Building Bicycles and Confidence

GObike has been hosting Recycle-A-Bicycle (RAB) and Future Classes in the Buffalo-Niagara region for more than 10 years.

Recycle-A-Bicycle is an educational program for children of all ages that encourages hands-on problem-solving skills; understanding of working with tools; and identification of bicycle parts, mechanics, and functionality. Most importantly, problem-solving skills learned through building a bike will be carried beyond the classroom and into their entire lives.

Teaching Hands-on, Problem-Solving Skills

With patience, group participation, and hard work, the students earn the bicycle they built through determination, teamwork, and encouragement of one another, gaining a sense of pride and self-accomplishment.

Contact Adam@gobikebuffalo.org to launch a program at your school, community center, or church.

Program Highlights

Bike Mechanic Skills

Students receive a donated bicycle from our community workshop and strip it down, part-by-part. With our instructor’s help, they reassemble the bike, making modifications as they go.

Students learn bicycle mechanics as we overhaul wheels, bottom brackets, and headsets, take apart chains, and remove and repair brakes and cables—then build it all back up again.

Road Safety Education

We learn rules of the road, road safety, riding etiquette, hand signals, and how to plan to travel from place to place on two wheels via bike paths and bicycle infrastructure with a final group ride around their surrounding neighborhoods and local parks.

A New Bike

Graduating with a certificate of completion, they receive a set of lights, a lock, and helmet, and are welcome to bike home in a group along with their instructor to gain the experience and fun of independence, travel, and freedom on a bicycle they have built themselves!