The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition aims to empower local residents to use their bikes for transportation on a more regular basis. The organization offers a number of opportunities for Santa Barbara residents to learn about bicycle safety and repair through the Bici Centro community bike shop. Bici Centro teaches individuals how to repair their bikes using the shop’s tools, expert guidance, and parts for just $5 per hour of stand time. The shop offers a safe environment for people with no bike repair experience to learn about proper maintenance.
In addition to its DIY bike repair program, Bici Centro refurbishes bikes, which it sells to the community at reduced prices in order to make them more accessible. The shop, which largely relies on the generosity of donors, accepts donations of used bikes and parts, which it uses to refurbish and repair other bicycles. Donated working bikes are inspected before they are resold at an affordable price to local youth. The shop encourages individuals to donate their bikes and parts, even if they are unsure about the quality, as volunteers sort through donations and recycle anything that is unusable.
