Howdy!

Welcome to your community bike shop.

B!KE runs a supervised workshop space with the tools, parts, and expertise for bike repair. Make an appointment or drop-in during Open Shop to learn how to fix your bike. We have multiple membership options to make our programs accessible for everyone. Membership gives you access to the welcoming and professionally-equipped shop space, our friendly instructors, a broad selection of used and basic new parts, and access to our tool library. We hope to see you soon!

 

About B!KE

B!KE: The Peterborough Community Bike Shop is a non-profit, charitable, member-based cycling education and support organization. We’ve been working with the Peterborough community since 2006 teaching bike maintenance, repair, and riding skills.

2023 Winter Hours (Please observe COVID-19 precautions)

B!KE is open for retail sales of new and used bikes, parts, tools, accessories and more. Our winter hours are as follows:

Sunday: CLOSED
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Workshop space and instructional DIY bike repair is available by appointment or walk-in. Book an appointment online.

Our members can now borrow a small selection of tools through our Tool Library. Check it out.

B!KE needs your support to exist in the long term. Please visit us online to renew your membership.

Visit our Contact page to send us an email, sign up for our mailing list, or to find our location on Google maps.

Visit B!KE on social media:

Vision, Mission, and Values

Vision

People empowered to travel by bike

Mission

  • Teach people to maintain, repair and ride bikes
  • Provide a workshop space and tools for bikes
  • Provide access to new and used bikes and parts
  • Advocate for people on bikes

Values

Inclusivity, self-reliance, fun, wellbeing, sustainability

 


We take donations – and B!KE is now a charity!

Donations of bicycles, parts, and cash, ensure that B!KE’s services remain affordable for all members of our community. Thank you for your generosity in supporting our downtown workshop space.

B!KE now has official charitable status. Donations over $20 and donations of bicycles, parts and accessories valued over $100 may receive a charitable tax receipt. Please consider making a donation through CanadaHelps.

B!KE is a not-for-profit charitable organization.
​Charitable Registration #814713095 RR0001

Staff, Volunteers, and Board

STAFF

B!KE is a non-profit charitable organization, and operates as a social enterprise. Staff positions are funded in part by membership and small parts sales, as well as grants provided by various organizations. Email any of our staff through the links below:

Mark Romeril, Executive Director

Jean Greig, Program Manager

Tahirih Rowshan-Lips

Erik Bridle

Ness Pringle

Riley Hillman

VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers are the backbone of B!KE. Their incredible energy and dedication keeps us all afloat! If you are interested in volunteering, please e-mail our volunteer coordinator Jean for details or give us a call at 705-775-7227.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

B!KE’s 2022-2023 Board of Directors is comprised of:

Jackie Donaldson (Chair), Ashley Preston (Treasurer), Tim Holland (Secretary), Pete Forde, Liam Cunningham, Maria Enriquez-Jakins, Divya Dhingra, Les Kariunus and Aaron Kempf. Ness Pringle is currently on leave.

To communicate with our board please contact our Chair Jackie Donaldson.

Bike and Gear Sales

B!KE has a broad selection of basic and affordable used and new parts to keep you rolling. Shop online here!

New parts: Tubes, tires, pedals, grips, bar tape, saddles, tools, lights, locks, racks, bells… and much more! Used parts are for sale to members only. We have an enormous collection of used parts from virtually every era of cycling!

We always have refurbished bikes for sale at the shop. Typically we sell fully overhauled bicycles for $150-$400. We also do a small number of consignment sales, please contact Mark if you are interested in selling a bicycle. In the quieter months, we occasionally have the chance to post items on Kijiji, you can visit our page for current listings.

We’re also a Kona dealer! You can check out Kona’s full lineup here, and call the shop to check availability and sizing in our store.

Frequently Asked…

I’ve got some bikes! Do you take donations?

We sure do! A strong selection of donated bikes and parts is really important to our core operations. A few things to keep in mind if you’re considering donating things to B!KE:

Please only drop off items during retail hours. Donations left unlocked on the bike rack when we’re not around will definitely go back out into the community, but maybe not in the way you’d like (i.e., they’ll disappear real quick!).

We accept all donated bikes, bikes in very poor condition will be stripped by our volunteers but only after we salvage anything useful! Any bike we can salvage we will, getting more people riding for cheap is a big part of what we do.

Do you sell used bikes?

Yes. We offer a selection of used bicycles which have been totally overhauled and are ready to ride. Please come by the shop and have a look. Used bikes sold at B!KE are serviced to a high standard of care and purchasing a re-built bike gets you out riding fast! Purchasing a used bicycle directly supports the ongoing operation of B!KE. We also carry a wide selection of donated bikes in various states of repair that are available for members to purchase. Sold in as-is condition, these bikes become projects for members to re-build with the help of our mechanics (most of our as-is bikes are unrideable off the rack). We do not sell as-is bikes to non-members.

Do you sell new bikes?

Yes. We’re a Kona dealer and often have a variety of new bikes in stock! You can check out Kona’s full lineup here. We try to keep our web store up to date with our current stock, but for most accurate availability call the shop at 705-775-7227.

Can I request an as-is bike be built up for me?

No.

Do you repair bikes for people?

Nope, we only teach how to fix them. Our staff and volunteers do not work on members’ bikes – they only advise and teach to the best of their ability. There are a few great bike shops in town that will fix your bike for you (Wild Rock Outfitters, Fontaine Source for Sports, Spokes ‘N’ Pedals).

Are you open year-round?

You betcha! Since the largest group in our membership base are transportational cyclists, there is a demand for the shop to stay open in the chilly months. Granted, it gets a fair bit slower, so it’s actually a great time to get some one-on-one teaching time with the volunteers. If you’re riding in the winter, its also the most important part of the year to undertake regular maintenance on your bicycle.

What type of memberships do you offer?

We have 4 different types of memberships at B!KE, but you get the same things with each one.

  • General membership – $45/year – For 18+ shop users that don’t fall into the categories below.
  • Family membership – $70/year – For 2 adults living in the same household + their accompanying kids.
  • Student membership – $20/year – For active Trent University students.
  • Youth membership – $20/year – For youth below the age of 18.

If cost is a barrier, we can assist you in covering some or all of your membership costs.

What do I get with a membership?

Members get:

  • Unlimited access to the workshop space for one year, by appointment
  • Help from a knowledgable instructor to guide you through bicycle maintenance and repairs
  • Access to basic tools, bike wash, degreaser, chain lube, etc. for bicycle repairs
  • Access to a wide variety of specialized bike tools for more in-depth bicycle repairs.
  • Access to borrow select tools, equipment, and kits from B!KE’s Tool Library
  • Knowledge that you have helped to foster Peterborough’s cycling community
  • Velo Love! 
Can I trade in my bike/parts/whatever for something at the shop?

No. We’re unable to support trading because of the potential of dealing in stolen goods.

What if I need a (insert fancy/rare/expensive bike part here) to fix my bike?

We stock a basic selection of new parts and accessories for sale (cables, brake pads, grips, pedals, fenders, baskets, etc.) for sale. 85% of bike repairs require those simple parts. For the remaining 15% of repairs, there are three options:

1) Replace it with something from our used parts selection. The bins have a pretty good selection of old/rare parts.

2) Replace it with something from our competitively priced new parts selection.

3) Go to one of Peterborough’s three independent local bike shops to get what you need:

Wild Rock Outfitters (169 Charlotte St)

Fontaine Source for Sports (384 Queen St)

Spokes N’ Pedals (464 Aylmer St)

Can I service my hydraulic brakes?

Yes. We only have the resources for mineral oil brake bleeds (all Shimano hydraulic brakes + some others), and do not do DOT fluid brake bleeds.

Can I service my shock/fork?

You are welcome to use our facilities to service your suspension, but our open-shop instructors don’t have the ability to help with suspension services and we don’t stock the fluids and seal kits to do them. We recommend taking your bikes to Fontaine’s if you’re wanting to have a suspension service done.

Is B!KE an activist group? Will I feel welcome if I’m not a Cycling Crusader?

While we’re really excited about the big time resurgence in cycling and bike culture in the past few years, we’re not a political group. We pride ourselves on being accessible to everyone, and just want to help folks feel more comfortable, empowered and confident using and caring for their bikes.

Funders and Friends

Funders

B!KE is the grateful recipient of funding from:

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (2015-2023) The Trent University Student Body (In perpetuity, beginning Sept 2011) The City of Peterborough (2009 to present)

Partnerships

We presently partner with a variety of organizations to offer programs across the City of Peterborough. These partners play a vital role in our programming success and include:

The City of Peterborough, Peterborough Green-Up,  Trent Central Student Association, Shifting Gears / Peterborough Moves, Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement, Area The Peterborough County City Health Unit, The Peterborough Bicycle Advisory Committee 

Friends of B!KE

Over the years, we’ve had the pleasure of working with a number of organizations.

Fleming College SAC, Knox United Church, Kawartha World Issues Centre Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, Peterborough Green-Up, OPIRG Sustainable Trent, The Third Space Church, Citizens for Alternative Transportation in Trent Lakes (CATTL)

Past Funders

We would like to offer ongoing recognition of organizations who have previously offered our operation financial support:

Sustainable Trent (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012) The Peterborough Foundation (2009) The Ontario Trillium Foundation (2009-11) The Community Futures Development Corporation (2012-2013)