Getting a Bike
The best place to get a bike is a local bike shop (commercial or non-profit) that will fit you correctly for a good quality bike as well as fix it should anything go wrong. Buying a bike online or from a store or private party that does not repair bikes may cost less upfront, but then you are responsible for making sure the bike fits correctly and is safe to ride — or you’ll need to spend money for a mechanic to fix and adjust it for you.
What about electric bikes (e-bikes)? Many bike shops also sell e-bikes. Please note that buying a good quality e-bike is very important because badly engineered e-bikes can cause serious fires. Some bike shops may refuse to repair some e-bikes because they are too dangerous for their staff to work on or store overnight in their shop.
When you get a bike it is also important to register it so that you have a chance to get it back if it is stolen (no guarantees though, make sure you take SVBC's bike security workshop). The two leading bicycle registries in the US are:
https://bikeindex.org/ and https://project529.com/garage
We love non-profit shops who often upcycle bikes and offer repair services:
Non-Profit Bike Shops
The following organizations may offer new & used bikes as well as maintenance classes. Some accept bicycle and bicycle part donations. Some offer programs to earn a bike through volunteering. Some sell bikes directly to end users and some provide bikes to organizations for distribution to clients. Check them out!
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Mission: Serving the community while inspiring people to learn the art of bicycle repair. BikeEx accepts donations, has periodic bike sales, and provides bikes to organizations.
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Community Cycles of California (CCofCA) is a non-profit social enterprise serving low income families, homeless individuals, veterans and other disadvantaged populations. Our bicycle shops and service centers create the revenue to support our programs for these communities. CCofCA refurbishes donated bicycles, saving them from landfill, and puts them back on the road. Our bicycles are safe, reliable, and quality certified; more than 60 inspections and safety checks are completed on each bicycle we refurbish.
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Good Karma Bikes sells refurbished and new bikes, repairs bikes, offers bike classes, and can provide bikes to organizations.
http://www.goodkarmabikes.org/ -
Non-profit bike shop focused on teaching high school students how to repair bikes while providing affordable used bikes and service. Live in Peace Bike Shop was built on the understanding that most young people thrive in project-based learning, even when they are not successful in traditional academic settings. Also accepts bike and bike part donations.
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San José Bike Clinic is a do-it-yourself community bicycle workshop located in downtown San Jose. We are entirely volunteer-run and non-profit, a fiscally sponsored program of Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition.
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TurningWheels for Kids is a program of the Valley Medical Center Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, that distributes bikes not only at the holiday but also year round through a number of partnerships focused on preventing childhood obesity and supporting low-income families.