Directory of Free Earn-a-Bike Programs for Kids. Find One Near You

There’s a new kind of classroom popping up in bike shops and cycling co-ops across the US. They’re full of grease-spotted junior bike mechanics learning the mysteries of the bottom bracket, the intricacies of derailleurs, and the satisfaction of building the bike they’ll ride.

These programs, like Recycle a Bicycle in NYC and Bike Works in Seattle, teach more than 11,000 kids the art of bike maintenance every year. And many include earn-a-bike programs, where kids accrue shop hours to exchange for a refurbished bike—often overhauled by their own wrench and steered by adult volunteers and older students.

“We just started our earn-a-bike program to get kids off the street and give them something to do,” says Cristian Sandoval, director of the San Antonio-based Earn a Bike Co-op. “Now we’ve partnered with schools to empower kids to get into cycling and learn repair. Last year 600 kids participated, and 300 took home their own bikes.”

Many in-person programs like Sandoval’s have been put on pause since the pandemic began, or moved to virtual learning. But they all still need donations to continue producing the next generation of cyclists. Below, you can find your nearest program to donate an old bike, money, or time.

Trevor Raab

NATIONWIDE

Trips for Kids Earn a Bike

ALABAMA

Birmingham
Trips for Kids Birmingham

ALASKA

No current programs

ARIZONA

Gilbert
Trips for Kids Phoenix

Tempe
Bike Saviours Work Trade Program

Tucson
Bicas (Bicycle Inter-Community Art and Salvage)

ARKANSAS

Little Rock
Recycle Bikes for Kids (16+ program)

CALIFORNIA

Buelton
Trips for Kids Buellton

Marin
Trips for Kids San Rafael

Oakland
The Crucible’s Earn a Bike

Cycles of Change

Palmdale
Trips for Kids High Desert Riders

Sacramento
Trips for Kids Sacramento

Santa Barbara
Pedal Power

Visalia
Trips for Kids Tulare County

COLORADO

Denver
Lucky Bikes Earn a Bike

CONNECTICUT

Hartford
BiCi Co

Danbury
Danbury Youth Services

DELAWARE

Wilmington
Urban Bike Project

FLORIDA

Fort Lauderdale
FLIPANY

GEORGIA

Atlanta
Bearings Bike Shop

Johns Creek
Trips for Kids Fulton County
[email protected]

Macon
Trips for Kids Middle Georgia
[email protected]

HAWAII

Puna
Trips for Kids Hawaii

IDAHO

Boise
Boise Bicycle Project

ILLINOIS

Chicago
Blackstone Bicycle Works

The Recyclery

West Town Bikes

Palatine
Trips for Kids Chicago Voyagers

INDIANA

Indianapolis
Freewheelin’ Community Bikes

Kids Building Bikes

Terre Haute
Trips for Kids Griffin Bike Park

IOWA

Des Moines
Des Moines Street Collective

KANSAS

Wichita
Bike Walk Wichita

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KENTUCKY

No current programs

LOUISIANA

New Orleans
Rubarb Community Bike Shop

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MAINE

Sanford
Nasson Youth Community Bike Center

Springvale
Trips for Kids Nasson

Westport Island
Trips for Kids Midcoast Maine

MARYLAND

Maryland
Baltimore Youth Collective Energy Collective (BYKE)

MASSACHUSETTS

Fall River
Trips for Kids Fall River

Jamaica Plain
Bikes Not Bombs Earn a Bike

Worcester
Worcester Earn-A-Bike

MICHIGAN

Detroit
Back Alley Bikes

Benton Harbor
Cycle Recycle

Kalamazoo
Open Roads Kalamazoo

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MINNESOTA

Minneapolis
Full Cycle Bike Shop

Minneapolis
Trips for Kids City of Lakes

MISSISSIPPI

No current programs

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MISSOURI

Kansas City
BikeWalkKC

St. Louis
St. Louis B-Works

MONTANA

Bozeman
Bozeman Bike Kitchen

Missoula
Free Cycles Youth Cycles

Wolf Point
Trips for Kids Spirit of Life

NEBRASKA

Lincoln
Lincoln Bike Kitchen

Omaha
Omaha Bike Kitchen

NEVADA

Henderson
Trips for Kids Southern Nevada

Reno
Kiwanis Bike Program

Reno Bike Project

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Manchester
Queen City Bike Collective

NEW JERSEY

Asbury Park
Second Life Bikes

NEW MEXICO

Arroyo Seco
Trips for Kids Taos