Programs
The Bike Kitchen’s mission to empower and educate through refurbishing bicycles is fulfilled through our three programs and is facilitated by a small paid staff, a handful of volunteer staff members, and a larger group of volunteers from the general public.
Our three main programs enrich each other and provide our volunteers the opportunity to empower themselves in whatever way best suits them. Volunteers are central to our mission, and our programs help them grow as bicycle mechanics while contributing to our work. Their efforts also generate the bicycles we sell to cover the organization’s overhead costs.
Community Bikes
The Bozeman Bike Kitchen receives donated bicycles and parts from across the Gallatin Valley, which our staff and volunteers, including participants in the Earn-a-Bike program, refurbish. These bicycles are then returned to the community through vouchers distributed by our valued partners.
Organizations such as the Gallatin Valley Food Bank, HRDC, and Love Inc. provide vouchers to those most in need, offering bicycles free of charge. We also provide free coaster-brake bikes for kids, no voucher required.
Earn-a-Bike
The individuals and families who volunteer toward our Community Bikes program are eligible to earn a free bicycle frame, parts, shop time, and access to tools to build a bicycle for themselves. This is a great way to get hands-on experience toward building and maintaining your own bicycle and provides a low-to-no-cost reward for our volunteers. To learn more about how these hours are arranged and recorded, see one of our staff members on site at The Bozeman Kitchen.
Community Shop Access
The Bozeman Bike Kitchen maintenance shop is open year-round to serve the Bozeman and Gallatin Valley community. Our staff and volunteers assist with everything from simple tasks like fixing flat tires and adjusting brakes or shifting cables to more significant repairs using our full set of professional bicycle tools.
While many people think of bicycling as a fair-weather activity, many in the Gallatin Valley rely on their bikes as a primary mode of transportation throughout the year. We are always amazed by how busy our shop is and how much our services are needed.
Use of our work stands and Park Tool professional tool sets is available for a modest donation. Work trade through our Community Bikes program can also be arranged. Please see a staff member at The Kitchen to learn more.
Holiday Kids Bike Giveaway
Every Fall our volunteers and staff begin to prepare a fleet of kids bikes for our annual Holiday Kids Bike Giveaway. Each December we give away kids bikes at no charge to any kid who wants one and each year we do so in ever-growing numbers.
In order to supply these bikes we need your donations! Please consider any of the following options for donations to help in this powerful event. We are in need of bikes, time, or funding. Donations of kids bikes sized 26″ or under, donations of your time refurbishing these bikes for distribution, or financial donations to help offset the overhead related to the purchase of lights, locks, and helmets.
See our main page for hours of operations to volunteer or donate bicycles.