MIke's Bikes Takes Mission to Africa

Since the 1960's, Mike's Bikes in San Rafael has encouraged residents to embrace the bike-riding lifestyle. Although busy spreading their philosophy of cycling as a healthy, sustainable transportation option from San Rafael to Palo Alto, the owners of the Bay Area chain decided a few years ago to take their bicycle mission a bit farther — all the way to Africa.

"2007 was our first inkling that we wanted to do something like this," said Mike's Bikes co-owner Ken Martin of the Africa Project, a nonprofit that helps Africans open bicycle shops in their towns.   

"We realized there's a ton of organizations that give away bikes in Africa for free," said Matt Adams, another Mike's Bikes co-owner.  "[But] there's no support once the bike gets in those hands…so a lot of times the bikes end up getting abandoned."

Not satisfied that bicycles would be discarded if a flat tire or mechanical problem arose, Adams and Martin decided to create a resource where people could not only obtain bikes, but also receive bicycle repairs and support.

Through the help of acquaintances working with existing bicycle organizations in Africa, the Mike's Bikes partners identify eager and professional candidates to run the sister shops. Once an owner is chosen, the Africa Project team ships around 400 bicycles to the new business. Adams said he and Martin typically fly to the new location to put the bikes together and train the owner before the store opens. 

The owner is then left to sell his first set of bikes, providing the capital to keep the shop running while Mike's Bikes employees stay busy collecting more used bicycles in their communities back home.

"The big picture is to try to set up a sustainable bike distribution channel," Adams said. "People walk miles and miles and miles to get to work…it's kind of the ideal tool for transportation."

The shops target middle class residents unable to afford cars.  However, these citizens can afford inexpensive bikes to help them get places like work, school and markets, Martin said. 

Currently, Mike's Bikes has two sister shops in Africa – one in Botswana and the other in Namibia. The Namibia location is so rural that, unable to rent a retail space, the owner converted the bicycle shipping container into his shop.

Martin said the goal is to open a new store each year, although two new sister shops might be in the works for both this year and next.

"We believe a bike can change the world," Martin said.  "And in some parts of the world it can change it more profoundly."

 To keep these stores going, Adams said every Mike's Bikes employee plays a role in spreading the word and collecting bikes during the never-ending bike drives at each of the eight Mike's Bikes locations. Monetary donations are also accepted, as it costs an estimated $25,000 to ship and assemble the bikes and train the shopkeeper.

Adams said he believes the San Rafael community has helped make this project successful, mainly because it is such a bike-centric town.

"They see the value of what putting a bike in someone's hands can do," Adams said.  "A lot of people here, that resonates for them."

For more information, visit: http://mikesbikes.com/about/mikes-bikes-africa-pg686.htm