Purchasing a new or used bicycle can be a financially demanding experience in Toronto, but a cycling initiative just north of the downtown core is making the activity more accessible for residents who can’t afford the two-wheelers.
Volunteers with “Bicycle Reuse, Repair, Ride” are in the midst of collecting donated bicycles from locals who live in The Junction, Mount Dennis and other surrounding west-end neighbourhoods. The bikes are sent to the organization’s partner mechanic for any necessary repairs before they’re donated to community members in need.
Throughout the year, locals in the area can sign up for a bike through the organization on a first come, first served basis. Gearing up for their third year, Bicycle Reuse gathers up bikes during the fall and winter months through social media callouts.
Once the weather warms up, the group helps oversee four community events across York South—Weston where upwards of 50 locals will receive a used set of wheels for free. More than 150 people will benefit from the initiative by the end of this summer, according to project lead Laura Power.
“It’s such an important way for people to get around,” she said. “There’s definitely a gap in accessing bikes — especially in our area.”
Combatting an expensive market
Heather Leich, a single mother raising two kids in Mount Dennis, told TorontoToday her family has benefitted enormously from the Bicycle Reuse program.
Her sons, aged four and nine, received their first-ever bikes through the initiative two summers ago. One of them eventually outgrew their bicycle, so Leich donated the old one back to the program before her son received another set of wheels from the volunteer team.
“Without this group, I wouldn’t have been able to get them bikes,” she said. “Parents can’t afford it. A little kids' bike is even hundreds of some odd dollars, and they grow out of it really fast — then you’re onto another one. The whole process can be so expensive.”
At Canadian Tire, most of the new youth bikes online retail between $120 and $260, while adult-sized varieties (excluding electric, mountain and fat bikes) are selling within the $400 to $600 range.
Shoppers hoping to save a few bucks will find dozens of used bikes on Facebook Marketplace in Toronto. Depending on their condition, some are going for as low as $20 while others eclipse the $200 mark.
“We’re really trying to fill that gap for not only how expensive a used bike can be, but also the maintenance of a bike,” Power said.
To ensure the bikes are in good condition before getting distributed, Bicycle Reuse partners with Bicycle Assembly and Maintenance (BAM) — a non-profit bike shop that operates through Toronto’s Learning Enrichment Foundation.
For a small fee, BAM program manager and mechanic Darren Duke will fix and tune up all the donated bikes that come through the program. Bicycle Reuse team members cover the repair costs through the city’s Neighbourhood Climate Action grant, which they apply for every year.
“It’s like a win-win,” Power explained. “He needs bikes to run the mechanic program, so he loves that we collect them for him. We’ve diverted so many bikes from the landfill — it’s amazing.”
Because the BAM program doesn’t supply parts for youth bikes, they cannot be fixed up through the initiative. While more adults tend to sign up for a set of wheels, donating small bikes is still encouraged — but they need to be in good condition, the organization said.
“Our volunteer Ben San Juan will take a look at the kids’ bikes and make sure it’s safe to ride,” Power said. “As long as the bikes and the frames aren’t completely rusted out, we’ll take them. If they’ve been out for a full winter, they’re no good.”
Riding high on generosity
Between early October and the first week of February, Power said Bicycle Reuse had already received 40 donated bikes from the community — just 10 units shy of their annual goal with months to spare.
Quick responses to their social media callouts and the urgency from neighbours to offer support continues to amaze the team, she said.
“Every year, I’m shocked by the generosity. Many people have bikes they’re not using, and they’re happy to donate them instead of throwing them away. We’ve had a few people contribute more than once every year,” Power noted.
Among her favourite aspects of the program is sharing photos from the spring and summertime events on Facebook, so people who offered a bike can see who their donation was paired with.
Bicycle Reuse volunteer Kaltuma Haji told TorontoToday she’s particularly fond of seeing residents from all walks of life enjoying their new modes of transportation around the community.
“There’s one youth I saw today who bikes to school, and he has the same bike that he got three years ago,” she said. “It’s really cool to see the bikes are being put to use.”
“We also appreciate seeing newcomers learning how to ride and getting a bike. It might be the first bike they’ve ever owned, so it’s very fulfilling.”
For Leich, the organization’s kindness stretched beyond just her two boys as the family’s matriarch was surprised with a free bike of her own.
“I wasn’t expecting one for myself, I just asked for the kids, and they provided one for me as well,” Leich said. “I don’t have a car and I’ve had bikes stolen in the past, so this has really given us the opportunity to enjoy the summers. We’re out there as much as we can be.”
Free bikes only the beginning
Bicycle Reuse works with several partnering agencies to make cycling more accessible and educational in the city’s west end, which is accomplished in more ways than solely giving away free bikes.
Over the course of their four annual community events in York South—Weston, the organization works with CycleTO to offer families Learn to Ride sessions. First-time riders are provided with the tools to get comfortable on two wheels while learning a variety of skills, like proper helmet fits and basic rules of the road.
“We’re hoping to eventually pair people who attend those Learn to Ride sessions with a bike, because most of the people there are brand-new to cycling,” Power said. “They’d get a bike at the end of our initiative, and this way, it would be more open to the city.”
Leich’s oldest son participated in the Learn to Ride curriculum when he was issued his first bike, which she explained made a dramatic difference in his cycling abilities.
“He gained more confidence and can now ride on his own,” she said. “Learning from someone else can be really beneficial for the kids.”
Duke from the BAM program, along with staff from a local bike shop called Cheels Wheels, all enjoy attending the spring and summertime events, Power said. They team up to run a basic maintenance seminar and provide free tune-ups for attending cyclists.
Bicycle Reuse also partners with the 12 Division Neighbourhood Officers, along with the BIAs in Mount Dennis and Weston Village, who all assist in identifying residents in need of a bicycle. The 12 Division will also help pick up donated bikes.
“Everyone we work with is amazing,” Power said. “We’re so lucky to live in this community, we have lots of help.”
