Old Spokes Home is a bike shop and 501(c)(3) nonprofit creating access to bikes and the opportunities they provide for our whole community.
We work out of our new location at 331 N. Winooski Avenue to get everyone, regardless of income, on a bike.
• We make bikes affordable so people can get to their jobs efficiently and conveniently.
• We give kids bikes so they can grow up active on two wheels.
• We teach youth to fix bikes at home and in their communities so they feel empowered.
• We train new mechanics so opportunities to build critical job skills are available to those that want them.
At Old Spokes Home, you can always expect friendly and inclusive service regardless of age, race, identity, ability, or level of bike experience. We believe that anyone interested should have access to a bicycle and bicycle knowledge.
WHY WE DO IT
We believe bikes are a simple solution to complex problems. Bikes connect people to their community, to their own bodies, to their physical environments. Bikes heal. Bikes empower. Bikes mobilize. We believe everyone should have access to bikes and the opportunities that they provide. That's why we're here.
OUR AREAS OF WORK
Transportation Access
Our Everybody Bikes program lowers barriers to bicycling by making bikes and accessories affordable for income-eligible Vermonters. Thousands of Vermonters have accessed bicycles through this program since 2005, most of whom rely on those bikes for transportation.
The Everbody Bikes program helps Vermonters who need to get to work but can't afford a car. Or who struggle with addiction and lost their license but need mobility for any hope of recovery. Or who need a way to get to classes at community college, having chosen to pay for an education instead of a motor vehicle. Or whose children have no other way to escape the confines of their small apartments and actively explore the world outside. Or who have recently emigrated and can’t get a license.
Basically, the folks at Old Spokes Home work hard to make sure that EVERYONE, regardless of income or ability, has a chance to get on a bike.
Job Training
Learning bike mechanics and participating in shop operations provide valuable work experience to those who want it. We work closely with Spectrum, local school districts, and others to create custom work experiences for youth through our Youth Mechanics programs. A great summer employment opportunity for high school students is with our bicycle mobile repair unit that travels to neighborhoods around Burlington and Winooski - see video below!
Youth Empowerment
Our shop is a third place for many young people. We make our space open through Youth Shop and our Youth Mechanics programs. We also run two Kids Bike Bonanzas each year that provide hundreds of children ages 3 through 8 with bikes and helmets at no cost to their families.
Our 990 is available upon request.