Step inside Boise Bicycle Project (BBP) and you’ll find rows of refurbished bikes, bins of salvaged parts, and people gathered around work stands. On the surface, it's a cool bike shop. But as Executive Director Devin McComas will tell you, BBP is just as much a community space as it is a shop.

“I can’t decide if we’re a bicycle shop masquerading as a community space or a community space masquerading as a bicycle shop,” he said with a laugh. “It’s all about the bicycles, and it’s all about what happens around the bicycles.”

Community built on two wheels

Founded in 2007, BBP has grown into a cooperative nonprofit with a simple mission: use bicycles as a tool for opportunity, connection, and community. Every bike in the shop is donated, every part has been recycled, and every program is fueled by volunteers. Last year, the organization gave away 1,600 bikes and repaired another 1,000 for free.

The shop itself is the hub. You can walk in and buy a bike that’s new to you, find an affordable part, or get some help fixing your ride at one of the mechanic stands. BBP members get extra perks like discounted parts and unlimited mechanic-assisted stand time, but McComas is quick to point out that membership is about more than savings.

“That membership keeps the lights on in the shop, sure, but it also supports everything we do in the community – bike giveaways, outreach programs, youth education, and even advocacy for safer streets,” he explained.

​Membership is BBP’s “superpower,” alongside the hundreds of volunteers who log about 7,000 hours each year. That’s how a staff of just 16 people can keep thousands of wheels spinning across the Treasure Valley every year.

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Holiday Kids Bike Giveaway

BBP's annual Holiday Kids Bike Giveaway happens each December, and it's one of their most impactful events.

More than 500 kids in need of a bike are recommended to BBP for the Holiday Kids Bike Giveaway. All the kids submit a hand-drawn picture of their dream bike. Volunteers work to match those drawings as closely as possible. If a child wants an Elsa from Frozen bike, BBP makes it happen. Flames and rocket boosters? They’ll do their best.

On the day of the giveaway, all the kids come down to the shop to receive their dream bike. Families leave with warm clothes, baked cookies, and a strong sense of belonging.

“It’s literally thousands of hands that make that event happen,” McComas said. “It’s a community embracing families and saying, ‘You’re welcome here.’”

That first moment of joy often leads to years of connection. Kids who start with a giveaway bike return later for a tune-up at a free mobile repair stop, or join after-school programs where they learn to fix bikes themselves. Teens graduate from programs like Teens Earn-a-Bike and sometimes even come back to teach the next round of students.

“The best case scenario is that a kid grows up with us,” McComas said. “They start with a bike, and over time they build skills, confidence, and community.”

Programs that change lives

BBP’s work extends far beyond the shop floor. Their programs are designed to meet people at different stages of life and open doors through bicycles. Some of their programs focus on kids and teens, others reach adults in need, and some even support women preparing to reenter society after incarceration.

In addition to the Holiday Kids Bike Giveaway and Teens Earn-a-Bike program, BBP has a Urgent Need Bike program that gets a bike to youth aged 4–18 facing urgent transportation needs due to homelessness, resettlement, or other critical circumstances. They also offer sliding scale bikes from $25 to $75 for children aged 4–11, and include a bicycle, helmet, light, and lock.

​BASH (Bicycle & Safety Hour) is another youth program at BBP. It's a drop-in safety class where kids can learn to ride a bike and understand the rules of the road. Once they go through the class, they earn a free kids' bike. It’s a loop that starts with skills, turns into confidence, and often brings families back to BBP for future tune-ups, classes, and community.

BBP recently partnered with the City of Boise to install a permanent Traffic Garden at Morrison Park. It's a mini street grid with lanes, crosswalks, and stop signs where kids can practice riding skills in a safe, fun environment. Families can take part in BBP-led safety classes there, learning how to ride, turn, signal, and stop with confidence.

One of BBP’s most powerful programs that you may not know about is Shifting Gears. It's a partnership program with the South Boise Women’s Correctional Center that empowers adults in custody to prepare for their future release by earning a bicycle through meaningful service. Women in the program commit to repairing 15 kids’ bikes for the community, and in return, a refurbished bike is waiting for them upon release. They also leave with a letter of recommendation, mechanical skills, and a place to belong. Women from the are also invited to attend BBP’s volunteer nights and special events, where they can enhance their mechanical skills, contribute as invaluable volunteers, and establish a positive presence in the shop.

“Transportation, jobs, and community are the three biggest barriers for women coming out of incarceration,” McComas explained. “We can help with that first one right away.”

Idaho incarcerates women at a higher rate than any other state in the nation. That reality makes Shifting Gears all the more vital. This program not only provides practical tools for reentry but also creates opportunities for restorative connection. Some women even help run BBP’s bike safety courses, teaching kids how to ride safely on bikes they built. “The best case scenario is that a woman sees a kid ride a bike she worked on, and that kid and family see her as someone giving back to the community,” McComas said. “It’s powerful on both sides.”

Other programs extend BBP’s reach into schools, shelters, community centers, and refugee neighborhoods, where mobile repair stations fix more than 1,000 bikes each year for free. They also offer work trade opportunities for adults in need of work and a bike. In the spring, BBP partners with the Duck Valley Shoshone-Paiute Tribe to bring bikes, safety courses, and a field day to the reservation.

Each program, no matter the setting, is designed to show people that a bicycle can be more than just transportation. It can be opportunity, belonging, and freedom.

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What's next at BBP

As BBP heads into fall, October marks their biggest push: the annual membership drive. Current members renew, new members sign up, and everyone has a chance to win swag or raffle prizes. Behind the scenes, staff and volunteers are also gearing up for the holiday bike giveaway, which requires hundreds of donations and months of prep.

When asked about BBP's goals for the future, McComas points to teenagers. “Teens are such an underserved population,” he said. “There aren’t many spaces where they can just belong, be empowered, and give back. We want BBP to be that space.”

The organization also plans to grow its Shifting Gears program into a fully accredited vocational track and expand youth-led opportunities in the shop. “It’s all about investing in community,” McComas said.

How to get involved

There are three main ways to support BBP: donate a bike, give money, or volunteer your time. Bikes can be dropped off Wednesday through Saturday at their shop on Lusk Street. Financial donations go directly to fixing and refurbishing bikes for giveaways. And volunteers don’t need to know the first thing about bike mechanics – there are roles for everyone, from sorting bikes to check in at the event.

For McComas, the magic of BBP is seeing people from all walks of life – refugee families, people experiencing homelessness, teenagers, parents, professional cyclists – elbow to elbow in the shop.

“You’ll see someone fixing their thousand-dollar mountain bike right next to someone fixing a commuter bike they rely on to get to work,” he said. “That’s the kind of community space we want to be.”

With the membership drive around the corner and the holidays on the horizon, BBP could use your help. You can become a BBP member for $100/year or $9/month (less than Netflix!), or sign up for a family membership at $200/year or $18/month, which covers a family of 4. They also offer a reduced rate membership for low-income individuals, students, teachers, healthcare workers, military, first responders, librarians, and seniors at $70/year or $6/month. If you own a business, you can get memberships for your employees with a Business Membership. These are $300/year for up to 24 employees, or $500 for 25-49 employees.

You can learn more about volunteering with BBP and learn more about donating bikes/parts or donating funds.

Thanks for reading!

With love from Boise,

Marissa

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