A local bicycle collective called Lawrence Community Cycles is not only a place to buy or earn a repaired bicycle — it’s also a community hub that aims to teach people how to fix their own bikes, and to expand access to cycling.

Lawrence Community Cycles opened its doors at Ecumenical Campus Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave., in August. 

Co-founder Monzie McNevin emphasized that above all, the collective is a place for anyone who wants to build community with other cyclists, regardless of their income and bike knowledge.

“You’re invited to use something that’s neglected,” McNevin said. “… No matter what happens, you’re going to leave here with a bike. If you don’t have any money and you’ve got time, then you’re going to get a bike.”

McNevin said the collective inherited much of its inventory from two previous local bicycle ventures, the Re-Cyclery and the Lawrence Unchained Bicycle Co-op. 

However, McNevin said that they’ve obtained other pieces through donations, which they clean and fix up before selling at more affordable prices for those who need them for transportation. For instance, used vintage Fuji commuter bicycles in good condition could be sold anywhere between $150 and $500, but Lawrence Community Cycles has them priced on their Facebook marketplace at $100.

Co-founder Steve Fair said the organization has registered as a nonprofit, but he sees it as a community resource with a goal of friendly outreach above all.

“None of us are making money, and none of us are going to retire doing this, but it’s a lot of fun,” Fair said. “We see everybody in here, everybody from all walks of life, and if we can help them, we’ll try our best.”

One of the main ways they achieve this goal is through a volunteer credit initiative. 

McNevin said that he or another mechanic will teach people how to fix other bikes that have been donated to the collective. Volunteers receive a $10 credit toward buying or building their own bike for every hour that they put into learning and then fixing a donated bike.

McNevin said this allows people who cannot afford to throw a larger lump sum at a bicycle to earn pieces to build a bike of their own and learn how to fix it in the process.

Fair said that his experiences at the collective have pushed him to be as adaptable as possible when he’s helping people with different learning processes become self-sufficient in bike repair.

“I’m trying to suggest things instead of doing everything, and I think doing it after being shown is a pretty effective way to learn,” Fair said. “We see people who need help from just getting their bike tires fixed to people who want to change their handlebars or their brakes or things like that, and then they spend a few nights with us and they can do it themselves.“

Dennis Chuvychin, a mechanical engineering freshman at the University of Kansas, is a Community Cycles volunteer. Chuvychin said that during his first three days, he put in six hours and earned $60 in credit toward a bike, which he said has been extremely motivating for him.

Chuvychin said he’s enjoyed getting hands-on experience. Mechanics at the collective taught him how to adjust brakes and take off the tires, handlebar and fork, which connects the front wheel to the frame of a bike.

Also, “The vibes in there are great,” Chuvychin said. “There’s a lot of laughter and it’s just a fun, very calm place.”

McNevin said the collective originally just worked out of a very small room at the back of the building’s main floor, but now they also work on the ECM’s first floor. They often overlap with other activities such as ECM fundraisers or international movie night, which brings more attention to both the collective and the surrounding events.

The co-founders said they hope to continue to expand the community reach in different ways as they approach summer.

Every year, people abandon between 50 and 100 bikes on KU’s campus. The university cuts the locks off these bikes each summer and will store them for at least 60 days. If they are not reclaimed or identified, they will either be disposed of or donated. Fair hopes to build a connection with the university so they can claim those bikes and give them back to the community.

McNevin also wants to have a representative at the Lawrence Farmers Market to help people out with bicycle issues and draw attention to the organization. He’s also hoping to have more events such as bike rides, which they have already begun, and to extend the organization’s open hours with the assistance of volunteers.

Lawrence Community Cycles is open from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the ECM. 

The collective will hold a fundraiser starting at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28 at the ECM, 1204 Oread Ave. 

McNevin said funds raised will go to bike parts for repairs such as grips, tires and new tubes. There will be beer donated from Free State Brewing Company and hot dogs.

“There will be a movie on. You can mingle. There will be a raffle. It’s a get-together. It’s just a party, you know,” McNevin said. 

People can contact the collective and learn more via their website, lawrencecommunitycycles.org, or their Facebook and Instagram, @lawrencecommunitycycles.

Logan Pierson (he/him), reporting intern with The Lawrence Times since December 2025, is a senior journalism and photography student at the University of Kansas. He previously contributed to the University Daily Kansan as a senior reporter and beat reporter.

Read his work for the Times here.

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