Oakdale Community Bikes
Craig Vereeke, Owner
A program of Oakdale Neighbors
LOCATION
1260 Kalamazoo Ave SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49507
At Oakdale Community Bikes,
the tools are free and so is the help.
Do it yourself, but not by yourself
It's a volunteer-run, non-profit shop in Grand Rapids where you fix your own bike. Do it yourself, but not by yourself. Craig and the volunteer mechanics put the right wrench in your hand and walk you through whatever the bike needs. New and used parts, a lot of it pay-what-you-can. Used bikes and accessories for sale, and every dollar goes back into keeping the shop doors open and the work space free.
A shop that's been here a while
The shop has been part of this corner since 2009, first as Boston Square Community Bikes. It closed in April of 2023, and in May of 2024 it reopened as Oakdale Community Bikes in the same location. It runs as a program of Oakdale Neighbors. Bikecollectivesbostonsquare
Same building, same work, same open door.
What you can actually do here
Bring in whatever you're riding and use the workspace and the tools for free. Beyond the repair bench, the shop teaches riding and repair skills and refurbishes donated bicycles for sale. Bike donations are accepted in any condition. Parts run new and used, much of it pay-what-you-can, with enough on hand for just about any project. Proceeds from the used bikes and the accessories go straight back into the program, which is what keeps the open shop free. Bikecollectives + 2
Nobody needs to know anything to volunteer
There's more to do here than there are hands to do it. Tubes need patching so they can be resold to people who can only afford a used one. Bikes need reorganizing downstairs. If you finish your own repair and have a few minutes, lend somebody else a hand with theirs. And if you don't know the first thing about bikes, come anyway. They still need you.
What sticks around
While customers come and go, the stories created stick around a long time, and the ripple effects are felt in our community.
That's what an open shop does. Gives people a place with tools and someone who knows how to use them. What happens after that is unknown, but it doesn't go unfelt.
