ABOUT THE BIKE HOUSE

WHO WE ARE

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The Bike House is a community-based bicycle repair co-op in Washington, DC. Since 2009, our mission has been to build a place where all people can learn about, work on, and enjoy bikes. We do this by providing bicycle maintenance resources and education through our weekend clinics, mobile bike clinic, and beginner and advanced mechanics classes.

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We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization run entirely by volunteers. We rely on donations to help constantly replenish our tools and keep the organization running. 

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OUR HISTORY

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The Bike House started in the spring of 2009. At the time, DC did not have a community-based bike space and a few different groups were working separately to build one. When these groups caught wind of each other, they began working together and the seeds of The Bike House were planted.

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In June 2009, we held our first clinic at a fish fry behind the People’s Media Center in Petworth. Of the eight volunteers that day, only one of us would admit to knowing anything about bikes. The rest of us fuddled with air pumps and tried our best to help. We all needed to start somewhere. We learned though, and by the time we moved to the alley behind Qualia Coffee a few months later, we had a core of about 15 volunteers with a growing knowledge of bike maintenance and tools. In that first year we bought our first set of professional tools and repair stands, taught over 250 people how to repair their bikes and, most importantly, built a core group of volunteers who were committed and excited to get The Bike House off the ground.

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That same year, we began hosting clinics at the Bloomingdale Farmers Market on Sundays. Nestled in between the bakers and veggie stands, we set up a small mobile clinic offering access to our tools and resources. Our presence at the BFM grew quickly, thanks to the generosity of nearby Big Bear Cafe and a devoted group of volunteers committed to ensuring that their neighbors have easy access to affordable bike repair resources.

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In 2012, Annie’s Ace Hardware opened in Petworth and graciously offered us a space to store our supplies and invited us to host our clinics at their loading dock. Since then, we’ve continued building our presence in the community and now frequently help 30-50 guests each Saturday at Annie's and 10-20 each Sunday at the BFM from March through November.

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In addition, in 2013 we began holding summer repair clinics at the Anacostia Neighborhood Library. In partnership with DC Public Libraries, WABA, Gearin’ Up, VéloCity, and other local organizations, on select Saturdays in the summer we help hundreds of guests to get their bikes back safely riding on two wheels.

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To date, The Bike House has helped thousands of DC residents through our regular weekend clinics and support for local bike events. In addition, we have taught hundreds of DC residents through our classes for new mechanics, empowering them to fix their own bikes and building a stronger community along the way. We are continuously training and bringing new volunteers into the fold and are proud of their dedication to supporting The Bike House's mission.

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In addition to volunteering, we also have a lot of fun planning group rides and get-togethers to support DC's vibrant bike community built around the love of DC and biking. If you're interested in joining us, please email us (thebikehouse@gmail.com) or click on the contact button below!