My Experience with Recycle-A-Bicycle and REI

I absolutely love it when companies partner with non-profits to help make the community better!  This is the case with Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) and Recycle-A-Bicycle, a New York based non-profit.

Over the weekend I brought three child-sized bikes to REI’s charity bike collection event.  Though I had no bikes of my own to donate, I asked a friend who had a few sitting around that her children had outgrown which she happily donated.  These bikes weren’t in the best of condition from being stored outside under a pine tree for a few years.  That’s OK!  Recycle-A-Bicycle accepts bikes of any condition, as they take the bikes that are in good enough condition and refurbish them.  However, those bikes that are not able to be reused do get “demanufactured” and recycled for scrap metal.

Despite the rainy weather, when I pulled up to REI I was greeted by an employee who saw the child’s bike strapped to our roof rack.  I was so glad to see a box truck filled to the brim with donated bicycles.  Many of them were adult bikes, so I was glad to have helped donate some child-sized bikes.

Upon my donation I was surprised to receive a coupon for 20% off any bike service at REI.  REI I so good at rewarding those who shop or donate in association with their stores.  They also reward you with a 20% off coupon when you attend one of their free in-store classes or paid adventure classes.  This bike service coupon certainly has encouraged me to bring a newly acquired free vintage bike to get checked out before it hopefully becomes my daily driver.  Do good and you will be rewarded well!

I’m glad the bike donation can help someone else in need, whether they receive the bike in its entirety or that becomes parts for another bike.  Someone is benefiting when it’s likely the owner of the bikes may have thought they were trash based on their rough condition.

A few facts about Recycle-A-Bicycle:

• Two storefronts in NYC; Manhattan & Queens
• One education center in Queens
• 17 school-based programs
• Certified 501(c)(3) non-profit
• 1,200 bikes are donated annually
• They will pickup bike donations of 10 or more, free!
• They train more than 100 teens each year via internships and workshops

If you have a bike you no longer need, seek out Recycle-A-Bicycle first before considering it trash.  One person’s trash is another person’s treasure!