Reno Bike Project (RBP) is a non-profit community bicycle shop and resource for the Truckee Meadows committed to creating a nationally recognized, cycling-friendly community through education, cooperation and advocacy.

TriLab flyer

Tri-Lab VI

Tri-Lab returns for its sixth year Thursday, June 13, 2024 at Craft Wine and Beer, to benefit RBP, Holland Project and KWNK.

renobikeproject

Update for everyone who planned to volunteer over

Update for everyone who planned to volunteer over the course of the next few days! The next truckload of Burning Man bikes will most likely not arrive until Monday or Tuesday. That means that we DO NOT NEED TO MOVE OR WASH BIKES TOMORROW (Sunday). If you planned to volunteer tomorrow, thank you so much!! But take the day to rest and reach out again if you’d like to volunteer in the coming week. For now, we will plan to meet at 635 E 4th St at 9 am on Monday (9/9), but we will update you all as things change. Thanks for your flexibility, and for supporting us. We really could not wrangle all of these bikes without you. Shoutout to everyone to came out to help today, we got through a ton of bicycles!

Over the next few days, RBP is going to be receivi

Over the next few days, RBP is going to be receiving truckloads of Burning Man bikes that have been left on the Playa. All of these bikes need to be moved, washed, and put away in our 4th St shop, so we’re hoping to get as many hands on deck as possible! If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering, then you can stop by our shop at 635 E 4th St tomorrow to Tuesday (9/7 - 9/10) starting at 9 am! Feel free to reach out to programs@renobikeproject.com with any questions. Any help for any amount of time is really appreciated!

@gearhutreno, one of our favorite local businesses

@gearhutreno, one of our favorite local businesses, has selected us as the non profit of the month for September!

If you haven't been there, you have to check them out! We love their approach to sustainability and accessibility to the outdoor space. Every time I go in there I end up finding something that I need. It's a true gem here in Reno.

What does "Gear Hut Non Profit of the Month" mean? It means that Gear Hut will donate 10% of all sales on Sept. 29 to Reno Bike Project! If you're in need of a new tent, or climbing gear or even some new threads, consider buying them at Gear Hut on Sept. 29! Get some new gear and support getting butts on bikes? WIN/WIN!

Did you have a great time riding around the Playa

Did you have a great time riding around the Playa dirtying up your Burner bike, but don't know what to do with it now? You probably can't bring it on the plane, and definitely don't want it sitting in your living room...

We've got your back! Reno Bike Project is a Reno-based nonprofit bike shop, and is taking Burning Man bike donations!

Every year we collect bikes back after our Pop-Up, and then spend the year fixing them up again. You get a tax write-off, and we get a fun new bike for our shop mechanics to work on, flip, and give back to the Burning Man community next year! This allows us to do our part for the community, and keep usable bikes out of the trash and in circulation.

See this post and our website (link in bio) for donation locations and times. We are always accepting any sort of bike and bike part donations, and will either reuse them or recycle them properly.

Thanks in advance for helping us out, and we hope you had a great time at the Burn this year!

We are excited to announce that we are partnering

We are excited to announce that we are partnering with @clip.bike

This easy to install product can turn your Human Playa Vehicle (and most other bikes!) into an ebike in less than 30 seconds without any tools! Starting at $499 this is a great product of the "eBike Curious" or for someone who wants to zip around the playa with ease. One feature we really like about this is after the burn, you can take this with you and put it on your commuter bike at home!

Click the link in our bio to learn more! use discount code BURN24

Major Taylor Program Summer Camp is officially ove

Major Taylor Program Summer Camp is officially over. We did it. By the numbers, we dominated, totaling 1,365.5 miles.

With 7 kids completing our Earn-A-Bike program, building their own bikes out of the box and then hammering them nonstop for a week before taking them home. We had 1 camper come for 3 weeks and 1 day and she rode 157 miles. She also won the Polka-Dot Challenge, climbing up to University Ridge Park no prob. The Earn-A-Bike campers all got to take home, not only the new bike, but also a new helmet, light set, multi-tool, water bottle, tire levers, & spare tubes. Not to mention our new MTP shirts and some old cycling jerseys.

The camp started in a heat-wave and kinda felt that way the whole 4 weeks. Luckily, we had Mikey with us and he has no problem carrying water for anyone who runs out. We focused on some core skills, not only safe commuting (which was always #1), but things I take for granted as a seasoned cyclist, like climbing up curbs. I forget that climbing a curb was scary in the beginning. We started off on a low curb, then to a full sized curb but with a slight slant, then the jumbo. We also learned how to ride down stairs. Again, starting small and building our way up, nothing to hectic, but enough to get a feel for it, just in case. We made friends with the Drive-In Theater and the let us whomp the whoops and run some hot laps. We traversed the whole city, East past Vista on the bike path and West on Mayberry past McCarran. We climbed to the top of UNR and beyond. It was a lot of fun and all the kids were hyped.

By the time the smoke rolled in, we were all pretty smoked ourselves. With only cuts, bruises, and tired legs, I would say that it was a huge success. 10 of 10. Would recommend.

All group photos by Andrew P.

#summercamp #mountainbiking #bikeproject

Reno Bike Project has a new Shop Manager in the ho

Reno Bike Project has a new Shop Manager in the house! Manny Diaz recently joined our team, and we are super excited to have him on board. We thought we would introduce you all to him as well, using our new staff interview format, WAY COOL™.

Who are you?
I’m Manny Diaz. I am the Shop Manager.

Can you tell me about a memorable cycling adventure you’ve had?
Any time a ride ends in misadventures is pretty memorable. The most recent time was when my friends and I attempted to ride up Dog Valley Road in early spring. I slashed a tire and was unable to fix it. The friends that pushed on got caught in a snow storm. I’d definitely classify that as type 2 fun.

On which occasion did you first discover your love for cycling?
Probably when I was a kid riding bikes with my friends around the neighborhood. I didn’t really get into more serious cycling until 2016.

Over what landscapes have your cycling journeys taken you?
I’ve ridden many landscapes throughout the years. I’ve done a lot of gravel riding in the Sierras, mountain biking in Washington, raced a Criterium in downtown Boise, also I’ve done some alleycats in Reno. I’ve kind of been all over the place.

Let me know what your non-cycling hobbies are?
I love fly fishing, playing cribbage, rock climbing, and I’m getting into rafting. I also would like get back into ceramics.

If you stop by RBP, make sure you say hey to Manny! He would love to help you fix a bike or chat with you about cribbage.

#shopmanager #bikes #interview #introduction #bikeproject

What's on the docket for RBP this week?? 1. Our d

What's on the docket for RBP this week??

1. Our dedicated RBP staff (shout out to Jacob) continue to run FREE youth mountain bike practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 - 7:30 pm. This Tuesday's (7/30) practice will be at Sierra Vista Bike Park, and Thursday's (8/1) will be a bike workshop at RBP's 4th St location! If you are 11-17 years old and want to try out these low-commitment but very fun practices, reach out to jacob@renobikeproject.com.

2. RBP's annual Burning Man Pop-Up Event is less than a month away, and we are seeking volunteers to help us set up, run, and clean up from the event! We would love to see you there for two hours, or for the full week (we will also have free food for volunteers...). If you are interested, you can sign up through the link in our bio!

3. Re: Burning Man, RBP still has a number of our Human Playa Vehicles available for purchase! If you or someone you know is headed to Burning Man this year, check out the affordable, refurbished bicycles on our website (link in bio). We have basic bikes starting at $110, or Human Playa Memberships (which guarantees you an upgraded Cruiser bike) for $150.

4. RBP is rolling into our busy season, and we are currently working through some transitions in staffing, so we are unable to take bike repair drop offs for the time being. We apologize for the inconvenience, and hope to get this up and running again soon! Please check back for updates.

Enjoy the last few days of July, and reach out to programs@renobikeproject.com with any questions!

#burningman #volunteer #biking #mountainbike #youth

RBP's Major Taylor Summer Camps are still out ther

RBP's Major Taylor Summer Camps are still out there, taking over Reno on their bicycles!

We are in the middle of our 3rd week of camp, and the kids are learning a ton about cycling and road safety, and everyone's confidence on bikes has skyrocketed with each new day of riding. Every camper has ridden 50 miles each week, so cumulatively we have traveled well over 500 miles!

Next week is our Earn-a-Bike week, where kids develop their skills even further and leave at the end of the week with a bike of their own! Sign ups are currently closed for the final week.

Tom will be taking a break from his weekly ttt-nt-wt posts until the end of our MTP camps. The posts will return as scheduled after 8/2!

As a word of caution to all cyclists out there, we are currently in a heat wave so please ride safely, bring lots of water, and stay cool!

#summercamp #biking #heatwave #cyclists #bikeproject

What's happening this week at Reno Bike Project, y

What's happening this week at Reno Bike Project, you ask?

-Our Major Taylor Summer Camps are up and running, and we are in our second week! Registration is still open on our website for next week's session (7/22 - 7/26) until this weekend. Registration for the Earn-a-Bike session (7/28 - 8/2) is now closed. Visit the link in our bio for more info!

-Our free Youth Mountain Biking practices are on Tuesday (7/16) and Thursday (7/18) this week! Practices are for anyone aged 11-17 who is interested in mountain biking, and they run from 5:30 - 7:30 pm. Tuesday's practice is at the Sierra Vista Bike Park, and Thursday's is at the Wilbur D May Trailhead at Rancho San Rafael Park. Reach out to jacob@renobikeproject.com if you are interested in joining!

-RBP is still in need of volunteers for our annual Burning Man- Human Playa Vehicles Pop-Up event! The Pop-Up runs from 10 am to 10 pm, August 20th - 26th at our 4th St location. We need volunteers before, during, and after our event. If you're interested you can sign up on our website!

-Tune Up Tuesdays are cancelled starting this week, and will resume after Labor Day. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause!

-RBP is not currently accepting bike repair drop offs at the shop. We are planning to open for drop offs soon, so stay tuned!

We are always in need of bike and bike part donations, and can organize pick-ups if needed. We are also still selling our Human Playa Vehicles for Burning Man, so get them while supplies last! Reach out to programs@renobikeproject.com with any questions.

#thisweek #bikeproject #summercamp #mountainbike #volunteer

Reno Bike Project has joined the National Intersch

Reno Bike Project has joined the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA, @nationalmtb ).

We are a no pressure, good times team focused on access and exposure to the wonderful world of Mountain Biking. All costs are covered by the Reno Bike Project, with the mission to provide access to mountain biking for youth aged 11-17 who would otherwise not have access to the sport. We are kicking off the season with a couple of FREE try-it-out practices. We had our first practice last Tuesday, and everyone had a blast! Our next one is tonight at 5:30 at Rancho San Rafael park if you’d like to give mountain biking a go!

Thursday July 11th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Wilbur D May- Rancho San Rafael
Tuesday, July 16th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Sierra Vista Bike Park
Thursday July 18th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Wilbur D May- Rancho San Rafael

If you are a 6th-12th grader and would like to try out the sport but aren’t sure about joining the team, we would still love to have you at our free practices! We welcome all ability levels.There is no pressure to ever race or even join our team. We provide the bikes, safety equipment, water bottles, and instruction by NICA certified Coaches. Please wear closed toe shoes and be prepared to be outside for a couple hours.

If you would like to sign up for a practice or have any questions, please contact jacob@renobikeproject.com. We are excited to see you out there!
#mountainbike #practice #youthbikes #nica

Happy Saturday! You may all know who RBP is and wh

Happy Saturday! You may all know who RBP is and what our organization is about, but do you know the characters behind the scenes??

We're going to start a series of staff interviews (using the acronym "WAY COOL") so that you all can get to know us and can recognize our hardworking, bike-loving staff in the shop and around town!

First up is the one and only Tom Chapel, our Bike Education Instructor. You may know him from the Major Taylor Programs, or from his weekly Tuesday Tom's Top-Notch Two-Wheel Transportation posts, but there's so much more to him than those things (we think).

Who
Are
You?
My name is Tom Chapel. I work in the Major Taylor Program.

Can you tell me about a memorable cycling adventure you've had?
I once rode from Seattle to Olympia and back and on the freeway we found a bunch of 5 dollar bills.

On which occasion did you first discover your love for cycling?
When I was a kid in Lemmon Valley (shout out Lemmon Valley) me and my friends would ride everywhere all the time.

Over what landscapes have your cycling journeys taken you?
Working as a bike messenger for a long time I mostly rode through intersections in downtown Seattle & Reno. I have spent a long long time in the saddle, almost all of it in the streets.

Let me know what your non-cycling hobbies are?
I like to stay in my house and never ever leave for any reason ever. Mostly minding my own business. Sometimes I make art.

Next time you stop by RBP, give a shout to Tom! I'm sure he'd love to talk to you about bikes or art forever.

Happy almost-Independence Day! Like most of you a

Happy almost-Independence Day!

Like most of you all, the staff and volunteers of RBP would like to spend the day BBQing, eating Rocket Pops, and watching fireworks with their friends and family!

In honor of the holiday, Reno Bike Project will be closed on July 4th. We will close at 5 pm on July 3rd, and re-open at 10 am on July 5th. Come see us before or after the holiday, and we would be happy to help you out! **Note the time change from our previous post: RBP will be closing at 5 pm on July 3rd**

#4thofjuly #closure #bikeproject #celebration #barbecue #fireworks #rocketpop

TTT-NT-WT: GT ZR 4.0. I have a GT (Pulse) and I lo

TTT-NT-WT: GT ZR 4.0. I have a GT (Pulse) and I love it. I love it so very much. Plus I am and always will be a sucker for the triple-triangle, from my old Shogun Kaze, to my now Nishiki Linear & GT Pulse. The triple-triangle somehow hooked me. GT stands for Gary Turner, one of the company's founders. In 1972 (big up Schuylkill River Oil Spill) Gary, who was a professional drag racer and welder, built his son a bike. Most of his early work was modifying Schwinn Stingrays but it wasn’t going unnoticed. In 1976 (big up Argo Merchant Oil Spill) Gary started building frames for “Pedals Ready,” a pro-shop at Western Sport-A-Rama BMX Track. Then in 1977 (big up Irene’s Challenger Oil Spill) a man named Richard Long hit Gary up to sell his frames in his Anaheim shop. Things happened fast and soon for Gary and Richard, and they invested in a manufacturing warehouse in Santa Ana. In 1979 (big up Ixtoc 1 Oil Spill) GT incorporated. GT Bicycles, Inc. dropped their first complete bike, the GT Pro, in 1980 (technically the Ixtoc 1 leaked from June of 79 to March of 1980). A lot happened with GT in the early 80s, including hiring Bob Morales, him leaving and starting DYNO, then GT buying DYNO from him. In 1984 (big up T/V Puerto Rican Oil Spill) GT dropped their first freestyle frame, the Pro Performer. In 1987 a joint Canadian-United States exercise involving the intentional oil spill of 18,000 U.S. gallons was conducted off St. John's Newfoundland. Also, GT acquired Robinson Racing. In 1989 (big up EXXON Valdez Oil Spill) GT acquired Auburn Cycles, another company that Bob Morales started along with Todd Huffman only one year earlier. Originally, Auburn was going to be Honda Cycles but the Honda Motor Corp. pulled out at the last minute. GT kept growing into the 90s, basically killing it and also selling the controlling shares to Bain Capital in 1993 (big up Tampa Bay Oil Spill). In 1996 (big up North Cape Oil Spill) GT won the commission to manufacture a highly aerodynamic bike design that would later become known as the "Superbike” and later banned by Olympic regulations. Rebecca Twigg also didn’t like the Superbike. I love the superbike, but Twigg def knows more than me.

Major Taylor Summer Camp! Our Summer Camps are c

Major Taylor Summer Camp!

Our Summer Camps are coming up real soon (July 8th-Aug 2nd) and it has me (Tom) thinking about how much fun we had last year. The first day, everyone gets to meet each other and we get our bikes that we will ride for the week. Heavy first day of camp vibes: getting helmets, water bottles, and snacks for the road, and we begin by going over the rules.

Every day we start with a lesson on what to expect (round-a-bouts, merging left to turn, hill climbs). We fill our water bottles, do some light stretching, and take to the streets! We ride to the east, resting and taking water breaks along the way. We climb hills and we laugh. We learn how to fix flats, and sometimes we get flats out in the middle of nowhere. We head west, not looking for gold, but rather for PIZZA. We play different games that help us with bike control. We ride safe and we have fun!

Last year we had almost the same group for week 3 and week 4 (advanced camp) and over the course of the two weeks we rode 95 miles!! Our focus is safe commuting, and we take that very seriously. We learn the importance of helmets, communication, routing, staying hydrated, and eating healthy. Before each ride we check our bikes with the ABC QUICK: Air, Brakes, Chain, Quick Releases.

The kids' skill levels skyrocket through the week, as does their confidence. We play an old messenger game where we pick up a lock off the ground and in no time it becomes old hat to these kids. Soon they're able to ride by a DIME and scoop it up off the ground without putting their foot down and ride away. Really amazing stuff! To see the somewhat wobbly beginnings turn to tight tech turning in one week is phenomenal and inspiring.

This year will be no different. The sign-ups are on our website, and we plan to ride like the wind. I hope that you will join us!

The camps run July 8th-12th, July 15th-19th, July 22nd-26th, and our advanced camp is July 29th - August 2nd. To take the advanced class we ask that the child has taken at least one of our normal Major Taylor Programs before. Please sign up soon, as space is extremely limited at this point. It is $50 per child per week, with scholarships available.

TTT-NT-WT: Masi Gran Corsa Premio. Faliero Masi is

TTT-NT-WT: Masi Gran Corsa Premio. Faliero Masi is a legit legend. He was known as "The Tailor" because he had a very meticulous sizing system. He was a professional racer turned frame builder and built frames for some of the most prolific riders of ALL TIME: Fausto Coppi & Eddy Merckx to name a few. When the people who ride your bike have nicknames like "Il Campionissimo" & "The Cannibal," you know it is serious business.

Faliero hooked up his first frame in 1926, the Cicli Masi Marque. In the 1950s he was building frames in Milan out of the Velodromo Vigorelli shop. In 1976, his son took over the Vigorelli shop and Masi headed to California. Carlsbad.

I remember a couple funny stories from Dave Moulton's Bike Blog about working at Masi. In 1981, the American Masi crew went to a bicycle trade show in Atlantic City. Masi was there early and very upset. You see, whoever had set up the Masi for the floor had routed the brake cables under and in front of the handlebars. A serious faux pas in European cycling at the time. Masi, through an interpreter, was flicking the brake housing and complaining about the aesthetic.

Moulton didn't need the interpreter to know why he was mad. Being from jolly old England, Moulton also hated that routing style. "Brake cables were supposed to flow in a pleasing curve from the brake lever, to the front brake, and to the top tube en route to the rear brake," Moulton says. Masi went on to say that "It is no big deal, and Americans don't care about such things." Moulton agrees, "That statement was probably true at the time. Many bikes being sold and ridden in the US were bought by people who today would buy a Mountain Bike, or a Hybrid." Moulton continues, "Frames were usually too big for the rider (by European standards.) The result was that the saddle was too low, and usually the bars were set too high. The brake levers are set too high on the curve of the handlebars, and the levers start to stick out front like a pair of six-guns." I also agree. “When form and beauty meet function, there is harmony and balance. A machine set up to perform correctly from a functional standpoint, will also look right from an aesthetic view point.”

Last week Tom and Andy had to privilege to attend

Last week Tom and Andy had to privilege to attend the @youthbikesummit in Allentown, PA. It was an incredible weekend filled with lots of riding, amazing youth led workshops, wheelies, a velodrome and so much more.

Thank you to @communitybikeworks for hosting and showing us your community. We are so inspired and are already started bringing some of the things we learned to our programs!

RBP is gearing up for another bike-filled summer w

RBP is gearing up for another bike-filled summer with our Youth Major Taylor Summer Camps!

This program (run by Bike Education Instructor, Tom Chapel) is designed to teach Reno youth the basics of cycling and road safety so that they can experience the joys and convenience of biking for the rest of their lives. It's also a great way for participants to spend some time outside during the summer months!

Registration for the Major Taylor Program Summer Camps is now open on the RBP website (link in bio). We have 4, week-long sessions to choose from:
7/8 - 7/12
7/15 - 7/19
7/22 - 7/26
7/29 - 8/2 (advanced session for those who have completed at least one other camp)

Each day runs from 9 am to 12:30 pm, and will begin and end at our 4th St. Production Center and Education Space. Participants will explore Reno via bicycle while learning about bicycle safety, basic nutrition, hydration and nutrition.

This program is intended for youth (ages 13-17) that already know how to ride a bicycle but want to expand their skills so they might start using a bike to go to a friend's house, school, work or just for fun!

We provide everything participants need, including: bikes, water bottles, snacks and safety equipment along with the instruction.

The cost of each session is $50, and you can register on the Reno Bike Project Website (under "Programs - Major Taylor Ride Club"). Scholarships are also available upon request.

Visit our website to learn more about the program and sign up (link in bio), or reach out to our program staff at programs@renobikeproject.com with any questions!

We look forward to seeing you this summer! 🚴‍♂️ 🌞

TTT-NT-WT: Rocky Mountain Growler. Rocky Mountai

TTT-NT-WT: Rocky Mountain Growler.

Rocky Mountain started in the West Point Cycles (big up Vancouver, BC) basement in 1979 (big up Ixtoc-1 Oil Spill). Two dudes were modifying Nishikis (big up the Linear) by putting straight bars, wider tires, & internal 5 speeds. Working with the legend Tom Ritchey they dropped their first production model in 1982, the Sherpa. In my research the first thing I noticed was their website, Bikes(dot)com. That says a lot. They are THAT company. They dropped the “Vancouver sloping toptube” for Jacob Heilbron, yes, Jake the Snake, the founder of KONA Bikes. They have been basically killing it ever since. Winning bicycle of the year in 1996 (big up North Cape Oil Spill), 2000 (big up the Guanabara Bay Oil Spill), and 2002 (big up Cooper River Oil Spill). In 2004 (big up the Delaware River Oil Spill) Marie-Hélène Prémont won the Silver Medal for Canada at the Olympics in Athens riding on a Rocky Mountain. Marie-Hélène has one of the longest race resumés I have ever seen and even took some time off in the middle to have a baby. That’s no joke, shout out my own mom (Jan DC in the place to be). Rocky Mountain is legit and this extra small dirt jumper is really cool.

Looking up the Growler all I am seeing is that, “it is worth it”, and being that our price for it is like a third of the normal price I would say that if you are small or have a child thats a bit of a Sendy Sandra or Boostie Benjamin, you should get down in here and check this thing out. It rips and would be perfect for the youth to romp. In making the Growler they wanted something that was able to handle the tech downhill but also strong enough to mash up hills. I would say that they probably have it figured out (again Bikes(dot)com).

Come down to the shop and take it for a spin. For only 150 Bells you can’t really go wrong.

TriLab is THIS WEEK! Thursday, June 13 from 4 pm

TriLab is THIS WEEK!
Thursday, June 13 from 4 pm - 9 pm

We are so stoked to share everything that we have planned this week. We have a special edition Japanese-style rice lager from @imbibreno with artwork from the super talented @ylasllaves. @kwnk97.7 will be spinning tunes live for the airways. Live music from @charitykiss775 and @blackstallion.nevada . There will be food trucks to make sure you're fed and @craftreno will be pouring the tastiest beverages in town.

New this year we have some carnival games and A DUNK TANK. We will also have a market featuring some of our favorite local artists and vendors.

This has been our unofficial summer kickoff for the last 5 years. Come out Thursday and show us your support!

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