Upcycle Bikes

What Upcycle Bikes does

Upcycle Bikes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2022 and headquartered at 818 Butterworth Street SW in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Its core function is acquiring donated adult bicycles, refurbishing them, and distributing them at no cost to adults with financial constraints as a form of affordable transportation, with each bike bundled with a helmet, lights, and reflectors. The organization serves recipients across use cases including employment commutes, education, healthcare appointments, and grocery access, and distributes bikes both directly from its shop and through named partner organizations such as Dwelling Place and the Grand Rapids Trans Foundation.

The product portfolio is centered on the no-cost bike program and is supported by a "Repairs & Resources" service, a "Bikes for Sale" line for refurbished inventory not placed in the no-cost program, and the annual "Pedals for Progress" fundraising event. The technology stack is operational rather than digital: refurbishment is performed by volunteers at the Grand Rapids shop, accepting used adult bike donations Monday–Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the public face is a Squarespace-hosted website and email newsletter.

The business model is donation-driven rather than revenue-generating from the core product. Bikes are given away free of charge, and the organization is funded through charitable donations, fundraising events (including the $250+ Tune-Up for a Cause experience and the Pedals for Progress gala, which drew 230 supporters in 2024), and grant funding. The organization is led by co-founder Matt Jaglowski as Executive Director following an April 27, 2026 leadership transition in which co-founder Rick Armbruster moved into a special projects manager role, with Steve Buccella serving as Board President. The organization distributes more than 1,200 refurbished bikes annually to individuals in need.

Name

Upcycle Bikes

Legal name

Upcycle Bikes

Website

https://upcyclebikes.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Upcycle Bikes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Grand Rapids, Michigan that refurbishes donated adult bicycles and distributes them at no cost to adults with financial constraints, supported by repair services, bike sales, and the annual Pedals for Progress fundraising event.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community transportation services

NAICS

Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance (8114)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Repair Services (7600)

akta.pro primary industry

Used & Refurbished Bike Retail (CRAMAHAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Material Reuse & Upcycling Services (Non-recycling Transformation) (EUAIANAJ), Bike Service, Repair & Maintenance Shops (CRAMAHAH), Cycling & Bike Retail (Sales, Service & Accessories) (CRAMABAH)

Keywords

• Bicycle refurbishment services
• Community transportation access
• Nonprofit bike donation
• Affordable mobility programs
• Bicycle repair services

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and fundraising: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Upcycle Bikes operates through charitable donations, fundraising events (such as Pedals for Progress), and grant funding rather than product revenue. Bikes are provided free of charge to recipients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Upcycle Bikes refurbishes donated adult bicycles and distributes them at no cost to individuals with financial constraints, bundling each bike with a helmet, lights, and reflectors. Supporting offerings include community repair services, a small inventory of refurbished bikes for low-cost sale, and fundraising events such as Pedals for Progress. The operation is volunteer-powered and runs out of a single shop in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Product overview

Upcycle Bikes is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of bike-related services centered on providing affordable and accessible transportation. The core offering is No-Cost Bikes — refurbished adult bikes distributed at no charge to individuals with financial constraints, complete with safety equipment. This core product is supported by Repairs & Resources and Bikes for Sale services. The organization also runs Pedals for Progress, an annual fundraising event.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• No-Cost Bikes

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,200 refurbished bikes distributed annually to individuals in need
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Goei CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 September 2026Event venue partner for Pedals for Progress 2026 fundraising gala on September 24, 2026 from 6-8:30 PM at the Goei Center in Grand Rapids.
• Dwelling PlacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDwelling Place is a nonprofit housing provider and distribution partner of Upcycle Bikes. Through this partnership, Isiah and other Dwelling Place residents receive bikes at no cost as part of the transportation assistance provided to residents.
• Grand Rapids Trans Foundation (GRTF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRTF is a transportation-focused nonprofit that connects community members to vital resources. Through their TRANSportation program, Willow and other individuals receive bikes at no cost from Upcycle Bikes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bikes for the World: Nonprofit that collects surplus and used bikes, refurbishes them, and ships them to developing-world partners. Comparable donate-refurbish-redistribute model with similar donation-driven revenue.
• Bikes Not Bombs: Boston-area nonprofit that uses the bicycle as a vehicle for social change, refurbishing donated bikes for distribution locally and abroad via partner organizations. Direct peer in refurbishment-and-redistribution nonprofit model.
• Working Bikes: Chicago-based nonprofit that refurbishes donated bicycles and distributes them locally and globally to communities in need of transportation. Nearly identical operating model (donate-refurbish-distribute) as Upcycle Bikes, making it a direct functional peer.
• The Bike Project: UK charity that refurbishes donated bikes and gives them away to refugees, asylum seekers, and people in need. Same donate-refurbish-redistribute model serving a similar financially-constrained population.
• Revolutions Community Bicycle Shop: Volunteer-powered community bike shop in the Triangle (NC) that refurbishes used bikes and offers earn-a-bike and bike repair programs. Directly comparable in combining refurbishment with community education and volunteer labor.
• DreamBikes: Nonprofit that refurbishes donated bicycles and provides them to individuals in need while training at-risk youth in bike mechanics. Directly comparable refurbishment-and-redistribution program with social mission overlay.
• Community Cycles: Boulder, CO nonprofit bike shop that refurbishes donated bicycles for sale and provides repairs, with a focus on community access. Closely comparable nonprofit retail/repair model.

Regional players

• Bike Detroit: Detroit-based nonprofit bike shop with similar refurbishment and community-access programs. Regional peer offering comparable services in a different Michigan/Midwest geography.

Emerging players

• Free Bikes 4 Kidz: Nonprofit collecting and refurbishing bicycles for distribution to kids in need. Adjacent peer with overlapping refurbishment model but a youth-focused target population, complementary rather than directly competitive.

Broad incumbents

• Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota: Statewide bicycle advocacy and education nonprofit with broader scope including policy, education, and community programs. Adjacent incumbent operating in the bike-for-community-impact space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/upcyclebikesgr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upcyclebikesgr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Upcycle Bikes