Bicycle Program


Our most popular feature is the do-it-yourself open studio. During these times participants may use our tools as well as receive help with performing their own repairs free of charge. Want to fix that squeaky brake, finally learn how to patch your tube or simply just hang around and watch? Come visit us and ask one of our friendly staff members, volunteers, or student interns for some help.
Hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 2-6pm
Get a new bike and support our free community programs!SLC has an everlasting stream of bicycles that are fixed up and distributed. We always have an assortment of used bikes for sale at our shop. Bicycles can be test ridden and purchased during our Open Lab Hours. All bicycles are sold as-is, however, you are welcome to attend our free open studio to make adjustments and personalize your ride.
No time to learn to repair your bike?
We also offer repair services for competitive rates as well as a huge assortment of new and used parts.
Work-trade: Making sustainable transportation available to everyoneLow income and penny pinching customers have the option of participating in our work-trade program where folks are able to trade their time for used parts and repairs. This program has made a lot of bikers happy around the community. While not all bikes, parts and services are available for work trade, there are plenty of parts to choose from that are available. SLC makes getting on to a new (used) bike as easy and affordable as possible. Stop by our shop to sign up!
Donations!
Our program relies on donations of unwanted bicycles from the community. We are currently accepting donations during our regular hours: Tuesday, Thursday, from 2-6 PM & Saturday and Sunday from 12-6 PM. If you have limited times that you can make a drop-off, please send us an e-mail to make alternate arrangements. We will issue a receipt for your tax-deductible donation at the time of the drop off.
Internships and Youth ClassesAfter school and summer internships are available for older youth, roughly 16-18yrs of age. As an intern, youth will work along side of one of our skilled mechanics in an apprenticeship-style setting. One on one attention allows interns to quickly excel in bicycle mechanics and become immersed in every aspect of running a small business. Working at SLC allows interns quickly develop vocational skills in the area of mechanics, while providing customer service and retail experience. Many interns go on to be hired at SLC or placed in a job with another local bicycle shop.
SLC offers classes for youth (roughly 10 to 18 years of age). Beginners are scheduled in small classes, 1 or 2 days per week depending on interest. Classes use a system-by-system approach to teach cycle mechanics, culminating in a complete tear down and rebuild of a full bicycle. Students learn the ins and outs of wheels, drive trains, bearing surfaces and brakes, and successful students will eventually be able to diagnose and repair every common mechanical issue on a bicycle. Class fees are on a sliding scale.
Youth Class Hours: by appointment only. Groups and individuals are welcome. Please call ahead: 510-644-2577
The Environment
SLC takes extreme measures to promote reuse, recycling, and sustainable transportation. Most of our bikes are donated by private parties or directly diverted from waste management centers around the Bay Area. Bicycles that are destined for landfills are saved by SLC and refurbished into green and affordable means of transportation.

SLC receives lots of donations that simply are too badly damaged and unsafe to reuse. In these cases our diligent work trade participants and students strip the usable parts from the bikes and recycle the valuable metals. In the last year SLC has recycled approximately 4-6 Tons of scrap metal and diverted countless bicycles and bicycle parts from landfills. Have an idea for reusing bicycle tubes or tires? Come down and let us hear all about it.

We invite anyone to join us in our bike shop to discover the self-fulfillment of building or fixing your own bike. Make your bike run more smoothly and make your commute to work more enjoyable! Drop-in Tuesday and Thursday 2-6pm, Saturday and Sunday 12-6pm.


