Who We Are
Adelaide Bike Kitchen (ABK) provides an open space where you can learn to fix your bicycle. We receive donations of bicycles and parts, and hold weekly workshop sessions where volunteers teach you how to maintain your bike (or even build one from scratch!). We also host community dinners, parties, skillshares and other events to bring together like-minded people in Adelaide and celebrate all things bike.
ABK began as a grass roots community organisation, running off donations of time and resources. In our current capacity we are limited in what we can achieve for you – our community!
My name is Cara Archer, a volunteer and committee member of Adelaide Bike Kitchen. My first experience of ABK was as a student, needing a new bike. Walking into the Bike Kitchen knowing nothing about bikes; I walked out not only with a bike that I had managed to fix up thanks to volunteers, but also a connection to an amazing community of people, only too willing to share their knowledge and love for bikes. I’d caught the bike bug, going on to become a volunteer and share this new skill and passion with others. Now with your help, we have the opportunity to spread this amazing bike experience even further.
Unfortunately, as a volunteer run organisation we face barriers to achieving our full potential. We have realised the need to employ staff to manage our operations.
Our Project
To expand our reach ABK would like to launch an exciting new project: Bikes for Good. This project will involve corporate team building workshops in which participants will work together to fix up kids bikes and donated these revived bicycles to kids in need. Workshops will benefit the organisations through staff members gaining meaningful team-building through practical skills, confidence and support to cycle and benefits of active transport on health, wellbeing and productivity. We have partnered with existing charity ‘Bikes for Refugees’ who will enable bikes restored to reach those in need.
To make Bikes for Good a reality we need your help! To realise our goals we need to fund resources, staff and marketing. Primarily we are looking to fund a part time manager position to manage the whole process. Funds raised from this new project will be reinvested into the enterprise, funding the ongoing managerial role and aiding the expanding reach of Adelaide Bike Kitchen. Currently our heavy reliance upon donations and volunteers limits the social impact we can achieve. We believe that adopting these measures would give us the initial capital required to become a sustainable service to our community. This means more opening hours, community events and even the capacity help start more bike kitchens around the state.
Why It Matters
Through weekly workshops, ABK helps approximately 200 people a month get back on their bikes. These sessions use resource and mechanical skill sharing to empower new and existing cyclists. They are an opportunity for people with a vast range of backgrounds to come together on a common interest. Beyond bicycle mechanics, users benefit from being involved in a supportive, active community. This builds social fabric and a positive cycling culture in Adelaide, further supporting increased bike use. Thus, Adelaide Bike Kitchen is an important step towards alleviating social isolation. Research demonstrates that the negative health implications of social isolation are equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, or consuming more than six alcoholic drinks daily. The fact that new arrivals are particularly at risk of these effects informs our bike gifting program. Providing bikes for refugees not only meets their transport needs but allows them to experience all the other benefits of cycling.
How Can I Help?
Make your pledge and enjoy the rewards! If you like what we’re about share this page with your friends and spread the word to get this project off the ground.
Your pledge to help start Bikes for Good will not only help get kids bikes out to those in need but also help grow the Adelaide Bike Kitchen Community, empowering new and existing cyclist and making a change in your community.
