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Bicycle Collective

“At the Farmer’s Market the bike valet program removed nearly 2 thousand cars off the road by providing affordable (free), convenient, and safe parking for bicycles.”

- Lou Melini


Community Bike Shops

The Community Bike Shop locations are the tools the Collective uses to accomplish our mission statement.

At these locations bikes are used bikes are donated, refurbished by volunteers learning how to work on bikes, and then redistributed through our Bikes for Goodwill Organizations referral program.  Donations of kids bikes and the Community Bike Shops are also used for our Earn-a-Bike programs and holiday bike drives.

Last but not least, we open the Community Bike Shops up to the public for DIY nights, where people personal projects like buying a bike (or volunteering for a bike), finding parts, or getting help working on a bike abound.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Can you pick up donations?
A: No, we don't own a truck.

Q: When can you accept donations?
A: We accept Bicycle and Part donations in any condition whenever our shop is open.

Q: Do you do bike tune-ups?
A: No, but we can show you how to do it yourself (DIY).  We provide the the Tools and Expertise you need.  Depending on avaliability, we also have used bicycles and parts for sale.

Q: Do you sell bikes? 
A: Yes we do.  Bikes are first and foremost, given to our Bikes for Goodwill Organizations program.  However we do sell the left over bikes to keep the lights on.   NOTE: Road bikes and cruisers are in the highest demand, so we don't get that many donated and they don't stay on the rack for more than a day or so.

Q: I don't have any money, can I still use the shop or get a bike?
A: Of course!  We just ask you volunteer instead.  You can volunteer (ahead of time) at a rate of $5 per volunteer hour for used parts and/or bikes.  Again, volunteering is done before you get the bike or parts, no IOUs.

Q: Do you buy or trade bikes?
A: No.  To avoid the laundering of stolen bikes we do not buy or trade bikes, no exceptions.

Q: I am at one of your info tables at an event, can I use a credit card?
A:Yes! As long as you can hit this form...

 

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SLC Community Bike Shop is back OPEN!

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The front of the building still isn't fully finished, but we have a door!  To celebrate, we will be re-opening the shop starting with a lesson on Chains as part of our Park Tool School series.
May thanks to John Delvie (Property Owner), Mark Firsher (General Contractor), Cameron Nerdin (City of South Salt Lake), Alan Broadbent (Frontier Adjusters), Arrol Morgan (Specialized Lock), Beehive Glass, Winmark Stamp & Sign and Vortex Doors just to name a few that helped make this happen!
 

Westminster College freshmen start off with service

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Courtesy of the Deseret News: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700059814/Westminster-College-freshmen-start-off-with-service.html

Bronson Whitmore and Alizabeth Potucek work together on a bike at the Bike Collective. As part of the college's annual Helping Hands Day, Westminster students participate in more than 20 community service projects throughout Sugar House and Salt Lake City. (Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News)

Incoming Westminster College students fanned out to Sugar House and beyond Tuesday, performing community service projects to ring in the new school year.

Stephanie Tomlin, a senior who started a bike club on campus, led a group of freshmen on a ride across town to the Bicycle Collective on West Temple, a shop that offers transportation and education to low-income families and at-risk youth. The students repaired bikes that will go out to local charities.

"It's a good way to get them out in the community," Tomlin said. She said the ride to the shop also showed freshmen they could bike in the city instead of driving.

Read More...

 

Earlier this summer...

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Shop Manager Gary Hurst coordinates our near and dear friends to search for spare parts and cash donations so we could build and surprise our very deserving Executive Director Jonathan Morrison with this road bike pictured above. Sweet carbon fiber Motobecane complete with bacon wrap handlebars!

 

Jonathan: I had just finished a long ride with friends on a borrowed road bike the weekend prior.  They dropped me, but I still had a great time.  So I came into the shop on Monday thinking about actually owning a road bike for the first time in a long time.  When I expressed that to Gary he just nodded and walked away.   Minutes later he emerged with one of the greatest surprises I have ever had.  I still get teary eyed recalling it.  I love the bike, don't get me wrong, but what brings those tears is that a group of people I care for dearly MADE it for ME.  Just incredible.  Just incredible.  I still don't feel like I deserve such an honor.  So I want to thank all those involved who contributed parts, cash, and were able to keep it a real secret.   Especially Gary for coordinating it.

I can only hope the people we are giving bikes to feel that same euphoria, because if they do, they will never forget it.

 

 

Dear Bicycle Collective

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If you ever wonder why the Collective exists, why so many people volunteer their time, money and bikes... this should clear up any confusion. 

These were hand written letters from bike recipients of our Bikes for Goodwill Organizations program, but as a courtesy we removed the names.

Dear Bicycle Collective,

I wish you could have been there when I dropped the van load of seven bikes to this eager family in Kearns, because much more deserve the icing-on-the-cake satisfaction of seeing pure joy and gratitutde in children.

3-year-old _____ saw her wildest dreams incarnate when I lowered the tiny pink bike with white wheels and _____ (6) plus _____ (5) rode around with the glee of Christmas morning exlaiming "I really like my bike!" over and over again.

The older three kids kept it cool but couldn't completely supress their smiles.

These are their thank-you letters.  Self conscious of their spelling, the older kids trusted in oldest sister, _____, to be their scribe.

And from the Road Home a sincere thank-you for this service - it truly makes the liver of our homeless clients better...and more fun!

Gracias,

Jared Clark

The Road Home

Read more...
 

Shop Closed for University of Utah Continuing Education

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The shop will be closed on the following Wednesday nights:

April 28th, May 5th, May 19th, May 26th, June 2nd

We recognize this conflicts with Ladies Night on the first Wednesday of the Month.  So Ladies Night will be moved to May 12th & June 9th.

Q: Why are we closing?

A: The University of Utah Continuing Education / Lifelong Learning Program will be using our facitlity to teach Bicycle Repair Workshop I ( LLREC 663 )

 

2010 Holiday Schedule (We will be closed)

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We will be closed the following days...
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Ladies Only Do-It-Yourselfer Night

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We offer a Ladies Only Do-It-Yourselfer Night on first wednesday of the month.  No boys allowed.  The goal is to create a testosterone free environment where women can learn how to work on their bicycles, and even show other women how to do the same.
 

Calling All Mechanics!

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Do you have an understanding of basic bicycle mechanics? Do you love to teach others your invaluable skills? If so, then we need your help! We are looking for new mechanics to help us out during our Community Bike Shop hours. We are unbelieveably busy down here, and with your help we could continue on our mission to help as many of our community members as possible. Please contact Cal


 

Our new office

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Our new digs! What a big relief it is to have a comfortable place to set our things down. Thanks to those of you who helped build our little paradise.
 

It's Electric!

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Thank you Denis and Rick for volunteering your expertise and time to install electricity in our storage unit! As you can see, we've hooked up our 3-phase 10hp compressor (capable of sand blasting), we also now have lights, wall outlets and a 220 outlet for future welding plans.

We'll soon have air lines running to the front of the shop.

 

[Free] Bikes for Goodwill Organizations

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As part of our mission statement, "...The Bicycle Collective provides refurbished bicycles and offers educational programs to the community, focusing on children and lower income households."

We take that very seriously and strive to make sure we reach those demographics.  We ensure this by establishing partnerships with various local non-profit organizations that can help us pre-qualify those individuals.  The bikes that have been donated by the public and refurbished by our volunteers are then given to those individuals sponsored by partnerships.

If you represent an organization that could benefit from our program, please feel free to contact us.

Read more...
 

Used Bicycles & Parts For Sale

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In life you either have money or time and we accept both.  So you can buy a used bike or volunteer your time to earn the bike at our Community Bike Shop.

First and foremost, bicycles and parts that are donated to our Community Bike Shop are repaired by volunteers and then given away through our Bikes for Goodwill Organizations program.  We then sell or let people volunteer in trade for the excess bikes and parts to keep the "lights on."

 

Read More for some commonly asked questions...

Read more...
 

Free Helmet Distribution

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DUE TO FUNDING THIS PROGRAM IS ON HOLD

If you are in need of an inexpensive helmet you can contact Robert J. Debry.

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Bicycle Parts for Art

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Our Community Bike Shop provides the materials and tools to make jewelry, furniture, crazy custom bikes, wind chimes, anything you can help us create, all out of bike parts. An example of bike part recycling is Resource Revival.

 

 

Chop Shop Success

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One of our volunteers, Cory "Zed" Bailey of saltcycle.com, planned a successful four hour Chop Shop this past Sunday.  The goal of this Chop Shop was to teach welding and reuse bikes that would otherwise end up at the land fill or the metal recyclers.  These castaways are re-invented into ride-able creations.

 

Great job Zed!

 

Our Mission

The mission of the Bicycle Collective is to promote cycling as an effective and sustainable form of transportation and as a cornerstone of a cleaner, healthier, and safer society. The Collective provides refurbished bicycles and educational programs to the community, focusing on children and lower income households.

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