Volunteers Learn Skills Hands-On
SVBE volunteers have many roles to choose from, including Marketing & Social Media volunteer or Front Desk and Shop Assistant volunteers; however, our most popular role is that of a Bike Mechanic volunteer. While many industrial arts classes are no longer available in our schools, youth can join us to learn mechanical skills in a supportive environment at over 100 weekend, weekday and evening events every year. Tech workers throughout Silicon Valley can take a break from their desk jobs and enjoy a fun team-building environment centered around a bicycle repair stand. As of 2025, we have more than 111,000 reported volunteer hours, that's equivalent to more than twelve calendar years of hours!
Bike Donations Out
Numbers are one way to measure impact. The Silicon Valley Bicycle Exchange has been donating bikes since 1993, and as of 2025, we have surpassed donating 13,000 bicycles to our community members. We also donate new helmets, locks and light sets, upon request, to our partner organizations. A bike without a helmet, lock, or light can be dangerous and unreliable, but with those safety accessories, it becomes a reliable and safe mode of transportation for its donor recipient. To date, we have donated more than 4,500 helmets, locks, or light sets!
The chart below provides an up-to-date total of our bike donations to various organizations.
Diverse Recipients
The Bicycle Exchange donates bicycles to a wide range of non-profit service organizations that support a diversity of impacted populations across Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Our 20+ recipient organizations serve disadvantaged children, homeless children and adults, immigrants from various countries, veterans, day workers, and families in economic, legal and substance abuse recovery.
Environmental Impact
All of SVBE's bikes, sold or donated, start as donations to us. We depend on and work with our community to offer a sustainable option to recycle old and worn out bikes without contributing to the landfill. Thanks to our many volunteers, these donations are refurbished through our many repair events and are given a new life and a new home. Cycling remains one of, if not the most, sustainable modes of transportation. We are committed to taking that impact a step further by utilizing bicycles and parts that have already been manufactured rather than relying on new bikes and parts.
Organizations We Support
The Bicycle Exchange is a supporting member of the following organizations.
The Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition is our sister organization that advocates for a more bike-friendly region by promoting safer streets, sustainable transportation, and stronger communities. Through education, outreach, and policy advocacy, SVBC works to create a thriving environment where biking is accessible and enjoyable for all.
The California Bicycle Coalition enables more people to bicycle for the health, safety, and prosperity of all Californians.
The League of American Bicyclists represents bicyclists in the movement to create safer roads, stronger communities and a bicycle-friendly America. Through information, advocacy and promotion, LAB works to celebrate and preserve the freedom cycling brings to its members.
People for Bikes is making biking better for everyone by uniting millions of Americans, thousands of businesses, and hundreds of communities to make every bike ride safer, more accessible, and more fun. The PeopleForBikes Coalition has more than 325 supplier members and 1.4 million supporters in its grassroots network. When people ride bikes, great things happen.
The Bicycle Exchange supports these organizations through financial donations.
