Student participants at Oakland and the East Bay schools make valuable connections to local resources and their environment by participating in our after-school bike clubs. School children at various public schools are given the opportunity to learn how to ride safely in our Safe Routes to Schools program. At our community bike shops, anyone can volunteer in the shop to earn-a-bike. School gardens connect youth with the natural environment, their food, and with each other.
Bike Club Participant Parent, Kathy Q.
Cycles of Change began in 1998 at Roosevelt Middle School as an after-school bicycle adventures and earn-a-bike program. Our after-school Bike Club programs are still going strong, offering opportunities for student participants at East Bay schools to learn bicycle mechanics, earn-a-bike, and learn safe riding skills while going on local, pedal-powered adventures.
In 2009 we opened The Bikery, a community bike shop located less than half a mile from the East Oakland school where Cycles began. The Bikery offers used bikes for sale, full-service repairs, earn-a-bike programs for youth, and Upcycle, an adult commuter program for low-income residents. Through these endeavors we have built deep, multi-generational relationships with schools, community-based organizations, and families throughout East Oakland and Alameda County as a whole.
We are collectively run by Oakland-based educators of color. We prioritize the learning and leadership of youth, people from Oakland and the Bay Area, women, queer and transgender folks. We work to empower each other with the skills, knowledge and resources of biking, partnering with youth from the community and local schools.
Thank you for your patience as we adjust to these unprecedented times! Due to the covid-19 pandemic,
the Bikery was temporarily closed, BUT WE ARE NOW OPEN BACK AT OUR REGULAR HOURS!!!
Participant Parent, Heather Reed
Our Safe Routes to Schools programs teach bike safety, encouraging K-12 students to use bikes for healthy, sustainable, affordable & independent transportation.
Middle & high school students learn or practice safe riding through our Drive Your Bike series, which culminates in a group bike ride off-campus.
Formerly known as Bike-Go-Round, Oakland Upcycle connects low-income East Bay residents with free bicycles each year. Participants get everything they need to start using the bicycle as their primary transportation— a lock, helmet, rack and other essentials, a personalized transportation plan, and urban riding training from Oakland Upcycle instructors.
We believe our Oakland Upcycle participants benefit from the efficient, reliable, zero-cost, flexible, and safe transportation that bicycles can provide. Participants are able to reach jobs, services, and resources over a wide geographic range, and will have the option of reaching these places during off-hours or away from major bus lines.
Growing Bike Access for Oakland and Beyond
Tel: (510) 842-1006 Email: info@cyclesofchange.org
