purchase of a bicycle.
“We’re going to be sneaky,” Belleau said. Rather than just give free helmets to the first 70 people who purchase a bicycle, they will randomize the giveaway by hiding a tag on some bikes or some other plan for the distribution of the helmets throughout the sale.
Because some of the bikes at the sale were recovered by the Sherbrooke Police Service but never claimed by citizens, there will be an opportunity the day before the sale to claim a stolen bike.
On Friday, May 4, between 9 a.m. and noon, a police officer will be at Estrie Aide to accompany citizens on a walkthrough of the sale floor to look for their stolen bike. Anyone wishing to reclaim a stolen bike is required to have the original bill of sale.
It will not be possible to reclaim ownership of a stolen bicycle the day of the sale.
Members of the La Déraille Coop will be on site during the sale to do adjustments on newly purchased bicycles.
The sale will take place Saturday, May 5 from 8 a.m. till noon at Estrie Aide, located at 352 Wellington Street South.