QUEEN CITY BICYCLE COLLECTIVE

OPEN SHOP/AFFORDABLE BIKES:QC BIKE OPERATES A COMMUNITY ORIENTED "DO-IT- TOGETHER" REPAIR SHOP, WHERE BICYCLE USERS TAKE THE LEAD IN FIXING THEIR BIKES WITH THE GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT OF STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. WHENEVER POSSIBLE, THE TOOLS ARE IN THE BIKEOWNER'S HANDS. REPAIRS ARE COMPLETED USING MOSTLY RECYCLED PARTS, KEEPING COSTS AFFORDABLE. OVER THE PAST FISCAL YEAR, QC BIKE DOCUMENTED 600 OPEN SHOP HOURS WITH 1,670 SHOP VISITS FROM 625 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS. DURING THAT TIME WE TOOK IN 952 DONATED BICYCLES WHICH WERE USED AS RAW STOCK FOR OUR VOUCHERED BIKE PROGRAMS, SHARED WITH SIMILAR PROJECTS, REFURBISHED FOR SALE AT MARKET RATES, OR REFURBISHED FOR DISCOUNTED SALE AT OUR SHOP. THE REMAINDER, DEEMED UNSAFE OR TOO LOW QUALITY TO REPAIR, WERE SALVAGED FOR USABLE PARTS TO FEED AFFORDABLE REPAIR SERVICES AND OUR OWN PRODUCTION OF REFURBISHED BICYCLES. PARTS WHICH WERE NOT UTILIZED WERE RECYCLED AS RESPONSIBLY AS POSSIBLE - VARIOUS METALS SEPARATED, TIRES AND TUBES SENT TO RUBBER RECYCLING. OF THE 138 REFURBISHED, DONATED BIKES SOLD THROUGH THE SHOP, MORE THAN HALF WERE PROVIDED AT DISCOUNTED PRICES, TYPICALLY UNDER 100, TO ENSURE AFFORDABLE ACCESS FOR LOW-INCOME MANCHESTER RESIDENTS WHO RELY ON BICYCLES FOR TRANSPORTATION. THE REMAINING BIKES WERE SOLD AT FAIR MARKET VALUE TO HELP SUSTAIN OUR OPERATIONS.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH: QC BIKE CONTINUES TO EXPAND OUR EFFORTS TO CULTIVATE AND NURTURE THE BIKE COMMUNITY IN MANCHESTER. WE OFFERED 20 COMMUNITY GROUP RIDES; HELD AND/OR PARTICIPATED IN MANY LOCAL EVENTS, INCLUDING BY PROVIDING VALET BIKE PARKING; AND PROVIDED REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES TO BIKE REPAIR STATIONS AND OUTDOOR PUMPS AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS, THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THIS FISCAL YEAR SAW QC BIKE HOST OUR SECOND ANNUAL TOUR OF MANCHESTER BIKE RIDE. IT WAS, ONCE AGAIN, A SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY EVENT BRINGING TOGETHER 171 RIDERS AND 32 VOLUNTEERS.