2024 has been a milestone year for the Lincoln Bike Kitchen. Executive Director Shari Shanks tells KLIN News thanks to community support they have already reached their goal of 1,5oo bikes repaired and distributed.
“They’re the ones that bring the bicycles into us and it always seems like we have a steady flow coming in, whether its adult bikes or children’s bikes,” says executive director Shari Shanks. The 1,500 bikes will be donated to people in need, including LPS students.
Earlier this year the Lincoln Bike Kitchen moved to a new location inside the former City Muny Building in the Telegraph District. Shanks says that has given them additional space to repair more bicycles. “The need has risen. In 2022 we gave away a little over 900 bicycles and in 2023 we were around 1,300 bikes.”
Despite reaching their goal, Shanks says there is a waiting list for adult and children’s bicycles. “In January we are going to be doing our strategic planning session and we’ll set that goal for 2025. I expect it to be quite lofty.”
She says residents can drop off gently used bicycles at their facility at 308 South 21st Street during the hours listed on their website. The Bike Kitchen was started under another name in 2006 by Pepe Fierro. It officially became the Lincoln Bike Kitchen in 2010.