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Welcome to R Community Bikes!
Spokes and Folks
Check out the newest edition of our newsletter, edited by Carl Christensen: Issue #4
Spring is Here...
... and we are starting to give away a large number of bikes. Our volunteer "wrenches" worked hard through the winter months refurbishing bikes in preparation for the start of give-away season. Our stockpile of good, used bikes, while substantial, will not last very long. We will need a steady supply of new donations to get us through the summer.
Please check the Calendar for a list of upcoming Bike Drives around the area. Also, check out the Earth Day Special from The Bike Zone - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ->
So... If you trip over that trusty old set of wheels in the garage that you haven't ridden in years on your way to the lawnmower, throw it in the car and and take it to one of the bike drives, bring it down to 226 Hudson Ave., or give us a call at 585-234-2008, and we will take it off of your hands for you. Operators are standing by.
Another Banner Year!
Stats for all of 2011
Bikes given away - 2662
Bike repairs - 2710
Volunteer hours - 14,693Bike giveaways were up 9.4% in 2011 (compared to a whopping 78% for 2010), indicating perhaps that we are approaching the limits of our current operation and/or of local demand. Repairs were up an impressive 53% over last year, which saw a huge increase over the previous year. We anticipate that repairs will continue to be a significant part of our shop operation. The number of repairs was comparable to bikes given away. At the same time, volunteer hours were essentially flat, suggesting an increase in productivity. To put the number of hours into perspective, we are the equivalent of a small business with 7 full-time workers. It will be ineresting to see how these numbers change during 2012.
Who We Are
R Community Bikes is a grassroots, 501(c)3 organization that collects and repairs used bicycles for distribution, free of charge, to Rochester, NY's most needy children and adults. Our mission is meeting the basic transportation needs of those in the community who depend on bikes for recreation as well as for transport to work, school, rehabilitation programs, and training sessions. For this segment of the population, both quality of life and the ability to participate in our community are greatly enhanced when our mission is achieved. R Community Bikes also provides a venue for the Rochester bicycling community to conduct educational programs relative to bicycle safety and maintenance. Click here to read our 2011 Annual Report.
We are open to the public Monday through Saturday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at our warehouse at 226 Hudson Ave. (at the intersection with Woodbury Street). Bike give-aways take place only on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the warehouse beginning at 9:30 AM. In addition, on Wednesdays in the summer we conduct bike repairs at St. Joseph's House of Hospitality at 402 South Avenue. Our telephone number is 585-234-2008.
We welcome donations of bikes, bike parts, tools and money to cover expenses such as spare parts. We are always in need of volunteers to serve as mechanics and a variety of other positions. We provide the necessary training.
Community Togetherness Makes a Real Difference
Conversations that matter: Chip Dawson befriended can and bottle recycler John H. and learned about the problems created when John's bicycle was stolen. Chip's letter to the editor triggered a sequence of events that resulted in John receiving reliable transportation. Read story...
How We Began
Fix a Flat and Then Some. What started out as one man's offer to fix a flat tire in the parking lot of a homeless shelter has developed into an incorporated, not for profit, 501(c)3 volunteer army that provides more than six hundred bicycles to Rochester NY's neediest citizens every year. Who would have thought!!
Bill D'Anza was serving lunch at St Joseph's House of Hospitality in the city when he was asked if he could do some minor bike repair for a guest. Bill willingly responded and soon drew a crowd in St. Joe's parking lot. Bill promised to return the next week, and out of that offer and the assistance of many new volunteers over the years, has come what is now R Community Bikes. Read full story...
Photo by Mike Crupi, courtesy of The Courier-Journal
