re-Cycles

re-Cycles is a volunteer-run bike co-op on Catherine Street, just west of the Percy Street bike path. They take in donated bicycles — any condition, even rusty — repair the ones they can, and sell them back to the community at low cost. What can't be saved gets stripped for parts and recycled as scrap. Nothing goes to waste.

The important thing to know: this is not a regular bike shop. They won't fix your bike for you. What they will do is give you a workstand, the tools, and someone who knows what they're doing standing next to you while you figure it out. That's the whole point — you learn, you fix it, you ride home on something you understand a little better than before.

When to show up

Want to buy a bike? Come on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday evening between 6 and 9 pm, or Saturday afternoon from 11 am to 3 pm. Stock changes constantly — what's there on Tuesday might be gone by Thursday. Mountain bikes are the most common, but road bikes, hybrids, cruisers, and the occasional folding bike come through too.

Want to fix your own bike? Evening hours are the time. A head mechanic is on duty Tuesday through Thursday, 6 to 9 pm. Bring your bike, tell them what's wrong, and they'll walk you through the repair. There's no assisted DIY during daytime hours.

Want to drop off a donation? Any time they're open. Ride it in, carry it in, doesn't matter what shape it's in. If you have more than ten bikes, give them a heads up so they can make room.

Want to browse parts? Used parts are available whenever the shop is open. Cables, brake pads, wheels, cranks — the selection shifts with what's been donated. You can also pick up new locks and lights.

Good to know

They take debit and cash, not credit cards. All bike sales are final — no holds, no returns — but overhauled bikes come with a 30-day warranty on the work. For every hour you volunteer, you earn an hour of free shop time.

re-Cycles has been running since the late 1990s, founded by a guy who moved to Ottawa from Waterloo and couldn't believe the city didn't have a community bike co-op. A small group of people decided to fix that, and it's been going ever since.