The volunteers at R Community Bikes are on a mission to make sure everyone in the Rochester area has a bicycle that’s safe to ride. This organization collects, repairs, and distributes bikes, free of charge, to any child or adult who needs one, improving lives one bike at a time.
Each year, the RCB gives away more than two thousand bicycles and completes around four thousand repairs for its clients, many of whom rely on a bicycle to get to work and school. The 501(c)3 charitable corporation also offers bike education, free of charge. And when children come in to receive a bike, they are gifted with a brand-new helmet.
Dan Lill has been there since the very beginning, twenty-five years ago. He was serving lunch in a soup kitchen when someone came in to ask if anyone could help fix a flat bike tire. “We fixed it and that’s how the whole thing started,” says Lill.
He recently published a book about how the organization got started and what it has meant to him, titled Cast of Characters: How Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Helped Change Lives.
“One of the things I am most proud of is that we have changed lives, not always intentionally nor in the way you might think,” says Lill. “Not only have we helped the recipients of bicycles to better their lives, but we have also given the opportunity to the volunteers to better their lives as well.”
Mario Gomes started volunteering in 2010 as a mechanic and became more involved when Dan Lill retired. Now Gomes runs the volunteer orientations, offering technical training, such as how to fix different parts of the bicycles. He also maintains the website and social media and has enjoyed volunteering with both of his sons.
As a faculty member at the Rochester Institute of Technology in the Kate Gleason College of Engineering, Gomes is mechanically inclined. He loves the challenge of fixing the bikes, but his favorite part is the people. “I have this opportunity to interact with people from all walks of life that I may not otherwise have had the privilege of talking to,” says Gomes. “All kinds of people.”
Gomes says the biggest challenge is having enough storage space during the winter to house all the donated bikes that need repairs and finding enough volunteers during the busy summer months. Not all of the volunteers are mechanics, as RCB needs people to help with logistics, sales, graphic design, cleaning, clerical work, and grant writing. Anyone interested can fill out the volunteer form on the website. And with more than 130 active volunteers, RCB appreciates any time commitment, no matter how small.
David Riley volunteers at one of RCB’s seasonal offsite locations in the Beechwood neighborhood, mostly helping with simple fixes like flat tires. “There are a lot of skilled bike mechanics who volunteer with R Community Bikes,” says Riley. “I am not one of them.” He adds that learning from more experienced mechanics has been a big bonus of the experience. “It’s really rewarding to help out and get to know the community a little better through this work.”
No appointment is needed to receive a bicycle. The bikes are given away every Wednesday and Saturday at 9 a.m. at 226 Hudson Avenue in Rochester using a lottery system, and if demand exceeds supply or if a particular style of bicycle is unavailable, clients can come back and try again. RCB allows one bicycle for each individual per year.
The only requirements to receive a free bike are a picture ID and either a working bike lock or five dollars to purchase a new lock. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
The volunteers at RCB spend much of their time refurbishing donated bikes as well as repairing same-day walk-ins from the community. They repair bikes on a first-come, first-serve basis Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at the Hudson Avenue location.
When high-end bicycles are donated, they are sold to generate money to cover the costs of the organization such as tools and bike parts. The sales take place at the RCB warehouse at 305 Tremont Street on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. There are also one-day sales events, the next one being April 18 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
R Community Bikes accepts any and all types of bikes regardless of condition as well as bike parts, tools and other bike accessories. It cannot accept helmets due to liability. Donations can be dropped off at the Hudson Avenue location or brought to any of the bicycle drives in the community.
If you have a bike you are looking to donate, consider dropping it off at one of RCB’s upcoming bike drives:
Pittsford: Saturday, May 2, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.: Pittsford Rotary: Pittsford Mendon High School, 472 Mendon Rd., Pittsford
Irondequoit: Saturday May 30, 9 a.m–Noon: Upcycle Irondequoit: I-Square, 400 Bakers Park, Rochester
Perinton: Saturday, September 26, 9 a.m–Noon: Perinton Presbyterian Church, 6511 Pittsford Palmyra Rd., Fairport
Penfield: Saturday October 3, 9 a.m–Noon: Penfield Rotary: Penfield Community Center, 1985 Baird Rd., Rochester
To learn more, visit rcommunitybikes.net.
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2026 issue of (585) Kids.
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