Guy On A Bike: Give The Gift Of Cycling

Have you got a bicycle in relatively good condition that you no longer ride? Or has your little one outgrown their smaller wheels and graduated to something bigger? If so, you can donate that old bicycle this weekend to the Free Bikes 4 Kidz (FB4K) program, which will tune it up and help get it into the hands of a child in need.

A non-profit organization, FB4K aims to collect thousands of new and gently used bicycles from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 47 Allina clinics and hospitals locations. This is the only day FB4K collects bikes for this season. It is looking for bikes in relatively good condition, so you can leave your rusted out ride with one wheel at home.

In 2008, when the program began, FB4K gave away 250 bikes to deserving children. Just 5 years later, in 2013, it was able to find new homes for more than 5,000 bicycles and trikes. With your help, perhaps they can do even better this year!

If you don't have a bicycle to donate, you can still help. It costs about $25 per bike to get them in tip-top shape, so the 501c3 non-profit is always looking for monetary donations, which (along with bicycle donations) are tax deductible. And, if you don't have any cash to spare, you can still give your time. Whether you're a bike mechanic or not, your time is valuable and appreciated by the organization and they can find a way for you to help get the bikes ready. Maybe that means wiping down the bicycles, or pumping up tires. It's a massive effort to get 5,000+ bikes road ready, and every little bit helps. Volunteering opportunities run through early December.

Once the bicycles are ready to go, they are distributed to individuals via a network of organizations around the area. These include schools, non-profits, community organizations and churches. If you know a child in need of a bike it is best to find one of these organizations, as FB4K simply cannot distribute bikes to individuals.

There is nothing better than the feeling of getting on a new bicycle. So, instead of letting those unused wheels get scrapped or collect dust in the back of the garage, head to a collection point this Saturday and give the gift of cycling.

– Guy Still is an assignment editor for WCCO and a passionate advocate of biking.