Blog - Bicycle Exchange

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Location: 3961 East Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA MAP

Volunteer days are back, in a new format! They're the second and fourth Saturdays, on a smaller scale. See our Eventbrite site at bikex.eventbrite.com for details and to RSVP. Grab your spot and join in on the wrenching for good! See the event calendar for more events and volunteer days.

Donate bicycles and parts by appointment. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and details of what you have. We have specific drop-off times on Wednesday and Friday and other times by special arrangement. We'll let you know if we have a need for your items and get you drop-off details.

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

Info: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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BikeX's Fourth Annual Silent Auction Is Live!

Details: Written by Andrew Y Andrew Y; Published: 15 December 2023 15 December 2023

Silicon Valley Bicycle Exchange's Fourth Annual Silent Auction Fundraiser is Live!

Back again for the holidays, BikeX is holding a Silent Auction Fundraiser! It's our fourth annual fundraiser, and it's better than ever with a wide variety of prizes.

We’ve got something for everyone.

Join BikeX: Summer Volunteer and Part-Time Opportunities

Details: Written by Andrew Y Andrew Y; Published: 08 May 2022 08 May 2022

BikeX has internship and part-time opportunities for Summer 2022

Are you a student looking for a rewarding, educational internship or part-time summer job? The Silicon Valley Bicycle Exchange has volunteer opportunities and part-time paid positions available for this summer, and hopefully beyond.

Celebrating a Tremendous 2021: A Letter from Our Executive Director

Details: Written by Andrew Y Andrew Y; Published: 28 December 2021 28 December 2021

Volunteers, donors, partners, customers and friends,

Thank you for your tremendous support during a challenging, memorable and ultimately very successful year. We could not have survived and thrived without all of your generosity, flexibility and hard work.

Bright Horizon Global Foundation Helps SVBE with Helmets, Locks and Lights

Details: Written by Andrew Y Andrew Y; Published: 02 November 2021 02 November 2021

SVBE is pleased to receive a generous donation from the Cupertino-based Bright Horizon Global Foundation to purchase helmets, lights and locks.

Philanthropic Ventures Foundation Awards SVBE a 2021 Grant

Details: Written by Andrew Y Andrew Y; Published: 05 October 2021 05 October 2021

We're thrilled to receive a generous grant from the Philanthropic Ventures Foundation to help support and expand our bike donations.

Bicycle Exchange Tech Tip: JIS Screws and Phillips Screwdrivers - Don't Do It

Details: Written by Andrew Y Andrew Y; Published: 10 July 2021 10 July 2021

Ever find the limit screws of your derailleur or centering screws of your brake hard to adjust with your Phillips (+) screwdriver? If you've ever volunteered at BikeX over the last 28 years, we're confident that's a big "YES!"

At BikeX, we pride ourselves on having the right tool for the job, but sometimes we find we're missing the right tool for an unusual project. Usually, it's because of newer technologies that aren't quite commonplace in our shop. For example, we don't always have the right hydraulic bleed kit for the latest disc brakes, nor all the Campagnolo EPS connection tools. Just last month, we bought our first hydraulic hose cutter and barb driver. But screwdrivers? We have plenty. Twenty-eight years' worth, to be sure. But are they the right ones?

Bicycle Film Festival Comes to Silicon Valley

Details: Written by Andrew Y Andrew Y; Published: 28 April 2021 28 April 2021

The Bicycle Film Festival is coming to Silicon Valley and we're proud to partner with the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition to spread the word.

The 20th Anniversary of the Bicycle Film Festival is going virtual and coming to your home!

Dates: May 7 – 16, 2021
Location: Silicon Valley (virtual platform)
Host: Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition
Tickets: boldtypetickets.com

Selected Shorts for the Silicon Valley BFF:

Bicycle Exchange Tech Tip: ETRTO - Three Important Digits and Five Letters in Tire Sizing

Details: Written by Andrew Y Andrew Y; Published: 09 April 2021 09 April 2021

At the Bicycle Exchange, we end up replacing a lot of tires on our bikes. It's a big portion of the expense in refurbishing the hundreds of bikes we donate each year. We replace tires on kid's bikes, mountain bikes, hybrids, cruisers, vintage 3-speeds and road bikes. At times, we also have to replace wheels as well, to get these bikes rolling again.

Bicycle Exchange Tech Tip: Freeing up Stuck Shifters / Brifters

Details: Written by Roger Conley Smith Roger Conley Smith; Published: 05 March 2021 05 March 2021

Got a stuck trigger, Rapidfire or STI shifter? We've got green tips to get it working again.

Have you found a bike with a set of brifters that just don’t shift like they once did? We have come across countless sets of shifters and brifters (also called trigger shifters, Shimano Rapidfire shifters and Shimano STI shifters) that get stuck and cannot reach the full range of gears at the shop.

Thanks to Our Weekday Warriors

Details: Written by Jack Miller Jack Miller; Published: 22 December 2020 22 December 2020

What a year!

Our Wednesday volunteer events took a long hiatus due to the pandemic.

Once we resumed on a smaller scale this summer, we still repaired an amazing number of bikes and shared plenty of smiles and laughs behind masks.

I'd like to thank the crew who regularly came to our socially-distanced events:

SVBE and SCBE Events Canceled Until Further Notice Due to COVID-19

Details: Written by Andrew Y Andrew Y; Published: 17 March 2020 17 March 2020

Until further notice and effective immediately, the Silicon Valley Bicycle Exchange and Santa Cruz Bicycle Exchange have canceled all events at our facilities.

This suspends public bike repair workdays, drop-in retail sales and donation drop-offs. Some volunteering continues behind the scenes. We have teamed up with Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition to create a new #BikeMatch program, which aims to match unused bikes with recipients.

The event cancellations are necessary to both protect community health and comply with Santa Clara County and Santa Cruz County's orders to shelter in place. This follows Governor Gavin Newsom's self-isolation guidance for any resident 65 or older.

Coronavirus Impact on the Bicycle Exchange's Activities

Details: Written by Andrew Y Andrew Y; Published: 11 March 2020 11 March 2020

The Silicon Valley Bicycle Exchange takes the threat and risks of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) very seriously.

We provided an update on Friday, March 6, on restrictions planned for our workdays, starting this Saturday, March 14th, but based on current events, we are changing our plans and guidance.

While we are dedicated to repairing bikes, teaching repair skills and ensuring those in need have reliable transportation, the overall health of our community is paramount. With this in mind, we have made the following changes:

At the Bicycle Exchange events, starting immediately and until further notice, we are closed to the following:

Volunteer groups from external organizations
Bike repair by volunteers who need instruction or mentorship

Coronavirus News: Bicycle Exchange Limits Event Size

Details: Written by Carol Mattsson Carol Mattsson; Published: 06 March 2020 06 March 2020

In light of the health guidance provided March 5th by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department to address novel coronavirus, the Bicycle Exchange will limit event size and encourage outdoor work. The guidelines recommend keeping greater than an arm's-length distance from others.

Watch the Cargo Bike Movie "Motherload," Support the Bicycle Exchange

Details: Written by Andrew Y Andrew Y; Published: 12 February 2020 12 February 2020

Thanks to the kind folks at Wheel Kids, you can watch the stellar bicycle movie "Motherload" while supporting your favorite bicycle nonprofit, the Silicon Valley Bicycle Exchange!

Wheel Kids is hosting a showing of the cargo bike documentary film at 2pm on March 1, 2020 at Greendell School in Palo Alto. Tickets are just $5, and all proceeds from the showing will go to the Bicycle Exchange to help provide two-wheel transportation to those in need.

Silicon Valley Bicycle Exchange 2019 Year End Letter

Details: Written by Jack Miller Jack Miller; Published: 01 January 2020 01 January 2020

Greetings to the whole family of the Silicon Valley Bicycle Exchange!

It’s been a very productive year at the Bicycle Exchange, thanks to all of the volunteer service groups who joined us this year in addition to the many individual volunteers who come to learn and fix bikes.

2019 by the Numbers

This year, over 1000 volunteers lent their helping hands and collectively put in over 10,000 hours, including those from fifteen great service groups. We’re excited that so many people have come to learn mechanical skills while helping our Bay Area community.

In all, we donated 820 bicycles out to fourteen non-profit charitable organization partners across San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz counties who then give them to their clients most in need. Our recipient partners are always grateful for the bikes they receive.

The Silicon Valley Bicycle Exchange is on Instagram!

Details: Written by Andrew Y Andrew Y; Published: 14 November 2019 14 November 2019

The Silicon Valley Bicycle Exchange is finally on Instagram! Give us a follow on IG at @bicycle.exchange to stay in touch with all our human-powered good.

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Through photos and videos on social media, we'll attempt to showcase the hard work of all our volunteers, the generosity of our donors and the refurbished bikes along their journey to those in need.

Quick Answers

Location: 3961 East Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA MAP

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

Info: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

More Contact info

Impact: Learn Mechanical Skills Hands-On

Bicycle Exchange weekend workdays help youth, tech workers and YOU to learn mechanical skills. Learn more about our impact.

Sales

How to buy a bike from us.