Started in 1993, the Community Bicycle Network (CBN) existed to provide a network for bike recycling clubs and other community economic development projects in Toronto.

Non-profit Bike Shop

CBN currently operates as a non-profit bike shop (also known as a social enterprise

Social enterprise

A social enterprise is an organization that applies business strategies to achieving philanthropic goals. Social enterprises can be structured as a for-profit or non-profit....

) much like similar organizations like Bikes Not Bombs

Bikes Not Bombs

Bikes Not Bombs is a Boston, Massachusetts based bicycle project which recycles donated bicycles, trains young people to fix their own bikes and become employable mechanics and sends thousands of refurbished bikes to communities in countries such as South Africa, Ghana, and Guatemala...

 in Massachusetts and Our Community Bikes in Vancouver, BC. It's for-profit operations help to support other non-profit projects to the community. The main activity of the bike shop is to collect donated bikes from individuals, condominiums, small business and the City of Toronto, and refurbish the bikes for resale. CBN also offers up the space for individuals to rent tools and fix their bikes with mechanic help. CBN's bike mechanic workshops have proven to be popular with courses offered throughout the year and for specific topics. Other services CBN offers include bike and trailer rentals.

History

CBN has undergone a number of transitions throughout its history. It started out as a network of bike recycling clubs and a location to house such organizations as Transportation Options and the Latin American Bike Club. Over time most of the bike clubs folded and some of the other organizations either spun off to become independent or folded themselves. CBN transitioned to host Bikeshare as its main operations. CBN is popularly known for the Bikeshare program that functioned as a bicycle-lending library across Central Toronto with 16 hubs from 2001 to 2006. For its time it was North America's largest and most popular bike-sharing program with 150 bikes, 16 hubs and 400 active members. Bikeshare, however, failed to gain long-term financial support from private or government funders despite much effort. In 2006 Bikeshare was shelved. It was at this point that CBN transitioned to a non-profit bike shop while still maintaining a focus on its mission of refurbishing bikes and providing bike education to the community.

External links

• Community Bicycle Network website
• CBN Bikeshare