logo for Silicon Valley Bicycle Exchange - sprocket
SILICON
VALLEY
Bicycle Exchange

Quick Answers

Bicycle Exchange location: 3961 East Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA MAP.

Interested in volunteering? Explore our event calendar and visit our Eventbrite page to RSVP for upcoming opportunities. New volunteers can find details about our volunteer roles and general information.

Stopping by our shop? Make an appointment to shop for a bicycle or parts, ask us questions about volunteering, drop off a donation, receive service for your bike, or anything else! Shop Hours are Monday - Friday, 11:00 am - 5:30 pm and 2nd and 4th Saturdays 10:00 am - 3:00 pm.

Have a bicycle to donate? Donate bicycles and parts by emailing us photos and details of what you have, to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We'll let you know if we need your items and get you the drop-off details. Please do not make an appointment to drop off a bicycle without emailing us photos first; we cannot accept all bicycles and parts.

The Silicon Valley Bicycle Exchange is a Section 501c(3) non-profit organization.

Have questions? Contact us.

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Please email photos and details of what you'd like to donate to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If we need it (which we likely will), we'll let you know when you can drop it off.

SVBE will gladly accept and refurbish most bikes to benefit those who need transportation or sell them in our shop to cover operating costs.

We refurbish donated bikes to ride like new and then provide them to those in need of transportation and independence.
We refurbish donated bikes so they ride like new ones and then provide them to those needing transportation and independence

We are happy to accept your donation of complete bicycles, bicycle parts, or bicycle accessories. Silicon Valley Bicycle Exchange is a Section 501c(3) non-profit organization, so your donation is tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. (Donation receipt available upon request.) Please email us a photo(s) of what you'd like to donate, and we'll give you details of drop-off times and procedures.

Are you debating on whether you should fix up that old bike? Your tax-deductible bike donation often makes more financial sense than spending hundreds of dollars on repair work and parts. When you drop off your donation, consider buying one of our nice, ready-to-ride refurbished bikes.

Most donated bikes are refurbished and then donated to our partner charities, which use them to provide safe and reliable transportation for their clients. We also sell some bikes to fund our repair parts and operations.

Donation Guidelines

We accept bikes of all types and sizes, from tricycles to full-sized adult bicycles. Flat tires and broken or missing parts are no problem, as we have an extensive repair inventory. Our volunteer mechanics can fix almost anything; however, we don't restore paint and we can't reverse corrosion. We do not accept budget department store kids' or adult bikes, because replacement parts for these bikes are too difficult for our volunteers to find and service.

Before donating your bike, ask yourself:

  • Could an experienced mechanic make this bike functional and safe in one hour or less?
  • Is the bike substantially free of rust and corrosion?
  • Is the bike clean enough to offer it as a gift without embarrassment?

If the answers are all "yes" then we'll gladly accept the bike donation. Please clean up your bike before donating it so we can focus on repairs and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We also accept monetary donations to offset the refurbishing cost.

We refurbish each donated bike to ride like new. We donate 800+ bikes a year to the local community.
We refurbish each donated bike to make it ride like new. We donate 800+ bikes a year to those in need, through partner nonprofits in the local community. Your bicycle or monetary donation can help us set a new record this year.

Each bicycle costs about $50 and requires several volunteer hours to repair and distribute. A monetary donation to cover these costs is appreciated and will keep the cycle going. You're also welcome to stay and volunteer when donating a bike. You'll learn mechanic skills while having fun and giving back.

While we donate most of our bikes to those needing transportation, racing, vintage or mountain bikes are gladly accepted and could help us fund our refurbishing of many additional bikes for our partner nonprofits.

We do not accept used helmets or cycling shorts.  Local organizations such as Sports Basement or your local thrift shop may accept these items.

For valuable, high-end donations, we can arrange a pick-up.

Where and When to Donate Your Bike

Person behind signboard reading 'Donation Dropoff' with volunteers repairing bikes in the background

Please contact us with a picture and any details about your bike donation. We'll likely take it and give you details of drop-off times. We do not typically do pick-ups, but for large collections or high-value items, we may.

Contact Us

Contact us if you have any questions regarding your donation.

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