A 501c3 nonprofit bike shop, community hub and catalyst for change; Denver-based Bikes Together is foraging their own path and enjoying the ride on their mission for equitable bike access and education.
Bikes Together started in the mid-1990s, when a group of Denver residents came together with a desire to use bicycles to create alternatives to youth gang involvement and substance misuse, while having a whole lot of fun. This group, called The Park Hill Bike Club, promoted a culture of friendship, mutual respect and diversity among Park Hill youth and offered recreational, educational and employment opportunities for participants. In 2005, LiveWell Colorado’s Park Hill Thriving Communities supported taking the bike club idea one step further. With their helping hand, an official 501c3 nonprofit was formed: The Park Hill Bike Depot.
In 2016, The Park Hill Bike Depot partnered with the Denver Housing Authority to open a second location in the La Alma/Lincoln Park Neighborhood and changed their name to Bikes Together. In present day, Bikes Together goes above and beyond your typical bike shop; rather than leaving the nitty gritty work to the mechanic alone, they use every interaction as an opportunity for education; taking extra time to explain what is wrong with the bike, helping people make informed decisions about what they should be fixing, and teaching people the skills to potentially repair their bike themselves. “Some of my favorite experiences come from seeing people who have visited the shop a few times; seeing their confidence and sense of curiosity about their bike grow with each visit,” says Abby Bohannan, Executive Director.
As a full service bike shop, they offer classes, bicycles, parts, recycling, and the most important of all: community.
“Bikes Together strives to meet people with compassion, dignity, and enthusiasm: helping people with a variety of bike-related needs,” says Abby. “We are empowering a new generation of Denverites to ride their bikes and fix something broken rather than buying something new.”
In addition to empowering bike owners and encouraging involvement, Bikes Together also prides themselves on safeguarding their environment and natural resources by minimizing industry waste. They accept bicycle (and bike parts, and bike apparel) donations in all conditions, which are refurbished and repaired when possible. If the bike is beyond repair, they’ll reuse working bike parts and responsibly recycle what is no longer usable. “In 2023, we diverted 21,000 lbs of unusable scrap metal recycled from the landfill and repurposed approximately three times as much (using salvaged parts to repair and refurbish our customer’s bikes), diverting a total of 57,725lbs of bikes and bike parts from going in the trash,” shares Abby.
Last but not least, Bikes Together has increased diverse representation in the cycle industry and bike mechanic profession through their unrelenting pursuit of inclusivity in the space. They host programming by and for low-income individuals and other marginalized communities. They maintain and grow this diversity through various programs and through acknowledging and celebrating various identities in their events and space. “With an increase in bike infrastructure and the amount of people from all walks of life who are comfortable and confident with riding bikes, the more robust the cycling community will be, city-wide,” says Abby.
As we move into the summer here in Colorado, bike season is upon us! Bikes Together has several fun things in the works: they are hosting a free summertime Mobile Repair Clinic series at the Denver Public Library, have ongoing 40-minute Learn & Repair appointments where you can fix your bike yourself (every Thursday and Saturday), 4-Part Mechanics Series Classes on a monthly basis, refurbished and cost-flexible bikes for sale, and more. The best way to stay in the loop about what they do is to subscribe to their newsletter on their website, follow them on Instagram or Facebook, or swing by the shop to see what they’re working on.
Through the work that they do, the folks at Bikes Together know that they’re in for the long haul to get closer and closer towards their mission. By prioritizing integrity and unwavering commitment, they're choosing the path less traveled, guaranteeing a remarkable view along the way.
To learn more about Bikes Together, visit https://www.bikestogether.org/
To donate, visit https://www.coloradogives.org/organization/bikestogether
For any other inquiries or for more information about becoming a program sponsor, email abby@bikestogether.org