FAQs

What kind of bikes are you looking for?

If you remember getting your first bike, or the look on your child’s face when you presented them with their first shiny new wheels –  that’s the joy we are going for.

Every child deserves a bike they can be proud of.

Every child deserves a bike they can be proud of.

Each bike is a gift for a child who may otherwise never own one.  We think it should be a bike they can be proud of.

We focus on kid’s bikes that are like-new and ride-ready (in great to excellent condition, no repairs or adjustments needed) for kids under 12. This means tricycles, as well as bikes with wheel sizes from 12” to 22”.

 

Do you pick up?

Local pick up is available by appointment from April to August within our catchment area of Wilson, Bayview, St Clair and Marlee in Toronto.  This is the largest catchment which allows us to keep this project sustainable.
If you’re in the catchment, please email us and we’ll arrange a time that works for you!

sign-36071_640Yes!  We check each bike before we can accept it.

 

Can I drop off? 

Yes please!  Our storage unit rental is near Eglinton and Laird.

sign-36071_640It is not staffed so drop offs are by appointment only.

sign-36071_640We do not own a storefront; our mailing address is a PO box for mail only. Email or call us to arrange a date and time to coordinate the drop off, from April to August.

 Yes!  We check each bike before we can accept it.

 

Do you donate bikes directly to kids?

We collect bikes in great to excellent condition, dust them off, and partner with community organizations who give the bikes to kids they are already working with.

 

Do you take adult or teen bikes?

Sorry, no. We focus on bikes for kids under 12, with wheel sizes from 12” to 22”.

 

Do you take used helmets?

For safety reasons only new helmets in the box or with tags on can be accepted. We can always use working locks, bells and lights.

 

I’m in! Can my child get involved with the giving process too?

We believe that kids can make a difference and welcome their participation!

 Here are some ideas to help teach kids about the value of giving:

  • share stories, pictures and videos from our sites (here, as well as our blog, twitter and youtube channel)
  • with your supervision, have your child make the call to My First Wheels to find out how it works (we are very child-friendly!)
  • have your child present when giving the bike to My First Wheels.  If you approve, we can take a picture and chat about why they wanted to donate.  Or you can have your child submit a drawing instead.  We can post the picture and their quote on our site for your child to see later (first names only or just initials and age).  If we get a picture of the bike gift recipient, we will send it to you to share with your child so they can actually see the difference they made!

Kids just get it…they know that having a bike is AWESOME, and something every child deserves. By passing their bike on to another child, they they learn that a simple act is all it takes to have a real, positive impact on a child’s life. And they become role models for anyone who wants to make a difference in their community.

 

How do you get your funding?

We are a grass roots registered charity and do not receive government funding; we rely completely on private donations from awesome individuals, amazing local businesses and bike angels (people offering services and gifts in kind) to keep kids cycling.

 

How awesome is this for the environment?

Kids just wanna ride bikes.  It’s fun!  A huge bonus for all of us is that every 100 bikes kept out of landfills will:

  • divert about 1 tonne of metal = offset 6 tons of C02 (about the amount a car driven 62,000 kilometres, or the amount of C02 absorbed by 1.5 acres of trees).
  • conserve about 85 MBTUs of energy; enough to heat a 1500 square foot home for almost the entire winter.

Pretty cool!

Check out this eco calculator and figure out your carbon footprint.

 

 

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