Human Playa Vehicles

RBP sells over 1500 refurbished bikes each summer to folks headed to Burning Man from all over the world!

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Purchase a Bike

Our staff spends the whole year fixing up used cruiser and mountain bikes so that you can purchase bikes at an affordable rate and bring them out to the Playa. By purchasing one of our Human Playa Vehicles, you will be contributing to a more sustainable and affordable biking culture in the Reno area. The proceeds from this fundraiser go directly toward year-round programming. Your purchase makes everything we do possible, and is helping to keep more bikes out of the landfill!

Sales open up for our 2024 Human Playa Vehicle members in May, and for the general public in June. Sales will be open until bikes sell out, and you can pick up your Human Playa Vehicle at RBP's week-long Pop-Up in August!

Check back in the spring of 2025 for more info.

Volunteer at the Pop-Up

RBP's Burning Man Pop-Up event is our biggest fundraising event of the year, and we rely on our generous volunteers to make it run smoothly! Each year, dozens of community members show up to help us set up and organize bicycles, run the event, and collect bikes again in the weeks after Burning Man. We couldn't do what we do without them! If you are interested in helping out in the coming Pop-Up, sign up with the link below!

Check back in the spring of 2025 for more info.

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Human Playa Vehicle FAQs

 Please read through our FAQ page fully before picking up your bicycle! Everything you need to know should be covered here, or in your confirmation email after purchasing your Human Playa Vehicle.

If your question isn’t answered below, please email programs@renobikeproject.org

Where do I reserve a bike on your website?

Please visit our store

Will my order be fulfilled?

Yes. If you place a reservation online for a bike and receive a confirmation email, your order will be fulfilled.

Our quantities on our online shop are accurate. If it allows you to order a bike, we have the stock. If you received the confirmation email, your order is confirmed and you do not need to verify that your order went through. 

Please review the remaining FAQs for information on how to pick up you bike including location, times and process. 

How many bikes can I reserve?

We have no limit. Reserve as many as you would like!

What all do I get with a reservation?

With a Human Playa Reservation, you get a bike. This bike has at least one working gear, one working brake and safely adjusted bearing surfaces. No accessories come with this reservation. You do not get a lock, basket, kickstand or spare tire, etc. However, you can purchase locks, kickstands, baskets, tubes, tires, etc. for an additional cost when you come to pick up your bike!

With the Burner Membership + Reservations you still only get a bike but that bike is guaranteed to be a cruiser style. There are no accessories included with the upgrade but just as above, you can purchase accessories when you pick up your bike. 

Can I rent a bike instead of purchasing one?

We do not rent bikes but instead sell them starting at $110. Once you pick out your bike, it is yours and doesn’t need to be returned. Many folks donate the bikes back to us after the burn for us to repair and get out to the playa next year; since we are a 501(C)(3) non-profit, your donation is tax deductible.

When do I pick up my bike for Burning Man?

Bikes for Burning Man will be available for pickup at our Pop-Up shop, 10am - 10pm Tues. August 20th - Mon. August 26th located at 635 E. 4th St. Reno, Nevada 89512.

If you need to pick up your bike before or after this date range, come to 216 E. Grove St., Reno, Nevada, 89502 during our normal business hours.

What style of bikes do you have?

Every style of bike that has been ridden in this area over the last 30+ years! The most common bikes available are mountain bikes built before 2005. We also have a fair amount of beach cruisers. Because all of our bikes have been donated to us, every bike is unique. Our trained mechanics have given all bikes a safety inspection. We guarantee every bike to have at least one working gear, one working brake, tires that hold air and all bearing surfaces to be safely adjusted.

What is the difference between an upgraded cruiser bike with the Burner Membership and a typical Human Playa Vehicle reservation?

The standard Human Playa Vehicle is a bike with one working brake, one working gear, and safely adjusted bearing surfaces. The style of the bike is not standardized. For an upgraded cruiser bike, there is still one working brake, one working gear, and safely adjusted bearing surfaces, however, the bike is guaranteed to be a cruiser-style bike.

What is your policy for a refund?

We will only issue a refund before 4pm Pacific Daylight Time on Saturday, August 18th for Human Playa Vehicles.

Credit card fee will not be refunded on any purchases.

Can I get my bike I already own repaired before Burning Man?

All repairs for bikes for Burning Man must be dropped off at 216 E. Grove St. Reno, NV. 89502 by 5pm on August 14th and picked up at by August 17th at 5 p.m. Any bikes not picked up by this time will not be able to be picked up until after Aug. 28.

Do you have kids bikes?

We do not have kids bikes available for reservation for Burning Man. We sell kids bikes in the shop during our regular business hours and we will have a limited number of kids bikes available during our pop-up shop but there is no way to guarantee a kids bike. In the shop, we typically have kids bikes, tag alongs and toddler seats available.

Do you have tricycles?

Yes, you can reserve a tricycle on our website. They are on sale for $750.

Do you have bikes for super tall and super short people?

Yes! We have XS, S, M, L and XL bikes. During the Pop-Up shop you will be able to pick from a selection of bikes that suit your needs. 

When do you typically sell out of Human Playa Vehicle reservations?

There is no way to predict when we will sell out of reservations for Human Playa Vehicles. The sooner you place a reservation, the better. In past years, we have sold all available bikes by the start of Burning Man.

Pop-Up Hours: Tuesday, August 20th, 2024 starting at 10am through Monday, August 26th at 10pm

What do I need to bring when I pick my bike up?

Please have your confirmation email with confirmation number ready either on your phone or printed. This will speed up checkout.

How far is the Reno/Tahoe International Airport from the Reno Bike Project?

Our Burning Man Pop Up is located approximately 4 miles away from the airport. There are Uber, Lyft and taxis available at the airport. The address for the Pop Up is 635 E. 4th St., Reno, Nevada, 89512

Do you offer delivery to the airport or to the playa?

No, we do not offer any sort of delivery. All bikes must be picked up at 635 E. 4th St., Reno, Nevada, 89512.

There are two locations listed, which one do I pick my bike up at?

All Burning Man bike pickups between Tuesday, August 20th and Monday, August 26th will be at 635 E. 4th, Reno, Nevada, 89512.

If you need to pick up before or after this date range, come to 216 E. Grove St., Reno, Nevada, 89502 during our normal business hours.

How do I pick out my bike(s)?

Between Tuesday, August 20th and Monday, August 26th we close our Grove St., Reno, Nevada, 89502 location and hold a “pop-up shop” at 635 E. 4th, Reno, Nevada, 89512. If you are picking up your Human Playa Vehicle(s) before or after that date range, you will go to 214 E. Grove St., Reno, Nevada, 89502.

To pick out your bike, you arrive at 635 E. 4th St, Reno, Nevada, 89512 with your reservation confirmation email readily available and a member of our team will show you to the bicycles. You can select from any of the available bikes. Bikes with one working brake, one working gear and safely adjusted bearing surfaces are covered by the $110 reservation costs. If you’d like a bike with upgraded features such as cruiser style or installed baskets will cost more per feature. Unless you purchased a membership which guarantees you a cruiser style Human Playa Vehicle, bikes are first come, first serve.

Can my friend pick up my bike for me?

We will ask for confirmation email for pickup. If you are having someone else pick up your bike for you, please let us know in advance.

How long will it take for me to pick up my bike?

If all you need is your bike, pickups should take less than 5 minutes; busier times could take slightly longer.

If you need things installed on your bike or a bike rack installed on your car, wait times could be several hours.

How will I get my bike out to the playa?

That’s up to you! We will have a limited number of bike racks available for purchase. We can help you install it starting at $75.

Do you provide tubes and repair kits?

We do not provide them for free but they are available for purchase.

Will you have accessories for purchase?

Yes! We will have bike racks, baskets, lights, locks, tubes, pumps, water bottle cages, multitools and just about anything else you need for your bike out on the playa.

What kind of bike racks will you have available? Will they fit any type of car?

We will have a selection of “universal” strap and hook truck racks for bikes. They will fit most cars but there’s no guarantee it will fit your car.

There will be a limited selection of hitch racks but that selection is based on donations that come into the shop. There is no guarantee that our selection will fit your vehicle’s receiver hitch.

Can you install my accessories?

We will be able to install accessories for standard shop rate. During pickup times we experience a large volume of people and will operate on a first come, first serve basis.

How long will it take to install accessories?

Wait times for accessory installation will be determined by how busy we are and will be done on a first come, first serve basis. We have only have small amount of staff that will be available for installations, so please plan accordingly.

Will I be able to borrow tools to install accessories on my bike?

No, we do not loan tools. We will have basic tools needed for bicycles for sale.

What do I do with my bike after Burning Man is over?

The bike is your property and your responsibility to manage. It doesn’t need to be returned, however, many folks donate the bikes back to us after the burn. We will repair it and get out to the playa next year; since we are a 501 (C)(3) non-profit, your donation is tax deductible.

Donating bikes when and where:

Tuesday, August 20th through Monday, August 26th between the hours of 10am and 10pm - drop off bikes at 635 E. 4th St. Reno, NV.

Tuesday, August 27th through Saturday, August 31st between the hours of 10am and 5pm - drop off bikes at 216 E. Grove St., Reno, NV.

Sunday, September 1st and Monday, September 2nd between the hours of 10am and 4pm - drop off bikes at 635 E. 4th St. Reno, NV.

From September 3rd on, we return to our regular business at 216 E. Grove St. Reno, NV. from 10am - 5pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and 10am - 6pm on Thursdays and Fridays. We accept donations any time we are open.

If you are looking to donate 20 bikes or more after September 2nd, please call ahead 775-323-4488 and we will advise which location to drop off at. 

Do you buy bikes back after the burn?

We do not buy bikes. All bikes have been donated to us and many folks choose to donate the bikes back to us after the burn. We are a 501(c)(3) non profit, so your donation is tax deductible!

Do you offer pick up from the playa?

No, we do not offer any sort of transportation for the bike. If you wish to return the bike to us, you must bring them to either 635 E. 4th St., Reno, Nevada, 89512 or 216 E. Grove St. depending on date and time.

Donate Your Bike Back!

If you're headed back from Burning Man and don't know what to do with your bike, Reno Bike Project is accepting Human Playa Vehicle donations! Check out our schedule to see where and when you can donate your bike to us. Since we're a nonprofit, you'll receive a tax write-off for your donation!