Bike School
Basic bike education and training programs offered at Bikes Not Bombs.
To view our 2022 Bike School program calendar and program dates, please click here.
Applications for Bike Institute are currently closed.
Program Schedule: Saturdays, 1-4 PM
Bike Institute is a 30-hour training program for youth (14+) and adults who are interested in:
- Acquiring bike mechanics skills
- Earning their own refurbished bicycle
- Learning about bike safety, proper helmet and bike fitting
- Gaining experience working with our Youth Programs, our Bike Shop, or recycling and international shipping efforts
- Becoming a Volunteer Bike School Apprentice
No experience in biking or mechanics is necessary to apply and every program graduate will ride away on their very own refurbished bicycle!
We highly recommend that all adults looking to volunteer in BNB Youth Programs complete our Bike Institute program. We aim to recruit program graduates to serve as volunteers.
How to Apply
Apply for Bike Institute online, or you can fill out the form onsite at our bike shop. To qualify for enrollment, the application must be submitted in full and program fees paid no later than one week before the start of the program. Program fees are $50 - $100, on a sliding scale (you decide how much you can pay). If you are unable to afford the class fee, you can submit a request for a fee waiver. This will not affect whether or not you are accepted to the course.
BNB primarily serves BIPOC applicants living in Greater Boston in systematically excluded/marginalized neighborhoods, as outlined in our Strategic Plan. Additionally, Bikes Not Bombs prioritizes youth applicants between 14 and 25 years old.
If you have any questions please contact Bike School Coordinator, Tess Stogner at 617-522-0222 or email tess@bikesnotbombs.org.
Applications for Earn-A-Bike are currently closed.
Program Schedule: TBD
Earn-A-Bike is a learning and earning bicycle program for youth aged 12-18. Over the course of the program (five weeks during the school year or three weeks during the summer), participants will completely overhaul a bicycle while learning how to safely ride and navigate the City of Boston. During mechanics lessons, participants will learn how to repair parts of the bicycle; then they’ll roll up their sleeves and do it themselves. On group bike rides, participants will learn the ins and outs of Boston’s system of bike lanes and paths, riding to and from parks, basketball courts, and local businesses.
There are no lectures in Earn-A-Bike: you pick out a bike (choose from mountain, road, or BMX bikes), you learn how to rebuild it. If you’ve earned enough credits, you get to keep it!
How to Apply
Apply for Earn-A-Bike online, or you can fill out the form onsite at our bike shop. To qualify for enrollment, the application must be submitted in full and program fees paid no later than one week before the start of the program. Program fees are $50 - $100, on a sliding scale (you decide how much you can pay). If you are unable to afford the class fee, you can submit a request for a fee waiver. This will not affect whether or not you are accepted to the course.
There are a limited number of spots available in Earn-A-Bike. Applicants are chosen based on application date and the applicant’s availability and willingness to commit. Additionally, BNB primarily serves BIPOC applicants living in Greater Boston in systematically excluded/marginalized neighborhoods, as outlined in our Strategic Plan.
If you have any questions please contact Bike School Coordinator, Tess Stogner at 617-522-0222 or email tess@bikesnotbombs.org.
Applications for On-The-Bike are currently closed.
Program Schedule: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 1-4 PM
On-The-Bike is a program for youth aged 12-18 who are looking to:
- Complete daily bike rides, gradually increasing in distance over time
- Learn about bike safety, proper helmet and bike fitting
- Learn bike riding and commuting skills
- Learn and execute basic bike maintenance tasks such as flat fixing and adjusting wheels, brakes, and gears
- Grow awareness of their own basic social justice values and how they want to see them reflected in their community
Those with no experience in biking or mechanics are encouraged to apply; this program is meant for you! Every program graduate will ride away on their very own refurbished bicycle and helmet!
How to Apply
Apply for On-The-Bike online, or you can fill out the form onsite at our bike shop. To qualify for enrollment, the application must be submitted in full and program fees paid no later than one week before the start of the program. Program fees are $50 - $100, on a sliding scale (you decide how much you can pay). If you are unable to afford the class fee, you can submit a request for a fee waiver. This will not affect whether or not you are accepted to the course.
BNB primarily serves BIPOC applicants living in Greater Boston in systematically excluded/marginalized neighborhoods, as outlined in our Strategic Plan.
If you have any questions please contact Bike School Coordinator, Tess Stogner at 617-522-0222 or email tess@bikesnotbombs.org.
Applications for Sisters In Action are currently closed.
Program Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4-7pm
Sisters In Action (SIA) is BNB’s program for female-identifying and nonbinary people. SIA is a 30-hour program where students learn how to refurbish a bicycle that they have the opportunity to take home after graduation. The program creates a community for people to feel comfortable in a historically male-dominated space, and students also have discussions on a variety of topics, such as how to negotiate your salary or respond to microaggressions.
Those with little-to-no experience in biking or mechanics are encouraged to apply; this program is meant for you!
How to Apply
Apply for Sisters In Action online, or you can fill out the form onsite at our bike shop. To qualify for enrollment, the application must be submitted in full and program fees paid no later than one week before the start of the program. Program fees are $50 - $100, on a sliding scale (you decide how much you can pay). If you are unable to afford the class fee, you can submit a request for a fee waiver. This will not affect whether or not you are accepted to the course.
BNB primarily serves BIPOC applicants living in Greater Boston in systematically excluded/marginalized neighborhoods, as outlined in our Strategic Plan. Additionally, Bikes Not Bombs prioritizes youth applicants between 14 and 25 years old.
If you have any questions please contact Bike School Coordinator, Tess Stogner at 617-522-0222 or email tess@bikesnotbombs.org.