{"id":491636,"date":"2026-02-22T08:05:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-22T08:05:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/491636\/"},"modified":"2026-02-22T08:05:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T08:05:18","slug":"lawrence-bike-collective-aims-to-make-cycling-affordable-teach-repair-skills-the-lawrence-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/491636\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawrence bike collective aims to make cycling affordable, teach repair skills \u2013 The Lawrence Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A local bicycle collective called Lawrence Community Cycles is not only a place to buy or earn a repaired bicycle \u2014 it\u2019s also a community hub that aims to teach people how to fix their own bikes, and to expand access to cycling.<\/p>\n

Lawrence Community Cycles opened its doors at Ecumenical Campus Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave., in August.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Co-founder Monzie McNevin emphasized that above all, the collective is a place for anyone who wants to build community with other cyclists, regardless of their income and bike knowledge.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re invited to use something that\u2019s neglected,\u201d McNevin said. \u201c\u2026 No matter what happens, you\u2019re going to leave here with a bike. If you don\u2019t have any money and you\u2019ve got time, then you\u2019re going to get a bike.\u201d<\/p>\n

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McNevin said the collective inherited much of its inventory from two previous local bicycle ventures, the Re-Cyclery and the Lawrence Unchained Bicycle Co-op.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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However, McNevin said that they\u2019ve obtained other pieces through donations, which they clean and fix up before selling at more affordable prices for those who need them for transportation. For instance, used vintage Fuji commuter bicycles in good condition could be sold anywhere between $150 and $500, but Lawrence Community Cycles has them priced on their Facebook marketplace at $100.<\/p>\n

Co-founder Steve Fair said the organization has registered as a nonprofit, but he sees it as a community resource with a goal of friendly outreach above all.<\/p>\n

\u201cNone of us are making money, and none of us are going to retire doing this, but it\u2019s a lot of fun,\u201d Fair said. \u201cWe see everybody in here, everybody from all walks of life, and if we can help them, we\u2019ll try our best.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Logan Pierson \/ Lawrence Times Lawrence Community Cycles\u2019 co-founder Steve Fair (right) explains brake mechanics to KU freshman Varun Chaturverdi.<\/p>\n

One of the main ways they achieve this goal is through a volunteer credit initiative.\u00a0<\/p>\n

McNevin said that he or another mechanic will teach people how to fix other bikes that have been donated to the collective. Volunteers receive a $10 credit toward buying or building their own bike for every hour that they put into learning and then fixing a donated bike.<\/p>\n

McNevin said this allows people who cannot afford to throw a larger lump sum at a bicycle to earn pieces to build a bike of their own and learn how to fix it in the process.<\/p>\n

\"\"Logan Pierson \/ Lawrence Times Ben Cohen\u2019s volunteer log sheet at Lawrence Community Cycles will serve as a record of his hours toward earning a bike.<\/p>\n

Fair said that his experiences at the collective have pushed him to be as adaptable as possible when he\u2019s helping people with different learning processes become self-sufficient in bike repair.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m trying to suggest things instead of doing everything, and I think doing it after being shown is a pretty effective way to learn,\u201d Fair said. \u201cWe see people who need help from just getting their bike tires fixed to people who want to change their handlebars or their brakes or things like that, and then they spend a few nights with us and they can do it themselves.\u201c<\/p>\n

\"\"Logan Pierson \/ Lawrence Times Lawrence Community Cycles co-founder Riley Ross (left) explains brake mechanics to Dennis Chuvychin at the collective\u2019s workshop.<\/p>\n

Dennis Chuvychin, a mechanical engineering freshman at the University of Kansas, is a Community Cycles volunteer. Chuvychin said that during his first three days, he put in six hours and earned $60 in credit toward a bike, which he said has been extremely motivating for him.<\/p>\n

Chuvychin said he\u2019s enjoyed getting hands-on experience. Mechanics at the collective taught him how to adjust brakes and take off the tires, handlebar and fork, which connects the front wheel to the frame of a bike.<\/p>\n

\"\"Logan Pierson \/ Lawrence Times Lawrence Community Cycles co-founder Riley Ross teaches KU freshman Dennis Chuvychin how to disconnect a brake so they can remove a tire from a bike.<\/p>\n

Also, \u201cThe vibes in there are great,\u201d Chuvychin said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of laughter and it\u2019s just a fun, very calm place.\u201d<\/p>\n

McNevin said the collective originally just worked out of a very small room at the back of the building\u2019s main floor, but now they also work on the ECM\u2019s first floor. They often overlap with other activities such as ECM fundraisers or international movie night, which brings more attention to both the collective and the surrounding events.<\/p>\n

The co-founders said they hope to continue to expand the community reach in different ways as they approach summer.<\/p>\n

\"\"Logan Pierson \/ Lawrence Times Lawrence Community Cycles co-founder Monzie McNevin at the organization\u2019s workshop<\/p>\n

Every year, people abandon between 50 and 100 bikes<\/a> on KU\u2019s campus. The university cuts the locks off these bikes each summer and will store them for at least 60 days. If they are not reclaimed or identified, they will either be disposed of or donated. Fair hopes to build a connection with the university so they can claim those bikes and give them back to the community.<\/p>\n

McNevin also wants to have a representative at the Lawrence Farmers Market to help people out with bicycle issues and draw attention to the organization. He\u2019s also hoping to have more events such as bike rides, which they have already begun, and to extend the organization\u2019s open hours with the assistance of volunteers.<\/p>\n

Lawrence Community Cycles is open from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the ECM.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Logan Pierson \/ Lawrence Times Bikes for sale<\/p>\n

\"\"Logan Pierson \/ Lawrence Times A bike recently donated to Lawrence Community Cycles<\/p>\n

The collective will hold a fundraiser<\/a> starting at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28 at the ECM, 1204 Oread Ave.\u00a0<\/p>\n

McNevin said funds raised will go to bike parts for repairs such as grips, tires and new tubes. There will be beer donated from Free State Brewing Company and hot dogs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere will be a movie on. You can mingle. There will be a raffle. It\u2019s a get-together. It\u2019s just a party, you know,\u201d McNevin said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

People can contact the collective and learn more via their website, lawrencecommunitycycles.org<\/a>, or their Facebook<\/a> and Instagram, @lawrencecommunitycycles<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"Logan Pierson \/ Lawrence Times KU Aerospace Engineering master\u2019s student Ben Cohen takes the tire off his bike at Lawrence Community Cycles.<\/p>\n

\"\"Logan Pierson \/ Lawrence Times Lawrence Community Cycles co-founder Monzie McNevin adjusts a task list on the door at the ECM.<\/p>\n

\"\"Logan Pierson \/ Lawrence Times Assorted small bike pieces sit in an Apple product box next to two bike brakes.<\/p>\n

\"\"Logan Pierson \/ Lawrence Times A toolbox at the workshop<\/p>\n

\"\"Logan Pierson \/ Lawrence Times Varun Chaturverdi works to build his bike.<\/p>\n

\"\"Logan Pierson \/ Lawrence Times A bike and assorted helmets hang on the wall of the Lawrence Community Cycles\u2019 workshop.<\/p>\n

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Logan Pierson (he\/him), reporting intern with The Lawrence Times since December 2025, is a\u00a0senior\u00a0journalism and photography student at the University of Kansas. He previously contributed to the University Daily Kansan as a senior reporter and beat reporter. <\/p>\n

Read his work for the Times\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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