Bike Retailers and Bikes for the World

What is Bikes for the World?

Bikes for the World operates on a non-profit, charitable basis in the mid-Atlantic region to take unwanted American bicycles and put them to productive use in Africa, Latin America, and other developing regions. In these countries, partner charities train and hire local people to recondition the bikes—generating bicycle sales and service jobs—and distribute them to individuals in need of affordable transport for work, school, medical services, etc. People are better off as a direct result.

Bikes for the World is a sponsored project of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), a 501 c 3 charitable organization established in 1972. WABA represents more than 7,000 cyclists in the greater Washington metropolitan area. BfW, begun in January 2005, has collected and shipped more than 6,000 bicycles during 2005, its first year of operations.  BfW comprises the former Washington-Baltimore network of Pedals for Progress, which collected and shipped more than 28,000 bicycles between April 1995 and December 2004. The former Pedals for Progress vice-president and Washington DC area coordinator, Keith Oberg, serves as BfW project director, and many of the volunteers and collection sponsors involved with Pedals for Progress are now participating in Bikes for the World. (Pedals for Progress, as of January 2005, is no longer active in the Washington DC area.)

Bikes for the World accepts donations of repairable bicycles, new and used bicycle parts and accessories, and operating portable sewing machines, through public events sponsored by faith communities, schools, Scout troops, and other community service organizations. With each donated bicycle, Bikes for the World suggests a $10 financial contribution. All donations are tax deductible as provided by law. Requesting a donation has the dual virtue of covering a share of program costs, and screening out “junk.”

What Can a Bike Shop Do with Bikes for the World?

Increase your sales by associating your store with a great charity program!  Get your name out in the community!  Increase floor traffic, and help current and potential customers to make room for purchasing a new bicycle, by referring them to Bikes for the World.  Here’s how:

1. Place a link to Bikes for the World (www.bikesfortheworld.org) on your store’s website. Edit your website to offer visitors to your site an opportunity to “put your no-longer-wanted bike to good use”, then describe Bikes for the World (“Bikes for the World accepts donations of no-longer-wanted bicycles, spare parts, and accessories, and donates them for employment and training programs overseas.” PLEASE add that “Bikes for the World suggests a $10 donation with each bicycle, to defray a share of shipping and handling, and provides a receipt good for tax purposes, along with program information.”

2. Host our professionally designed and printed 11” x 17” poster featuring photos of the use of bicycles overseas, and declaring “Put your old bike to good use!  Donate it to Bikes for the World!”

3. Strike up a conversation with customers. Train your staff to query prospective customers on whether they have an un-wanted bicycle taking up space. Most people appreciate learning of BfW’s service. Brokering a link to Bikes for the World builds a positive relationship with customers, and by helping a customer dispose of an unwanted bike, makes room for purchase of a new bike, at your store. Refer callers asking what to do with an old bike to BfW’s website, phone number, or e-mail.

4. Accept donations of old bikes on behalf of Bikes for the World. If you have the space for four or five “flattened” bicycles, make it easy for your customers and accept bicycles for Bikes for the World. The BfW area coordinator will pick them up on an agreed-upon schedule. Check for details on how this can be done. Current DC area retail drop-off locations include Bikes of Vienna, Bob’s Bikes, Proteus Bicycles, Race Pace, and The Bike Lane.

5. Provide a site for a one-time bike collection. Rotary clubs and Jaycee chapters—typical sponsors and staffers of three-hour weekend Bikes for the World bike collections—generally don’t have a site. You do!  Make use of it!  Hosting a Bikes for the World bike collection gets a retailer’s name out in the community, builds good will, and brings potential customers to the store—what else could you want? DC area retailers serving as collection hosts during 2005 include REI, Hudson Trail Outfitters, Pedal Pushers, Bob’s Bikes, and Bikes of Vienna.

6. Link a sales promotion to a local collection. Some local retailers—such as REI, Hudson Trail Outfitters, and The Bike Lane--have offered discounts to donors of a bicycle and $10 to Bikes for the World. No coupon necessary; donors need only bring their signed, dated duplicate donation receipt to qualify.

7. Dedicate a large box to Bikes for the World and fill it with surplus usable spare parts and components, such as usable tubes and tires, used deraillers, shifters, etc.  We will assign someone to drop by periodically to pick up these items. 

Please see the Contacts web page for more information.