Bike Recycling Project
The Bike Recycling Project provides refurbished bikes to children, youth and adults who may not otherwise have access to safe, quality bikes.
Apply for a bike
How to apply for a bike
You can either apply for yourself or on behalf of someone else. If you are applying for yourself or a member of your own family, you will need to provide a referee who can speak to your circumstances.
We encourage you to complete an application form if the recipient(s) meet the following criteria;
- The recipient is not in a position where they can provide a bike for themselves.
- The recipient lives in Upper Hutt.
Apply online now
About the Bike Recycling Project
The project is managed by Activation
in partnership with Get Fixed Bicycle Cafe, The Menzshed, and Upper Hutt City Council. A special acknowledgement to Rimutaka Prison and The Cycle Centre who were founding partners and were responsible for the refurbishment of over 500 bikes provided for the community.
It is also important to recognise the Heretaunga Bookfest Charitable Trust (formerly Rotary) and Bike On New Zealand Charitable Trust for their support providing funds and products respectively. Their generous contributions enables this community service to be offered year after year.
The goal
- Provide a sustainable initiative, maximising the lifespan of bicycles.
- Form and maintain local partnerships to support the project year after year.
- Remove barriers for inclusion to bicycle related activities for people with limited financial resources.
- Promote cycling for people of all ages as a fun, practical and environmentally friendly activity with a number of associated health and wellbeing benefits.
The process
- Donated bikes are dropped to Get Fixed Bicycle Cafe during the cafe's business hours. (Please note that donations are on hold as we clear through a back log of donations).
- Bikes are refurbished by a qualified mechanic.
- An application is submitted online to Activation.
- Approved applicants are contacted to collect their bike from Get Fixed Bicycle Cafe.
Supporting local school bike programmes
In 2021 the project has been extended to provide refurbished bikes to Upper Hutt schools to support their in school bike programmes. Participating schools are provided refurbished bikes, helmets and a free bike maintenance tune up in the first 12 months. The bikes are stored at school and are accessible to the students during school time.
Students are able to access the bikes to participate in school bike programmes and for recreational use during intervals. The Bike Recycling Project partnership recognises the importance of supporting schools providing bike based programmes to encourage higher levels of physical activity.