Free Bikes and Trikes for Students
Table of Content
Introduction
In some countries access to bikes is not easily available, due to low income and limited resources. In rural areas especially, many students must walk an hour or more along very dangerous routes, often making them late for school, or discouraging attendance all together.
Students who have to worry each day about encountering criminals including robbery and kidnappings, feel much safer when they are given bikes. Girls especially feel safer when they can travel to school by bike, and have more energy left for learning, which statistics has shown helps keep them in school. In turn higher education can reduce problems like child marriage, meaning young women have a chance of a much brighter future for them and their entire families.
Bikes for Students Programs
This directory lists programs that help students gain access to their own bikes.
Most are free, but a few offer deeply discounted, refurbished bikes, and others require recipients "work" by engaging in the refurbishment process themselves.
Work-to-Own Programs
The work-to-own projects are intended to both teach the recipient about how bikes work, basics of bike care, as well as instilling a sense of pride and ownership.
International
Wheels 4 Life "is a non-profit charity (501c(3)), that provides bicycles to people in great need of transportation throughout the developing world. We work with volunteers in the field, local organizations and non profits, schools, community leaders and health care clinics they help us identify those people in genuine need of a bike. These people are those that live in both primative and remote areas, with no access to, nor the means of affording public transportation. The closest school, doctor, or work place might be as far as 10 to 20 miles away.The gift of mobility can make all the difference to a person’s life and help them to break out of the vicious cycle of poverty."
Working Bikes "gives donated bicycles new life by redistributing them as tools of empowerment in local and global communities. Since its inception in 1999, the amazing community of Working Bikes volunteers, staff, partners, and supporters have enabled new life for 100,000 bicycles across the globe and tens of thousands here in Chicago. Over one hundred thousand people have been empowered to access resources and opportunities that otherwise could have been out of reach - reducing waste, lessening pollution, and improving health in the process. Working Bikes is located in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood, and is a 501(c)(3) organization."
Africa
Bicycles4Humanity helps students and health care workers get bikes that will change their lives for the better, in turn helping their rural communities.
Wheels to Africa collects bikes from 3 US states, to send to people in Africa. "Providing a child in Africa with a bike significantly impacts their commute time. The typical commute for a student in Ghana, for example, is 1 to 2 hours by foot. Traveling on bike reduces their commute time to just 30 to 45 minutes."
Angola
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Eritrea
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Ivory Coast / Cote d'Ivor
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Ghana
The Bike To School Program focuses on helping kids get safely to and from school in an effort to help reduce the number of girls who end up dropping out of school.
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Kenya
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Madagascar
Velafrica: Bike to School Program "The average time taken to get to school in Switzerland is just 12 minutes. In rural regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, the situation is quite different as children often spend up to two hours walking to school and are exposed to numerous dangers. This is where our «Bike to School» program helps.
Children and young people from very poor backgrounds, who have long and dangerous journeys to school, can obtain a bike either at a reduced price. To date, over 4000 students in Madagascar, Tanzania and South Africa have benefited from the «Bike to School» program. We plan to add 2000 more children and young people by 2023."
Malawi
2 Wheels 2 School Project Helping secondary students get to school safely with bikes.
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Mozambique
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Nigeria
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Rwanda
Bikes for the World "In Rwanda an old bike transforms the lives of newborns and their moms. Bikes for the World's newest partner, Learn Work and Develop (LWD) uses donated bicycles to support the young people in Rwanda by providing economic, medical and psychosocial support to teens at risk of getting pregnant, are currently pregnant, or recently became new mothers. LWD employs local bike mechanics to fix up and sell our donated bikes to help support these initiatives."
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
South Africa
Ben Bikes: Bikes4All "three organisations are united by their efforts to promote bicycle use in South Africa, working together to increase their impact and reach. In the last year, 1475 utility bicycles have been distributed. Recipients include schools, clubs, charities, farm workers, and more."
Sweetbike "Having two wheels is the first step to a bright future for many children and young adults in South Africa" this NGO helps kids access bikes or vocational raining. Click here for their facebook page.
Velafrica: Bike to School Program "The average time taken to get to school in Switzerland is just 12 minutes. In rural regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, the situation is quite different as children often spend up to two hours walking to school and are exposed to numerous dangers. This is where our «Bike to School» program helps.
Children and young people from very poor backgrounds, who have long and dangerous journeys to school, can obtain a bike either at a reduced price. To date, over 4000 students in Madagascar, Tanzania and South Africa have benefited from the «Bike to School» program. We plan to add 2000 more children and young people by 2023."
Sudan
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Tanzania
Velafrica: Bike to School Program "The average time taken to get to school in Switzerland is just 12 minutes. In rural regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, the situation is quite different as children often spend up to two hours walking to school and are exposed to numerous dangers. This is where our «Bike to School» program helps.
Children and young people from very poor backgrounds, who have long and dangerous journeys to school, can obtain a bike either at a reduced price. To date, over 4000 students in Madagascar, Tanzania and South Africa have benefited from the «Bike to School» program. We plan to add 2000 more children and young people by 2023."World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Uganda
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Zambia
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Zimbabwe
CAMFED "CAMFED's holistic programs support girls to go to school, learn, thrive, and become leaders and change makers in their communities."
Story Bikes "was born from our fascination of electric bikes and love for philanthropy. Our mission is to enhance the way we commute while shaping the future for students in Zimbabwe."
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Asia
Indonesia
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Philippines
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Sri Lanka
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Thailand
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Vietnam
Europe
UK
Many bike charities for the UK don't specify donations to students, so scroll down to the other section to learn about alternatives. Some are aimed to help specific groups of people such as refugees, cancer patients or their relatives, or simply people in poverty.
Resurrection Bikes sells super cheap, refurbished bikes to keep them out of land fills. The money made from sales goes to fund various charity programs.
RideOnCycling: Free Bike Scheme "started in 2020 to mark the charity putting its 3000th bicycle back into use. Ride On has grown rapidly since forming in 2011 with one of our volunteers, Rob Slowley, playing an important role in our development. Rob tragically died in March, so our team of trustees, staff and volunteers decided to name this scheme after him to recognise and remember his contribution and friendship."
"If you work for a charity or educational institution you can propose someone for a free bicycle."
North America
Canada
MyFirsthWheels "Bikes are collected within Toronto and are delivered directly to kids living in vulnerable neighbourhoods in our city.
Each bike is checked in-person before they are accepted. We clean them up and pump the tires, then deliver them to our community partners and agencies who are able to take them. Our partners give the bike gifts to kids they are already working with. We work with agencies on a rotating basis."
USA
Some of the following organizations offer 100% free bikes, while others offer "free" bikes in return for the work done to refurbish the bike or bikes like the ones received at the end of the program.
Free Bikes 4 Kidz (FB4K) "was born as a one-time hobby in a two-car garage. A group of passionate cyclists collected, refurbished, and gave away 250 bikes over a two-week period. Since then that hobby has grown to become the largest organization of its kind in the country."
Colorado
Bicycle Longmont: The Kids Bike Giveaway "is one of Bicycle Longmont's highlight programs each year. Bikes are collected from residents all over Longmont. They are refurbished and distributed to kids and teens in need each December."
Kids on Bikes offers a variety of resources including Bicycle Libraries equipped with bikes and repair stations, but also an earn-a-bike program and bike nominations.
Connecticut
Northeast Community Cycles "is a nonprofit, community initiative dedicated to providing safe, refurbished bicycles, free of charge, to underprivileged children and adults in Fairfield County, CT.
Through improved mobility and self-empowerment, our bicycles change lives forever by increasing access to employment, education, health care and a healthier life style."
Florida
The Freewheel Project "a not-for-profit shop that sells refurbished donated bikes for $200 and under," in the Gainseville area.
Illinois
Working Bikes "gives donated bicycles new life by redistributing them as tools of empowerment in local and global communities. Since its inception in 1999, the amazing community of Working Bikes volunteers, staff, partners, and supporters have enabled new life for 100,000 bicycles across the globe and tens of thousands here in Chicago. Over one hundred thousand people have been empowered to access resources and opportunities that otherwise could have been out of reach - reducing waste, lessening pollution, and improving health in the process. Working Bikes is located in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood, and is a 501(c)(3) organization."
New Jersey
Second Life Bikes "Youths who work at Second Life Bikes put in 15 hours of time in exchange for a bicycle of their own, which they restore using the skills they’ve learned. In addition to gaining valuable practical skills, youths are exposed to the value of committing their time to a community organization.
Second Life Bikes aims to provide the surrounding communities with the opportunity to purchase a mechanically refurbished bicycle at a reasonable cost, to buy parts and accessories, and to have their own bicycles repaired."
Rhode Island
Recycle A Bike "Free Bikes for Kids: Stop by during open hours and pick out a free kids bike! Sizes 12″ to 20″ available.*
Refurbished Bike Sales: Explore and test our inventory of used bicycles,* refurbished by staff and volunteer mechanics."
Texas
Austin Yellow Bike Program (YBP) "holds free bike repair classes, hosts an open shop in which the public can get assistance in fixing up their own bikes, and sells used bikes to the public which they've refurbished. YBP also sometimes fixes up old bikes, paints them yellow, and leaves them around town where they are free to use, but not to keep."
CASA Speaks 4 Kids: Donated Bikes for Kids in Foster Care "accept[s] donations of bikes that are in like-new condition. If you have a bike or know of someone that may have a bike they would be interested in donating, please contact us and we will coordinate. We will accept all kinds of bikes but are especially seeking tricycles, balance bikes, and boys’ bikes with 16” wheels."
South America
Colombia
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Peru
World Bicycle Relief "Our bicycles give rural communities around the world access to education, healthcare, and jobs that once were out of reach."
Free/Cheap Bikes for Non-Student
International
Wheels 4 Life "is a non-profit charity (501c(3)), that provides bicycles to people in great need of transportation throughout the developing world. We work with volunteers in the field, local organizations and non profits, schools, community leaders and health care clinics they help us identify those people in genuine need of a bike. These people are those that live in both primative and remote areas, with no access to, nor the means of affording public transportation. The closest school, doctor, or work place might be as far as 10 to 20 miles away. The gift of mobility can make all the difference to a person’s life and help them to break out of the vicious cycle of poverty."
Working Bikes "gives donated bicycles new life by redistributing them as tools of empowerment in local and global communities. Since its inception in 1999, the amazing community of Working Bikes volunteers, staff, partners, and supporters have enabled new life for 100,000 bicycles across the globe and tens of thousands here in Chicago. Over one hundred thousand people have been empowered to access resources and opportunities that otherwise could have been out of reach - reducing waste, lessening pollution, and improving health in the process. Working Bikes is located in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood, and is a 501(c)(3) organization."
Africa
Bicycles4Humanity helps students and health care workers get bikes that will change their lives for the better, in turn helping their rural communities.
Wheels to Africa collects bikes from 3 US states, to send to people in Africa.
Namibia
Bicycling Empowerment Network Namibia "We have delivered thousands of bicycles, free of charge, to HIV/AIDS outreach volunteers, and have since developed a network of bicycle shops to enable volunteers to maintain their bicycles and generate resources for their local activities. Our bicycle ambulance project also grew out of our early work with these volunteers. We have also worked with groups providing outreach for mental health, tuberculosis, disability support and orphans and vulnerable children."
South Africa
Ben Bikes: Bikes4All "three organisations are united by their efforts to promote bicycle use in South Africa, working together to increase their impact and reach. In the last year, 1475 utility bicycles have been distributed. Recipients include schools, clubs, charities, farm workers, and more."
Europe
UK
The Bike Network "We are here to support the cancer community by supplying cycle equipment to patients, survivors and their direct family members.
Cycling doesn’t only benefit the body, it allows time to digest and think over what is happening. Whether that is during diagnosis, treatment or after the all clear when you’re anxiously awaiting news from a follow up with a consultant or scan."The Bike Project "a charity that collects secondhand bikes, refurbishes them and donates them to refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK."
Gav's Bikes "We recieve donated bikes which we pass on to help others."
Full Cycle "As passionate about recycling as cycling, we’re an independent, non-profit community group run by a friendly team of bike mechanics and volunteers.
On a mission to promote affordable cycling, we service the community from our Kingston workshop, by Berrylands station in South West London."
Life Cycle UK "Our "Bike Back" project sells affordable, refurbished bikes to help more people get cycling. Our workshops also offer bike servicing and repairs." Currently working in Bristol and Derby.
Recycle y'bike "Recyke y’bike is a charity. We’ve been established since 2006 and generate the majority of income through sales of refurbished bikes and servicing bikes. Every year we give away hundreds of bikes to referred individuals and deliver a number of free bike maintenance workshops to different groups of people."
Resurrection Bikes sells super cheap, refurbished bikes to keep them out of land fills. The money made from sales goes to fund various charity programs.
R-evolution "Our goal is to reduce carbon footprints and promote greater independence by providing education and physical accessibility."
RideOnCycling: Free Bike Scheme "started in 2020 to mark the charity putting its 3000th bicycle back into use. Ride On has grown rapidly since forming in 2011 with one of our volunteers, Rob Slowley, playing an important role in our development. Rob tragically died in March, so our team of trustees, staff and volunteers decided to name this scheme after him to recognise and remember his contribution and friendship."
"If you work for a charity or educational institution you can propose someone for a free bicycle."
Scotland
Bikeworks "Bike Repairs, Maintenance, Sales & Refurbishment in Fife "Promoting cycling, the circular economy and a green industry on Scotland. Everyone should be able to get a bike they can rely on and we’re here to make it happen. Bikeworks is a registered Scottish Charity – SC39769. You can donate through the Charities Aid Foundation"
North America
USA
Connecticut
Northeast Community Cycles "is a nonprofit, community initiative dedicated to providing safe, refurbished bicycles, free of charge, to underprivileged children and adults in Fairfield County, CT.
Through improved mobility and self-empowerment, our bicycles change lives forever by increasing access to employment, education, health care and a healthier life style."
Illinois
Working Bikes "gives donated bicycles new life by redistributing them as tools of empowerment in local and global communities. Since its inception in 1999, the amazing community of Working Bikes volunteers, staff, partners, and supporters have enabled new life for 100,000 bicycles across the globe and tens of thousands here in Chicago. Over one hundred thousand people have been empowered to access resources and opportunities that otherwise could have been out of reach - reducing waste, lessening pollution, and improving health in the process. Working Bikes is located in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood, and is a 501(c)(3) organization."
Massachusetts
Bikes Not Bombs "has joined the #BikeMatch movement in order to connect first responders, medical professionals, and other essential workers with free bicycles during the coronavirus pandemic. The Bike Match program was piloted by Transportation Alternatives in New York City in order to respond to an uptick in the number of bike commuters during the COVID-19 crisis."