The Community Bike Shop
The Yellow Bike Community Bike Shops are available as educational facilities open to anyone who wants to learn about fixing and riding bikes. At the Yellow Bike Shop, we don’t fix your bike for you; instead, we show you how to fix it yourself.
Our Webberville shop has 12 fully equipped workstations that are checked out on a first-come first-serve basis; come early to ensure you get a spot as these shops are always busy. For current shops and schedules visit our schedule page.
Yellow Bike Coordinator teaching bike repair at the old 51st Street Shop. Photo by Blake Gordon
OPEN SHOP (see schedule page for hours) – Personal projects are allowed during Open Shop times. You don’t have to know how to fix bikes to use the shop, but you do need patience and an ability to work with minimal assistance.
During our open shop hours you can bring in your bike, and Coordinators (volunteer mechanics) will help you through the process of repairing it. Children under 16 who haven’t completed our kid’s shop must be accompanied by an adult that will work on their bike with them. Read more about options for getting a bike for personal use on the Get your own bike page.
If you need any parts to complete your bike repair, we have used parts that you can get in exchange for a small donation. We also have a limited supply of new parts like inexpensive tires, tubes, chains, brake/gear housing and inner wire, patch kits, blinky lights, and the occasional bottom bracket or headset.
VOLUNTEER SHOP (see schedule page for hours) – During Volunteer Shops, the shop is reserved for community projects. While access to tools and facilities are free for everyone, this all-volunteer organization can’t exist unless those who use the shop for personal use volunteer time back to YBP. We need volunteers to help out with things like repairing donated bikes, sorting/organizing parts and donations, stripping down old bikes, cleaning the shop, coordinating shops, and more. If you’re unsure of what you can do to give back, our coordinators are happy to help you find ways you can contribute.
COMMUNITY SERVICE RESTITUTION (CSR) – If you have been instructed by the court to do community service restitution, you can take care of those hours in a fun and educational environment at our shops. Just show up any time the shop is open, and we’ll put you to work. Hours that count towards court-ordered community service don’t count towards becoming a collective member, but it sure is more fun than cleaning toilets at the ARCH! And of course once you’re done with the courts, we’d love to see you back in the shop to volunteer or just to get on a bike.