Can I get community service hours for volunteering with Africycle?
Yes! Students who would like to earn their hours by helping out with the recycle-a-bike program are welcome to come and help out at the hub.
Do you fix the bikes before they are sent to Africa?
No, when we collect the donated bikes they are screened to find the most sutiable bikes for Africa. Those bikes are then packed into the container in the condition in which they were received. Once in Africa, the bikes are repaired by the employees of the shop in Malawi.
How do the bikes get to Africa?
Bikes are collected throughout Ontario, and are then brought to our storage facility in Uxbridge. Once enough bikes are collected, the bikes are then packed into a 40 foot shipping container and sent by ocean to a port on the coast of Africa. From the port, the container is then trucked the rest of the way to its final destination.
I don’t really know anything about bikes, what can I do to help?
There is so much people can do to help, often far more than one might realize. Ask yourself what do you enjoy, what are you good at? If your not sure, ask your friends and you might just find the answer to this question more easily than you thought.
Is Africycle part of a larger organization?
Africycle was started by a group of youth from Uxbridge, and has evolved as an independent organization run by the trustees of Africycle.
Why do you send bicycles, why not buy them in Africa?
The bicycles that are readily available in Africa are poor quality imports, with very old brake and gear systems. The bikes Africycle is able to send from Canada are much higher quality, far more durable and will last much longer, despite their arriving in Africa used. The cost per bike is far less to send bikes to Africa from North America, then it would be to buy the bikes brand new in Africa. Used bicycles are not available for purchase, as bikes are used to its FULL potential in Africa.
What is Ride for Africycle?
Ride for Africycle is an annual fundraising cycling trip that has traditionally included a one lap thrill ride of The Great Lake, Ontario. The Ride was started 6 years ago by a group of friends in Peterborough, Ontario, and has become a much anticipated event on the Africycle Calendar. Ride for Africycle is entering a wee hiatus . . . keep an eye out, it will be back!