It’s official, our 31st Annual Bike-A-Thon will be on Sunday, June 10th, 2018! There are 4 routes to choose from again this year: 10, 30, 50, and 100 miles. Keep checking our website for updates about Rider Registration, Sponsorship Opportunities, and more. We can’t wait to ride with you for social change!

Our youth instructors have been hard at work honing their mechanical skills in our Advanced Mechanics program with the careful guidance of Pathways Coordinator Evan and Youth Programs Manager Will. The new curriculum emphasizes hands on learning with a focus on enabling the youth instructors to build up bikes that will eventually be sold at our Bike Shop and Training Center. The program provides youth staff with the opportunity to become more proficient Earn-A-Bike instructors and to learn how to refurbish and repair bikes at our Bike Shop.

Check out our website in early February for Adult Instructor Training and Earn-A-Bike applications for our Spring programming set to take off in March. Girls in Action will be starting in May.

Youth Staff Member of the Month is Andry Nuñez!
We want to recognize Andry for his dedication to his work and his drive to learn. Andry has been a leader among his peers in the Advanced Mechanics program. He frequently takes the initiative to solve any technical problems he encounters and is always ready to provide mechanical assistance for a peer in need. Great job, Andry!

Help us load a container to send to Cycloville on Sunday, February 25th anytime between 9am and 6pmat the BNB Warehouse by registering here! Cyclovilleis a network of cyclists and bicycle shops in Nairobi, Kenya that is working to grow the bicycle industry of Kenya, to create employment for young people, to engage more women in cycling, and to build a critical mass of cyclists to organize for policy and infrastructure change.

We’re seeking a full-time Bike Shop Program Manager who will be responsible for all shop functions, including integrating sales, service, vocational training and community engagement into a clear and cohesive vision. The Bike Shop Program Manager complete job description and application links can be found here.

We’re seeking a part-time Grants and Events Coordinator who is an experienced grant writer to help implement our foundation funding strategy for International and Youth Development Programs by assisting with foundation research, developing a grants calendar, writing grants and letters of inquiry, and helping with events and other Development projects as needed. The Grants and Events Coordinator complete job description and application links can be found here.

The BNB Board of Directors met on January 25th, 2018, for the Annual Board Member Meeting where our 2018 Budget was approved.

Allie Hunter McDade, who served for 6 years, the last 4 as Chair; Xenia Pantos, who served for a year as Clerk; and Allistair Mallillin, who served for 2 years, have left due to other commitments. We wish them well in their future endeavors and appreciate their individual and collective contributions as Board Members, including restructuring Board Member commitment, strategic planning, fundraising, risk management, and managing the Executive Director transition.

During the Annual Meeting, Board Members voted for new officers effective immediately: Patrick Cutrona is the Board Chair; Ronald (R.J.) Cross is the Vice Chair; Joseph Lieber is the Clerk. Lee Archung continues to hold the Treasurer position.

We are still considering applications to join our dynamic Board of Directors. We are particularly seeking candidates with experience in nonprofit financial management, fundraising, and human resources. People with a strong connection to our programs, mission, and the communities we serve are encouraged to apply. The Board Member application form with instructions on how to apply is available here.

Check out our Bike Shop for some amazing winter deals! All 2017 new bikes are 20% off and the Complete Overhaul Tune-Up package is $150 (that’s a savings of $50) through February! Our Bike Shop staff is busy refurbishing hundreds of bikes while we get ready for spring, with new spring hours coming soon!

We are seeking Bike Shop volunteers with in depth mechanical experience, and/or experience supervising youth in a bicycle workshop setting. BNB volunteers earn credit by the hour, which can be cashed in for used parts, frames, or even whole bikes. Please email us at [email protected] if you’re interested.

J.P. was doored 2 weeks before biking in his first BNB Bike-A-Thon last year, and went to our Bike Shop to make sure his helmet was okay. Since then, J.P. has been a consistent and amazing volunteer who participates in flattening bikes at Thursday Volunteer Nights, helping at Container Loadings, and assisting Director of Operations Eric with Bike Collections! J.P. grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and got used to urban cycling while living in Chicago for 9 years, where he donated bikes to nonprofit West Town Bikes. What he enjoys most about volunteering with BNB is working collectively with a diverse group of people with whom he can enjoy a good time. He also likes the concrete nature of working on a bike that goes overseas and learning more about BNB. Thank you so much for all of your hard work, J.P.!

Suzanne has been an unwavering monthly donor since attending our Building Momentum Breakfast in 2014. She has been building and riding bikes as a source of joy and transportation for a long time, and supports BNB to encourage others to experience the bicycle’s many powers. The Director of Academic Engagement and Community Action at Emerson College, Suzanne says, “BNB’s focus on the capacity of individuals and communities historically underrepresented or marginalized aligns with my own personal and professional commitments to social justice. My heart soars whenever a group of BNB youth riders passes me on the Southwest Corridor, or when I read updates from partners abroad about how they’re using bicycles to transform their communities. Being connected to BNB through our shared passion continually teaches me about justice, freedom, and mobility and my own potential as an agent of change in organized solidarity with others.”
We truly appreciate donors like Suzanne, whose passionate commitment makes our work possible.

We’re hiring! Please help us spread the word about our openings.

Development Manager – Works to increase the organization’s visibility and cultivates, stewards and expands the relationships between Bikes Not Bombs and its donors at all levels.
Youth Programs Director – Oversees the development and implementation of all BNB programs for youth (ages 12-24) and deepens our impact in local communities throughout the Greater Boston area.
Repair Mechanic – Will have a strong base of mechanic skills and repair experience, as well as great customer service skills, ability to share knowledge with others and provide a welcoming retail experience.

Join BNB at Flatbread Somerville on August 15thfrom 5-9pm! A portion of every pizza you purchase will support our youth, international and bike shop programs. We’ll also have a raffle with some amazing prizes!

RSVP on the Facebook event and invite your friends!

We’ve got new hours! We will be closed on Mondays for the rest of the summer. Our new hours are: Sunday 12-5pm, Monday Closed, Tuesday 11-7pm, Wednesday 8-8pm, Thursday 11-7pm, Friday 11-7pm, Saturday 10-6pm.

We’ve got lots of new products in the Shop, and of course our huge selection of used parts and refurbished bikes. Come by to take a look!

Upcoming Clinics:
Thurs 7/13 7-8pm Flat Fixing
Tues 7/18 7-9pm AEAB Alumni Night
Tues 7/25 7-8pm Basic Repair & Maintenance

Three of our staff members are onto new and exciting things!

After 9 years in a variety of roles, Jeremy Hanson-Gutierrez is leaving his position as Co-Director of Youth Programs. Jeremy shared, “It has truly been an honor to work alongside you as colleagues, community members, comrades and friends. I am incredibly proud of all we have accomplished. While I am not yet sure of my next steps, I know I will take some time to honor the memory of my mother and be more present with family than I have been able to be so far. Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for everything we’ve worked together on.”

Chelsea DeSantis is moving to her hometown in Rhode Island to be closer to family. Chelsea first joined Bikes Not Bombs as a member of the Bike-A-Thon team and shortly after joined full-time as a Shop Mechanic where she has run the Adult Earn-A-Bike program for the last year.

After 3 years as our Communications Manager Natalie Brady is moving to Washington state for a new adventure. Most recently she led the Bike-A-Thon team for our 30th event and has also worked to improve our E-Newsletter, create new features on our website and increase the reach of BNB.

We wish Natalie, Chelsea and Jeremy the best and thank them for their years of hard work. We are currently hiring for a Development Manager, Repair Mechanic and Youth Programs Director.

Janei first started volunteering a month ago but has quickly become a regular face at BNB. She first heard about BNB through her cousin who participated in Youth Programs. Janei is always willing to help with whatever BNB needs, anything from shredding paper to lifting boxes to data entry. Thank you, and GO_JANEI!

We’ve got two sessions of Summer Earn-A-Bike rapidly approaching! Fill out an application today for either session.

Summer 1 will be July 10th to July 27th and Summer 2 will be July 31st to August 17th, both run Monday – Friday 2pm – 6pm.

Come help load a container to Village Bicycle Project in Sierra Leone on Sunday, July 9th from 9am to 6pm. Feel free to come by for an hour or stay all day. We appreciate RSVPs in advance!

This is the first container we’ve loaded to Sierra Leone since 2013!

We’re looking for bike mechanics to help out on a full-time seasonal basis, check out our job posting.

We’re looking for previous experience in a bike shop setting but all interested candidates are encouraged to apply. Please help spread the word!

Come get your bike tuned up and ready to go for the season, or check out our selection of bikes for sale if you need a new ride. We’ve got a variety of new bikes from Bianchi and Raleigh in addition to our selection of tuned-up used and refurbished bikes.

Did you ride our Bike-A-Thon and wonder how you could get one of our stylish cycling jerseys? We’re doing a new limited run of this classic yellow and black jersey. If you’d like to pre-order to guarantee you get one, please call the Shop at 617-522-0226.

Upcoming Clinics:
Mon 6/19 7-9pm AEAB Alumni Night
Tues 6/20 7-8pm Flat Fixing
Tues 6/27 7-8pm Basic Repair & Maintenance
Mon 7/10 7-9pm Femmechanics

 On June 21st attend the Laugh While You Can Comedy Benefit Show at the Midway Cafe! The show runs from 6-8pm and tickets are $10, buy online.

Tuesday July 11th 5:30pm to close, eat at Tres Gatos in JP and a 10% of all sales will benefit Bikes Not Bombs! Make a reservation today.

Mark your calendar, on Tuesday August 15th we’ll be at Flatbread Somerville in Davis Sq. for a benefit night!

Bernardo is an avid cyclist who encourages other young people to cycle and use their bike as a source of transportation, and has been such a help to Youth Programs that we can’t imagine last Spring without him. On top of his amazing cycling and wheelie skills, Bernardo is a trustworthy mechanic. He helped lead safety checks on all of the Girls In Action participants’ bikes before graduation and is frequently requested at our weekly Bike-In. Most importantly Bernardo is a kind spirit that strives to bring peace to the world. Thank you Bernie!

Less than 2 months remain before our 30th Annual Bike-A-Thon! We are working hard to make this event better than ever, and hope that YOU will be there with us.

The Bike-A-Thon is our largest event and fundraiser of the year, and helps support all of our programs to operate year-round.

Register online, at our Hub or Shop or try and find us at upcoming events around the city!

Our 2017 session of Girls In Action is coming up! Girls 12-18 can apply to learn about mechanics, riding, fitness, safety and environmental activities. The next session will be May 1st – June 1st, Mon – Thurs 4-7pm, culminating in riding the Bike-A-Thon!

Applications are available online, or at our Hub. Questions? Contact Jerrone Elliot at 617-522-0222×102 or email [email protected].

We’re open 7 days a week! We just started our new hours last week, stop by Mon, Tues and Fri 11-7pm, Wed or Thurs 8-8pm, Sat 10-6pm or Sun 12-5pm.

We’re hiring a Full-Time Mechanic to join the team. Please help us spread the word about this position, or apply yourself!

Upcoming Clinics:
Wed 4/11 7-8pm Basic Repair & Maintenance
Mon 5/8 7-9pm Femmechanics
Mon 5/1 7-9pm AEAB Alumni Night

The clothing sale is back! We’re clearing out our warehouse and have jerseys, bibs. jackets & more, all priced to sell.

The sale will be Saturday May 6th from 3-5PM at the BNB Hub, bring cash. All clothing priced $5 – $20.

In addition to some brand new and one of a kind clothing items we will have a few parts and accessories, come early!

After almost 5 years our Director of Fundraising, Erica Rotman, is moving on to new adventures. Erica supported BNB through our 4 most successful Bike-A-Thons ever, expanded our major donor program and brought BNB into a new level of financial sustainability.

Erica is off for a West Coast bike tour before returning to Boston. Thank you Erica for your enthusiasm and hard work!

We’re looking for someone to take over Erica’s role, please spread the word about our Senior Director of Fundraising and Operations job listing!

We have a favor to ask. Help us earn a free ad in the Globe just by showing your support. Simply go to BostonGlobe.com/GRANT and enter your subscriber information and the name and location of our organization before April 30, 2017. It only takes a minute, and helps us reach more people!

Gary first found out about Bikes Not Bombs after donating bikes he rescued from the side of the road! Since then, Gary has become a regular Thursday Night Volunteer. He most enjoys flattening bikes as it gives him a chance to see some of the really interesting and unique bikes we receive. When asked why he continues to volunteer Gary said, “I like to picture someone taking that bike and using it, instead of it going into the trash. It makes a difference.” Thank you Gary!

Midnight Marathon Bike Ride – It’s back! Ride the Boston Marathon route car free starting Sunday April 16th. More details for this 9th Annual Event on Facebook.

People’s Climate March – Marches across the country are showing the wold that we will stand up for our communities and climate. We’ll be heading to the DC march, but there will also be one in Boston on Saturday April 29th.

Boston Neighborhood Bike Forum – Join with Boston residents on Saturday April 29th to connect, share, learn and envision what biking could be in our neighborhoods.

Bikes Not Bombs is pleased to announce that Elijah Evans will be joining us as our new Executive Director. Elijah has a lifelong commitment to social justice and has the passion, vision, and leadership skills to bring BNB to new levels of success and growth.

Please join Bikes Not Bombs in warmly welcoming Elijah as the new Executive Director at a public welcome celebration hosted by BNB Board Member Amy Wilson and her husband David August on Wednesday, April 5th from 6-8pm at their home located at 5 Alveston Street, Jamaica Plain.

RSVP and read the full announcement on our website.

Registration is now open for our 30th Bike-A-Thon on June 4th! We’re proud to offer our first ever Century Ride (100 miles) along with 10, 30 and 50 mile routes this year. Registration is half-priced throughout the month of March, so sign up today!

Check out the new route, learn more and register!

Our 2016 Annual Report is out! Check out the online version, or download the PDF. We also have limited paper copies available at our Hub, or via mail by request.

Thank you to everyone who helped us throughout 2016, we had a great year full of growth and improvement in our many programs.

Please share our job openings to qualified candidates!

Senior Director of Development & Operations – Responsible for the fundraising, communications, operations and events at Bikes Not Bombs
Repair Mechanic – Diagnose and repair bicycles, interact with customers, selling bicycles, accessories, and repair service

TONIGHT is our One Brick Boston Social – Starting at 6:00pm we will mix and mingle at Doyle’s Cafe in Jamaica Plain with our friends from One Brick Boston. Please RSVP to confirm your space.

Apply for EAB and GIA – Applications for Earn-A-Bike (EAB) and Girls In Action (GIA) are available on our website or at the Hub or Bike Shop. EAB will be from March 27th – April 27thrunning Monday – Thursday 4-7pm and Girls In Action will be from May 1st – June 1st running Monday – Thursday 4-7pm..

Laptops, chairs, tables and more needed – We need some supplies for our space! Please check out our website for donation requests.

Boston Globe Subscribers – Help us earn a free Globe ad just by showing your support. Simply go to BostonGlobe.com/GRANT and enter your subscriber information and the name and location of our organization before April 30, 2017. It only takes a minute, and it doesn’t cost you a dime.

BNB Visits East Africa – International Programs Director, Charlotte Fagan, is currently in East Africa visiting Cycloville and meeting with potential partner organizations. While visiting Cycloville, Charlotte is conducting evaluation interviews, leading strategic planning conversations, and participating in the 2nd Annual Women’s Bike Forum. After visiting Cycloville she will travel to Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania to meet with organizations to explore partnership opportunities. Check out the BNB website and social media for updates!

Upcoming Clinics at the Bike Shop – Clinics are back for the season! Join us!
Thurs 3/9 7-9pm Flat Fixing Clinic
Mon 3/13 7-9pm Femmechanics
Thurs 3/23 7-9pm Basic Maintenance & Repair
Mon 4/3 7-9pm AEAB Alumni Night