Efrain “Ef” Rodriguez will gladly make an update to or fix a broken URL on the Robinson website. That’s his job as our webmaster. But if you come to him in need of a bike repair, he won’t do it for you. He’ll teach you to do it yourself. That’s his duty as shop manager at SOPO Bicycle Cooperative. He spends his Wednesday evenings at the nonprofit do-it-yourself bicycle repair shop, where patrons can sift through affordable, donated parts and tools, and receive verbal guidance from volunteers.
College webmaster Ef Rodriguez spends his Wednesday evenings at a nonprofit bicycle repair shop, where patrons can sift through affordable, donated parts and tools, and receive verbal guidance from volunteers.
“Tune-ups cost around $129 at bike shops and can take days,” Rodriguez said. “And if your bike breaks down in the middle of the street, a mechanic won’t be there to help you. We empower cyclists to be self-reliant.”
SOPO makes cycling accessible through not only low-cost parts but also its Earn-a-Bicycle initiative. Through the program, unhoused people or anyone without means can build their own bicycle consisting of used parts in exchange for around 20 volunteer hours. SOPO also gives away bicycles, helmets, and locks to members of Clarkston’s refugee population.
Rodriguez speaks easily and effusively about SOPO because he has volunteered there for a decade and served two terms as its board chair, from 2018-2021. During his tenure, he pushed the shop to move into a space along the Memorial Corridor, more than doubling its square footage and expanding its programming. He also led 10- to 20-mile group rides through downtown Atlanta with stops at key sites such as Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia State Capitol, and the King Center.
Rodriguez encourages cyclists to become self-reliant. After all, if your bike breaks down in the middle of the street, a mechanic won't be there to help you.
Rodriguez also co-founded Zombie Camels Mountain Bike Club. At its peak, the group comprised more than 1,000 members who participated in more than 100 rides per year. Sponsors included REI and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.
“A lot of clubs are full of racers,” Rodriguez said. “But we had a strict ‘no-drop’ policy, meaning if someone fell behind the pace of the group, we would not lose sight of them or leave them behind.”
Cycling has always been important to Rodriguez, who grew up BMX racing in Puerto Rico. When he relocated to Iowa for college in the early 90s, he immediately purchased a bike.
“Having a bicycle was always a requirement,” he said. “It didn’t matter if I had a car.”
Last month, Rodriguez owned nine bicycles and decided to downsize to three types: one commuter, one road, and one mountain. He commutes to work on his 1995 Trek 950 Singletrack whenever possible. He also is on a mission to revive Panther Bikes, a student-led organization focused on making Georgia State’s campus friendlier to and safer for cyclists and pedestrians.
On a typical Wednesday evening, Rodriguez interacts with 20 patrons at SOPO, which currently is located at MET Atlanta, an industrial complex southwest of downtown. Many regulars stop by just to hang out.
“I was attracted to SOPO’s community of like-minded folks,” he said.
If you know Rodriguez, you are familiar with his sense of humor. So if you see him at SOPO, you won’t just learn how to fix your bike. You’ll also laugh.
Cycling has always been important to Rodriguez, who grew up BMX racing in Puerto Rico.