EVERETT — Stacks of used bicycles stretch to the back of the windowless room.
Volunteers gather here each week, in the tight spaces between the racks.
They’ve spent the past few months getting ready for the 17th annual Kids Bike Swap at Sharing Wheels Community Bike Shop.
On Sunday, youngsters are invited to trade in bikes they’ve outgrown. They must be with a parent or guardian.
Each bike is assigned credits to pay for most of another. The final price is usually under $20, and every child gets a free helmet.
The swap will be in the shop’s parking lot at 2531 Broadway, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Organizers hope to serve kids who come from low-income households for the first two hours. All are welcome after that.
Old bikes usually are refurbished to be traded again that day, or sold in the shop later if they need some more work.
Others are recycled as scrap metal, shop manager Josh Pfister said.
“Kids’ bikes often get left outdoors, and by the time they are rusty and rotten they’re not worth putting the time into,” he said.
Some have bent spokes, usually because they’re left in the path of cars, business manager Sarah Molitch said.
Pfister and Molitch are the shop’s only paid employees and were hired about two years ago, although they’ve been helping out for much longer.
Before they were on the payroll, the shop was run entirely by volunteers, usually resulting in irregular hours.
The store also is somewhat hard to find, tucked away in the back of the building, through what looks like a garage door.
“For a shop that’s been around as long as we have, people who live in the same neighborhood never knew we were here,” Pfister said.
Now the group has a hard time finding space for all the donations. While Pfister and Molitch appreciate the generosity, they hope to bring in more customers to buy their inventory.
They are always looking for helpers. Those who are interested don’t need experience working on bikes.
About 20 volunteers have gathered at the shop every Thursday for months to get ready for the bike swap. Stations are set up in the store and garage area. Music plays as the group chats about bikes, each working on a child-sized project.
Many have been visiting for years.
“There’s a hardcore crew,” Molitch said.
Stephanie Davey: 425-339-3192; sdavey@heraldnet.com; Twitter:@stephrdavey.
If you go
The Kids Bike Swap is 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, at Sharing Wheels Community Bike Shop, 2531 Broadway, Everett.
The nonprofit needs volunteers all year long. To learn more, stop by the shop from 1 to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, or 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays.
Call 425-252-6952 or email sharingwheels@gmail.com for more information.
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