Do you have a bike in the garage that nobody has used for years? Do you have a child that has outgrown their bike and you’d like to pay it forward so some other child can have a bike?
Bikes for Kids Wisconsin is reaching out to residents from Madison and Dane County for gently used bicycles of all sizes and styles for their donation drive on Saturday, Oct. 12, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., where they have set a goal of obtaining 1,000 bikes for children in the community in need.
“Every fall, we do a couple of these bike donation drive events, and so we’ve got our first one, Oct. 12, that we are really looking forward to, and the second one will be held Nov. 23,” says Kristie GoForth, executive director at Bikes for Kids Wisconsin, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing the use of bicycle-based transportation for everyone in Wisconsin through access, low-cost repairs, and education. “On Oct. 12, we will be having one here [in Madison] and in Appleton for the first time, as well, and then we have a group doing one for us in Platteville. It’s possible we could have 1,000 bikes roll through the door that day. We’re trying to get prepared for that.”
Bicycles donated to the Bikes for Kids Wisconsin will be refurbished and tuned up by staff and volunteers to ensure safety before being distributed to those in need. There’s no gently used bike that is too big or too small that can be donated.
“We often say gently used. A flat tire is OK and a bike that is a little bit weathered is OK. What we’re trying to avoid, and what we’ve been getting a lot of, are kind of the vintage Schwinns that are 50 years old,” GoForth says. “They’re kind of cool looking, but really, you can’t get parts for bikes that are more than 30 years old, and we’re just looking for things that are just a little more modern.”
If the bike you are donating is older than 25 years or is beyond repair, Goforth requests that you provide a monetary donation as a disposal fee. Bike for Kids Wisconsin responsibly recycles and disposes bikes and it sometimes requires a significant amount of time to remove all the parts so the metal can be recycled.
“If you’ve had a bike in your basement for a long time and you want to give it to us, we will work with that,” GoForth says. “It’s almost like we’re offering a free community service of bike disposal, which is fine, it’s just that it does take effort and time away from our mission to dispose of those bikes, but it’s also important because we’re kicking them out of the landfill.”
Goforth says that her organization gives a lot of bikes to young people who are struggling for a way to get to school or work.
“There are families that maybe don’t own a car, where having a bicycle in a community like Dane County, where we have this incredible bike infrastructure, is economic mobility,” GoForth says. “And I think the reasons people don’t make that connection intuitively is because, for a lot of people whose needs have always been met, bikes are a recreational option, and they’re not a lifeline. For someone who doesn’t have the time to take the bus for an hour and a half across town to get to work, or they don’t have the money to afford a car, bikes are just a fantastic vehicle and a way to harness your hopes and dreams and access a living.”
Donated bikes will support their annual bike giveaway efforts in March and April of 2025. Bikes can be dropped off at the organization’s bike center on the south side of Madison at 354 Coyier Lane in Madison.
“When people come to donate their bikes, they can drive up here to our location on the South Side, and they don’t even have to get out of their cars,” GoForth says. “We’ll have volunteers who take it off their car, and it’s kind of a drive-through operation. And they can loop on out. Often we’ll have a row of cars lined up and a great crew of volunteers helping to take those bikes.”
As of last week, she adds, they have given away 2,487 bicycles this year alone.
“So we have smashed our biggest record which I think was two years ago when we gave away about 2,126.We’re blasting that record by 400 and some people have asked me how it happened,” GoForth says.
It’s several reasons, she continues.
“The need has increased. We are seeing more and more demand for transportation and there’s been more awareness about us and our services,” GoForth says. “I think so many nonprofits are in the same boat. We’re all stepping up to meet these needs. And it’s challenging because our donations are less and less just because of the cost of living.
“Also, our numbers are getting bigger because we went statewide. And then it’s also because, if you remember, in February, it was 70 degrees and we had people wanting bicycles then … so with climate change, we’re seeing this expanded season for biking. So it’s all those factors … and it’s really interesting to watch.”
About 94 percent of the bikes distributed through the program in 2024 were directed to underserved communities.
“It is always inspiring to see the community rally to support this initiative when we ask for help,” GoForth says. “Every donated bicycle makes a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals facing financial hardship.”
For more information about the bike drive, click here.
