BikeAthens Joy Ride

Joy Rides are casual, 6 to 8 mile rides that last about 90 minutes. They finish with an optional social gathering downtown or at our shop. Joy Rides happen on the last Friday of the month, starting at 6 p.m. at 1075 West Broad Street in Athens.

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True Beginner Adult Bike Workshop

Now is the time to check bicycling off your bucket list! As an adult, it’s hard to find the time, space and instruction needed to learn the basics of cycling. Bike Athens is collaborating with us to make it safe and friendly for grown folks to get on a bike and learn to ride.

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BikeAthens Joy Ride

Joy Rides are casual, 6 to 8 mile rides that last about 90 minutes. The rides start finish with an optional social gathering downtown or at the BikeAthens shop. We ride on the last Friday of the month, starting at 6 p.m. from BikeAthens. More information.

Fix Your Own Bike Night at BikeAthens

Fix Your Own Bike is held every Thursday from 6-8:30 p.m. $10/hr suggested donation. Every Thursday night we help people fix their bikes. Just roll your bike in and tell us what is going on. If you aren’t sure what is wrong, we can check it out together. A $10/hr suggested donation is suggested.

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BikeAthens Bike School

Mark your calendars: June 16 BikeAthens will be presenting our monthly class How to Bike, Athens via Zoom. They will cover the basics of making sure your bike is in good condition, go over the laws regarding bike riding, give tips on how to ride safely, how to keep your bike from being stolen, and answer any other bike riding questions you may have. Email shop@bikeathens.org for the link. FREE!

Bike Law 101

Join Bruce Hagen from Bike Law GA for an informal 101 discussion about bicycle laws in GA, what do to if you are in a bike crash, insurance, bike cameras, defensive cycling and useful tips for daily commuters and weekend warriors. More information.

 

Advocacy organizations around Georgia working to make the season brighter for children through holiday bike programs

Making the best of a difficult situation

As the pandemic bike boom continues, bicycles remain a hot commodity and that applies to children’s bikes as well. That hasn’t stopped bicycle advocacy organizations from continuing annual programs aimed a making sure children in their communities are able to experience the joy of receiving a bicycle. It’s definitely been more difficult this year, though, according to BikeAthens Executive Director Scott Long.

“Each year the BikeAthens Holiday Bikes for Kids (HB4K) program donates refurbished kid bikes to our service partner organizations. The major recipients in years past have been Project Safe, Children First and the Athens Land Trust,” he said. “This year, due to COVID-19, we will be doing a smaller batch since we still don’t have our regular volunteer sessions in our shop. In addition to the lack of volunteers, the supply chain for bike parts is still straining due to massive demand for bikes during the pandemic. It’s been hard to get basic stuff like tubes and chains.”

Bikes refurbished by BikeAthens volunteers await distribution to their new owners.

 
Still, Long said he and his volunteers are, “giving it our best shot.” He said they’ve also modified the way they work to keep their volunteers safe.

“Our normal sessions after Thanksgiving would usually have nearly a dozen of our regular volunteers cranking out bikes for us to donate. This year that has been replaced with volunteers picking up bikes to work on at home and bringing back the ones that are ready to go,” he said. “Each bike that we donate will also come with a brand new helmet and a pocket guide on how to ride safe.”

Caila Brown, executive director of Bike Walk Savannah, said the organization’s Holiday Bike Drive is continuing this year, but has a new sense of urgency and new challenges.

“This is the seventh year we will be working with Blessings in a Book Bag, an organization that provides food, uniforms, supplies and mentoring to kids in our Title I schools. Our volunteer driven program collects bikes from around the community, fixes them up, and works with BiBB to identify kids of all ages who have put in hard work — especially during a tumultuous year of virtual learning — and may not receive many presents otherwise.”

Completed bikes outside Bike Walk Savannah’s New Standard Cycles workshop.

Brown said economic pressures faced by struggling families are even worse this year, and she hopes that will motivate people to dust off bikes that have been outgrown so they can be enjoyed by children who wouldn’t be likely to receive a bike of their own.

“We all remember the first bike that was all ours, and the feeling of freedom and power that came with it. But for some kids in our community, they won’t see a bike shaped wrapper under the tree — and may not see any presents this year. Many families in our community have already faced employment, housing and food crises due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and are going to feel the impacts tenfold this holiday season.”

Brown’s organization has also taken steps to protect the health of her volunteers, by reducing the number who are participating in the program this year. They also move their workstations into the parking lot and limit their time inside the building.

“These volunteers work outside, increasing the amount of space available to distance,” she said.

In Middle Georgia, Charise Stephens of U Create Macon said her organization is holding an end of the year bike drive to supply bikes, “not only for the bike teams (Middle Georgia Composite, Major Taylor Middle Georgia, Trips for Kids Middle GA, and We Bike GA) but to give out to underprivileged youths, including some of the kids on the team so they can have their own bike.” 

One recipient of a U Create Macon bicycle went on to be one of the fastest members of the mountain bike team.

 
Stephens said U Create is receiving bikes through a contactless, curbside drop-off system designed to keep volunteers and donors safe. She has a list of children she’s trying to find bikes for before Christmas and has been pleased with the generosity of donors, who she follows up with to report on how the bikes are changing children’s lives. And she’s detected another factor at work.

“A lot of people are at home and have more time on their hands because of the pandemic, so they are looking around and see these bikes collecting dust in their garages.” she said. “They want to do something positive with them.”

Donating to U Create is a perfect match in these cases, Stephens said.

“That is what we are trying to achieve here in Middle Georgia,” she said. “To get more kids on bikes!”

Elsewhere Around the State

Bike Alpharetta is in the midst of its 14th Annual Bikes for Kids. At its Annual Domestique Day on Dec. 5, volunteers will be busy, “cleaning and repairing 250+ previously-loved bicycles, tricycles and scooters” to get them “Santa Ready” for North Fulton Community Charities. Last year Bike Alpharetta distributed 274 bikes and trikes, while recycling more than 1,632 pounds of steel and rubber.

Atlanta’s Free Bikes 4 Kidz is also seeking volunteers to help on Dec. 5 to prepare bikes for its giveaway event. Experienced mechanics are especially needed. Last year 600 Atlanta children received free bicycle and helmets.