Do you take donation bikes? Yes, but we have to be a little picky because of our limited resources. More info on what bikes we accept can be found here. After approval via email, text, or a phone call, you are welcome to drop off donation bikes at our warehouse, building 1601 at 2750 Avenue B North (next to Fisher Recycling) in North Charleston. If you’d like a receipt, please plan to drop of your donation during any of our regularly scheduled volunteer workdays. If you don’t need a receipt, you can drop off approved bikes/parts/accessories anytime. If you are a apartment complex or school and would like to schedule a pick-up of a lot of bikes for a small fee, please contact us at info@scbikes.org or (843) 608-8383.
What happens to my old bike? All bikes support our programs in one of three ways. First, if a bike would work well as a donation bike for someone we serve through our Change a Tire Change a Life program, we will set it aside to repair and donate it to the right person. Sometimes a bike is not an ideal bike for Change a Tire, Change a Life because it either has too many problems (typically rust-related), or it is too fancy to be locked up outside overnight on a daily basis. For bikes with too many problems, we will strip parts that are salvageable and take the rest to a local scrap yard for a few dollars. For nicer bikes that are not suitable for our no-cost bike programs , we will fix them up and sell them in our Bicycle Thrift Store. All funds from sales goes directly to fund fixing up bikes for people in need, so every bike you donate supports the cause.
Do you take other bike gear? Yes! We take bike parts, accessories, and clothing in relatively good condition. This includes parts like cranks, pedals, chains, brakes, and derailleurs; accessories like car racks, panniers, seat bags, lights, and bells; and clothing like jerseys, shorts, caps, and gloves. Old is fine but clean and without holes or severe wear is appreciated.
How can I volunteer? We typically welcome newbie volunteers two times every week: Thursdays from 4 pm – 8 pm, and Saturdays from 9 am to 12 pm at our warehouse. Before you come, please check our Facebook for our most recent newsletter to confirm the session hasn’t been canceled. We recommend that you sign up to volunteer using these forms: Thursdays and Saturdays. There is something to do for all ages and abilities. If you are handy and want to work on bikes, great! If you want to learn how to work on bikes, great! If you don’t want to work on bikes but still want to pitch in, great! We require closed-toed shoes and recommend dressing for the outside temperature. All unvaccinated volunteers must wear masks.
How do you pick who gets a bike? We don’t. We work with other social service agencies who are serving clients in need. If they see that a client needs a bike they let us know and we get them a bike. If you or someone you know need a bike and cannot afford any of the bikes in our online store, please contact one of our partner agencies to fill out an application or send us an email if that is not an option.
Do you repair bikes? Yes, but on a case-by-case basis. We have limited resources and our priority will always be helping folks who cannot afford typical bike shops.
What about bikes for kids? We have a program to provide free bikes to children in need. Find out more info and apply here!
How can I pick up a bike that I purchased from online from the Bicycle Thrift Store? You can stop by during our regular hours (Tues & Wed 12pm to 4pm) or either volunteer session (see above for days and times). Please keep in mind that we are a small nonprofit and things can come up, so it’s always a good idea to send us an email or give us a call before you come by.