The Hub of Detroit offers a range of year-round programs for youth and adults.

Our youth programs include…

Earn-A-Bike

Youth Earn-A-Bike sessions are where youth ages 8-16 are able to earn a single bicycle of their choosing by building and repairing this bicycle with our qualified staff and volunteers for three (3) Earn-A-Bike sessions. Each session is approximately three (3) hours in length, and they are generally held on weekend mornings during the summer. This program is part of the free Back Alley Bikes programming that is supported  in major part by contributions from The DALMAC Fund (Thanks TCBA!), funds from The Hub of Detroit bike shop, and our wonderful community of volunteers!

Mechanics in Training

The Mechanics In Training program is targeted at older youth (age 16-18) who are interested in further developing their bicycle maintenance skills. Mechanics in Training participants gain valuable mechanical training, as well as job skills, in a real-world climate where both are at a premium. Eligible youth are encouraged to apply during the spring, and are expected to assist Back Alley Bikes staff and volunteers with the Youth Earn-A-Bike program in addition to their mechanic duties for The Hub of Detroit. This program is part of the free Back Alley Bikes programming that is supported  in major part by contributions from The DALMAC Fund (Thanks TCBA!), funds from The Hub of Detroit bike shop, and our wonderful community of volunteers!

Holiday Kids Bikes Giveaway

In late fall our qualified staff and volunteers start work on collected bicycles with 20″ wheels and smaller, in order to get these bikes to families who have small children in time for the holiday season. We try to work with community organizations that have existing youth-oriented goals and programming to ensure that bikes get into the community, and if you think that your organization might be interested in exploring a partnership with Back Alley Bikes, please contact us!

Programming for Adults includes…

Learn-a-Bike

Learn-a-Bike is our eight-week long introduction to bicycle mechanics session that runs and repeats on a rolling basis throughout the year. Learn-a-Bike participants cover material from how to fix flats to how to tighten hubs and true wheels. In our past experiences, many Learn-a-Bike participants in the past have not had access to some of the bicycle-specific tools (chain tool, for example). We list a program cost at $40/participant to cover the cost of a specially formulated tool-kit that The Hub puts together to give Learn-a-Bike graduates the physical tools to take home and complement the mental tools they have developed throughout the session. We recognize that interested parties may not want to pay $40 for a tool kit  and include a place to reflect this on our registration forms. This program is part of Back Alley Bikes programming that is primarily supported by funds from The Hub of Detroit bike shop.

Volunteer nights

Volunteer nights are held from 6-8pm on Wednesday and Thursday nights and help us keep our space considerations appropriately organized as well as provide interested parties with an accessible environment for getting to know our organization, staff, and other volunteers. Volunteers participate in sign-in and sign-out procedures, and can be involved in anything from helping our staff complete safety checks on bikes about to be put on the showroom floor down at The Hub of Detroit to processing recent Back Alley Bikes donations and moving physical goods. Volunteers interested in establishing and maintaining a time commitment may be interested in our Allies Program, as well.

Allies of The Hub

After completing 20 hours of volunteering, volunteers become eligible for our Allies Program. This is Back Alley Bikes newest program, and provides those interested and able in  making a sustained commitment of at least four (4) hours per week of volunteer time with tool space and time resources as an incentive for their continued participation. Please inquire about this program in person.