Alberta Bike Swap

Some weeks remind us exactly why we do this.

This week alone we had the privilege of helping get a milestone bike loaded into a shipping container headed to Malawi, supporting a local youth bike milestone, finding a new rider for a beautiful triathlon setup, and rebuilding donated bikes that will help women move forward.

We helped support Bicycles for Humanity - Calgary Chapter as they prepared their 10,000th bike shipment for Malawi. We also celebrated alongside Kiwanis Club of Calgary Chinook as they connected their 10,000th bike with a youth who needed it.

Then there are the quieter stories that mean just as much.

A tri-bike with carrying case and two extra wheel sets found a new home after its owner—now in his 90s—decided his racing days were complete. A bike that carried goals and adventures now gets a second chapter.

And in between all of that, we rebuilt donated bikes supporting and Not In My City.

This is what a week looks like for us.
Bikes.
Friendship.
People helping people.
Organizations that play nicely together.
Thousands of small moments that become big community impact.

Next stop: Calgary Climate Week, where Chris will be speaking about CAN-BIKE and the role education plays in safer, more confident cycling.

Thanks to everyone who shares tools, time, stories, donations, and belief in what bikes can do. ❤️🚲

Missed Edmonton Bike Swap? There are a lot of bikes available at Bike Edmonton this weekend. Hope to see you there!

Here's some of the bikes that are ready to go for tomorrow's sale!

Sale starts at 11am, Saturday May 16th, in the Bike Edmonton Parking lot, 10612 105 Ave.

Please dress for the weather - it's going to be a bit chilly.

We will have adult bikes in sizes XS through Large. There will be bikes to fit most teenagers and taller tweens, but there won't be any kids' bikes with 24" wheels or smaller. Our volunteers can help you choose the right size and style of bike for your needs.

There will be a wide selection of rigid mountain bikes, hardtails, and hybrids from the 1980s to 2010s. Most of the fully refurbished bikes (green tags) are between $300 and $400. The quick-tune bikes (yellow tags) tuned up by our volunteers are mostly between $100 and $200. We take debit, cash, visa & mastercard.

We encourage you to take transit or bike/scooter share to our sale and ride your new bike home! Nearby parking is limited, so please follow all signage & regulations, and be kind to our neighbours. We are conveniently located a block from MacEwan LRT station, and there are park and ride lots at other LRT stations.

We will have locks, bells, lights, helmets, and other basic accessories for sale. For accessories that are more time consuming to install, like fenders, racks, and kickstand, we ask that you return to the shop during regular hours to select and install.

We look forward to seeing you Saturday!

SPEAKING OF 10,000 bikes, guess who is hitting that number with their upcoming container?? Hit 'em up for details on the packing party this Friday.
https://www.facebook.com/B4HCalgary

Bicycles for Humanity - Calgary Chapter We provide a bike recycling service to Calgarians and surounding communities and give these bikes a second life helping move people in developing countries

Did you get that? TEN THOUSAND bikes back into the community helping those who need it most. We'll be there and would love to see you there, too!
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1369150411912608&set=a.551498163677841

WANTED: Helping hands for a 10,000-bike milestone! 🛠️🚲

Our first Bike Giveaway of the season is happening Thursday, May 21 (8:30 AM – Noon), and it’s a big one. Not only are we sending bikes out into the community, but we will also be handing over our 10,000th bike!

We need a crew of volunteers to help us make the magic happen at our Dalhousie garage. No bike repair skills needed for this shift, just a willingness to jump in!

We need help with:
✅ Bike Matching: Helping assign the right bikes to our partner agencies.
✅ Loading Crew: Helping load the bikes as agencies arrive to pick them up.
✅ Helmet Station: Organizing and prepping the new helmets that go home with every child.

Be a part of the team that gets the 10,000th bike to its new home! It’s a fast-paced, high-reward morning seeing these bikes head off to kids across Calgary.

📍 Location: The Garage, Dalhousie
📅 When: Thursday, May 21 | 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Ready to join the crew? Send us a DM to sign up!

If you want to know what 15 years of growth looks like, look no further than our living room floor. It is currently a sea of bins, tablets, and stationery supplies.

The air smells like Congress Coffee (the best perks of the job!), and the Wood's Homes YCAP coolers are standing by to be loaded with food for our 180-person volunteer army. In the corner, the Wicomm radios are charging—a vital piece of the puzzle to keep our team safe and responsive.

When we started, we didn't need Wi-Fi boosters or a dozen tablets. But as our proprietary intake process has become more sophisticated, so has our gear. We reject the "junk" (about 12% of what we see!) so that our buyers get quality, and that requires a lot of tech and a lot of talent—like our lead techs, Austin in Calgary and blackcap cyclery in Edmonton.

It’s a lot of work. It’s a lot of cables. It’s a lot of sandwiches.

Is it worth it?
When we see the community come together, the answer is always the same. Every single time.

Cycling in Alberta just got a whole lot more "worry-free." 🚲✨

As we celebrate Calgary Climate Week, we want to highlight two game-changers for local riders: CAN-BIKE and . Whether you are commuting to work or exploring the river valley, knowing you have the skills to navigate traffic and a 24/7 backup plan if your chain snaps makes all the difference.

✅ Skills: CAN-BIKE teaches you to ride with confidence.
✅ Support: AMA - Alberta Motor Association Bike Assist is included in your membership to help with flats or a ride home if you're stuck.

More confidence = more cyclists = a greener Alberta. 🌍

Bike Assist - Bicycle Roadside Assistance – AMA You can use your AMA membership roadside assistance calls for help with your bike, including tire inflation, chain resetting, transportation and more.

🚲We’re proud to be featured again—and even prouder of who stood with us along the way.

A big thank you to the AMA - Alberta Motor Association for recognizing the Calgary & Edmonton Bike Swap as one of the things to do in Alberta this May.

But more than that—thank you for standing by us for nearly 30 years as members. We haven't had to use yet, but we recommend it all the time.

That kind of longevity says something. Not just about loyalty, but about shared values: safety, community, and trust.

Those same values are what built the Bike Swap:
✔ Every bike is mechanically inspected
✔ Serial numbers are checked to help prevent theft
✔ Pricing is fair and data-informed
✔ Families and riders can buy with confidence

We’ve always believed that how you buy a bike matters. AMA has believed in us—and supported our community—every step of the way.

📍 Calgary – May 2
📍 Edmonton – May 9

If you’re riding this spring, this is where it starts. Even better news? AMA Members get $5.00 off selling fees. https://amainsider.com/things-to-do-in-alberta-may-2026/

about AMA - Alberta Motor Association ? https://ama.ab.ca/auto/roadside-assistance/bike-assist

Things to Do in Alberta: May 2026 - AMA May in Alberta feels like a reset: the patios open, bikes come out of storage, and communities all over host outdoor events to take advantage of the warming weather.

6 Days to go to Calgary Bike Swap! 🕒🚲 13 Days to go to Edmonton Bike Swap. 36 Days to go to Calgary Climate Week.

Today is all about GRATITUDE. We are looking back at 15 years of friendship with our 102 strategic alliances. 🤝

To the bike groups that "play nicely" with others: thank you! We can’t post our full strategic alliance poster and some of you know why, but you all know who you are. We especially love working with groups that focus on doing one thing and doing it well. It’s that specialized passion that makes our community so strong! 🎈