By Nate Van Noord (RO Staff)
Back in Detroit, where I moved from in the summer of 2021, there is an organization, Back Alley Bikes, that gives kids the opportunity to work on bikes and eventually earn a bike. They empower kids to get on the road for fun and for transportation. They have been very influential in changing the transportation culture of Detroit beyond being just the “Motor City”.
When I moved there in 2006, there was one bike shop in the whole city. When I left, there were seven. That same year, I rode in a Critical Mass bike ride event…and there were seven of us total. Now, Critical Mass ride events in Detroit regularly have over 10,000 riders.
After moving to Colorado Springs, I immediately was struck by our access to the trails around town and was hyped to see all the folks out there riding for recreation. I was disappointed though, to see so few peeps riding the roads for transportation.
Where were the bikes carrying commuters each day on our city streets? Where were the kids cruising across town to their friends’ houses? Where was the population that carried a mindset and torch…to promote alternate forms of transportation as a great and positive community dimension?
Fast forward about a year later, a community influencer named Mark Schenberger stopped by our south COS Routes location one day to visit with me, and I was encouraged to hear that he and all the good people over at Kids on Bikes are trying to change that.
Mark rode his Surly over to Routes from the Kids on Bikes office a few miles away. He recently rode this same bike solo from Denmark to Turkey for four months.
Mark first shared a little bit about his story.
He attended The Ohio State University (Go Wolverines!) and studied abroad in Copenhagen - the mecca of bicycle commuting (where you see businessmen riding to work in suits and moms dropping their kids off for school on cargo bikes). His time in Europe inspired him to contribute to the growing movement of alternative forms of transportation back in the States. After graduating, he took an Americorps position at Kids on Bikes.
Mark explained that Kids on Bikes started in 2005 and originally gave bikes away to kids who reached academic goals. They soon realized they wanted to do more….
Through the years, they have provided opportunities for hundreds of kids to learn the fundamentals of operating a bike, everything from which side of the road to ride on to fixing a flat, and eventually giving them the chance of earning their own bike. Once they do, they help the kids pick a safe route in their neighborhood to ride and they ride it with them.
They also set up bicycle libraries in different neighborhoods around town. Kids and adults in the community can access the tools inside these shipping containers for free.
In addition to all of that…they organize rides to school! How cool is that! A couple weeks ago, they had three different rides of 30-40 kids and their parents pedaling to three different elementary schools. They were even led by a 3-time Paralympian, Tyler Carter.
In 2016, Kids on Bikes launched a very cool new part of their organization - the Pedal Station. They have been operating the Pedal Station as an integral part of their strategies for long term sustainability since then. The Station operates as a bicycling community center and sells used bicycles to fit any budget through its retail store. They also offer a wide assortment of new and used parts and accessories. They accept bikes for donations and folks can volunteer as well!
Organizing family bicycle rides called “PopCycle Rides” is yet another very cool angle of what they do. These rides are on Sundays from 1-3 at America the Beautiful Park throughout the summer. They are a great way to celebrate bicycling cross-generationally, and give families really fun and easy activities to engage in together.
This summer, they will host their annual “Great Bicycle Carnival” and their weekly camps with hundreds of kids attending throughout the warm months.
One last notable activity to mention for this great organization - Kids on Bikes is in the midst of building the Cresta Pump Track at Cresta Open Space. They are hoping to complete it by summer of 2022. It will be a learning opportunity space to build skills for riding the Cheyenne Canyon trails nearby.
This organization does so much!! And they do it with lots of support from the communities around them.
The mission of Kids on Bikes is to empower kids to live healthy, active, and happy lives. They are doing just that…as they bring joy and freedom to kids and families in our community one bike, one ride, and one mile at a time.
If you would like to support all the great work Kids on Bikes is doing, check out a few of their website pages for volunteer and giving opportunities below.
Learn more about Kids on Bikes!
Volunteer with KOB and the Pedal Station!
