How it Works

On this page we would like to illustrate an outline for how we work at Re:Ciclos and showcase some of the programs that we offer.

Building with Recycled Materials

Re:Ciclos, translated to English, means Regarding Cycles, as in cycles of life, cycles of materials, cycles of generations of humans…. For better or for worse, we live in a society of excess and our project harvests some of those excesses in the form of bicycles, bicycle parts, scrap metal and other materials to redesign simple bicycles into cargo bicycles that become greatly more useful to community members who might not have access to them due to socio-economic barriers or community members who do have the means and are making the effort to do the right thing and can pay for our cargo bikes when others cannot.

Additionally, Re:Ciclos strives to work with young adults in an intern program designed to educate, empower and create hands-on opportunities. Our ultimate goal is to have our interns build up their resume, their life experiences and to increase the number of cargo bikes being put into the community.

CARGO BIKE LENDING PROGRAM

(Our client jamie bringing groceries home)

Our Re:Ciclos CBLP (Cargo Bike Lending Program) is aimed at serving community members facing socio-economic barriers to acquiring a cargo bicycle for their daily activities. If you or someone you know is someone who might qualify, please do send us an email at or you can call us at (213)216.2132. We work on the honor system – no need to show us proof of income.

The library is on a First Come-First Served basis, as we have a limited number of cargo bicycles to lend. We’ll send you a basic form to fill out via email or we can schedule an in-person meeting to fill out the form.

Requests:

  • If you are borrowing a cargo bike from our project, we assume in good faith that you both qualify economically and will use it with regularity.
  • Please do not sell our cargo bicycles.
  • If you find that you are not using the cargo bike any longer or need to swap out for one that better meets your needs, simply reach out to us to return it and/or swap it out for something more suited to your use.
  • In borrowing a cargo bike you agree to allow us to document your usage so we can help others see how they are improving your life and that of your community.

CUSTOM CARGO BIKES FOR PERSONAL OR BUSINESS USE

Re:Ciclos works with young adults in an internship program designed to expose them to a variety of skills, from fabrication and mechanical systems on bicycles to client relations and community outreach. If you are in the market for a cargo bicycle that is made custom, locally, independently, conscious of natural resource preservation and based in capacity-building, we are here to fit the bill. We can custom build a cargo bicycle to your application and specification while teaching our interns unique and vital skill sets. Please drop us a line at if you think you’d like a cargo bike from us so we can talk about design, budget, timeline and all the in betweens.

All proceeds from custom cargo bicycles help our organization stay afloat and provide vital workforce, skill-building and community-based experience for our interns, in turn building our capacity, theirs and yours in combating systems of social and environmental oppression locally and globally.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION AND MUTUAL AID PARTNERSHIPS

Intersectional work ensures that Re:Ciclos and anyone we collaborate with is operating across the many places where systems of oppression continue to limit and negatively impact BIPOC communities. If you work with community organizations with populations, projects, missions and/or directives aimed at fighting unjust systems of oppression and they could use cargo bikes in their functions, Re:Ciclos is open and enthused to work together. Please reach out to and we can start a conversation around mutual aid and cross-pollinating our efforts toward a just, balanced and empowered world.

INTERNSHIPS

Internships at Re:Ciclos are open to young adults ages 16-24 years old. Whether you are in high school, vocational/trades college, university, in an after-school program or simply a young community member who would like to enlist in learning how to fabricate cargo bikes and help your community at the same time, please reach out to us at . We have limited space and staff, so please be patient as we work to increase our capacities to provide more opportunities for interns to learn to build cargo bicycles and help our communities kick the car habit wherever and whenever feasible.

Internships generally involve learning some basics around:

  • Shop Safety
  • Principles of Metal Fabrication
  • Basic Bicycle Mechanics
  • Welding Experience (Mostly MIG)
  • Client relations: Working with community members who will receive a cargo bike by participating in the interview and design process.
  • Community Outreach: Aside from building the cargo bikes, we make the effort to reach out to mutual aid community organizations who either can use a cargo bicycle in their operations and/or have members and clients who would benefit from one.
  • Did we mention Shop Safety?

VOLUNTEERING

We are a relatively young organization and are creating the building blocks for a robust and dynamic community institution. Currently we’re looking for volunteers to fulfill some essential functions to grow the mission and capacity. Here are some essential volunteer positions that would help Re:Ciclos greatly:

(Pictured above is Louis, a volunteer from a worker Co-Op of programers and web developers, donating his time to help build what you see here! Thank you Louis!)

  • Volunteer Volunteer Coordinator (not a typo)

While volunteers are an awesome force in moving an organization along, that awesome force can be somewhat unwieldy without vision and management. Enter the Volunteer Coordinator. We’re seeking a volunteer to help us design a volunteer curriculum, parameter, standards and process. From working with youth, to welding and designing, to keeping track of the lending library, volunteers can help fill in essential and basic tasks to further the mission of getting cargo bikes in the hands of community members whose lives would be greatly improved with this tool.

Re:Ciclos is seeking funding toward making the Volunteer Coordinator position a paid one. Until that time, we seek the generosity of a dedicated community member to volunteer for this post.

  • Social Media Coordinator Volunteer

Regrettably, the powers that be, both politically and culturally, are not interested nor are investing neither funds nor attention toward building a just world where transportation does not cause harm to communities of color and our environment. The battle happens on-line to directly reach out communities where they are engaging. More and more that place is in Social Media and Media in general. Re:Ciclos, like all other organizations, needs to make some noise to combat the negative social, cultural and environmental impact that car companies and their allies have on our world. Our Social Media Coordinator is involved in capturing our work, working on building positive narratives and engaging on the battlefield of the mind: the internet. We believe that with smart, directed, thoughtful and provoking content, our project builds opportunities for light to be shone on the deely damaging nature of car culture and its ubiquitous infrastructure that chokes our cities out of green space, playgrounds, housing and other vital human space in order to make room for parking, gas stations, electric charging stations, refineries, freeways and an unending plethora of expensive, earth-depleting, dehumanizing list of amenities required for the single-occupant motor vehicle paradigm to exist and proliferate.

  • Shop Manager Volunteer

At Re:Ciclos, building cargo bicycles can involve some pretty basic tools, like angle grinders, welders and metal files, but even basic tools can hurt you if you’re not trained in using them. The Shop Manager is a volunteer who ensures that all participants are up to speed on safety protocols, maintains the shop basic required safety features, tools, supplies, tools and stock. If you have some experience in shop management or are interested in learning, please drop us a line at and we’ll schedule a time to interview and give you an overview of what our shop requires to remain fully operational.

  • Grant Writer

This past year of work at Re:Ciclos was only made possible by a grant by The Energy Foundation which funded us in order to grow capacity and lay the groundwork for a future prospering organization. If you are a grant writer with experience, are looking for experience or would just like to donate some of your time, that helps us in the long term.

  • You

There is an abundance of modalities that can help a non-profit, mutual aid organization such as ours start up and grow capacity. If you feel like you have a skillset or set of experience you personally feel can be a contribution to this cause and you have a desire to do so, please reach out and inquire with your idea.

Thank you for considering volunteering your time with Re:Ciclos! We know just how precious our time is for survival. For any interest or inquiries please direct all correspondence to .

Employment

Re:Ciclos is a project of CRSP, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. As such, our organization is continually looking for funding from several sectors to establish a work force toward building more cargo bicycles for communities and community members that face economic, political and cultural barriers toward having these vital vehicles as part of their everyday transportation options. Our essential volunteer positions are ones that we strive to develop into paid-positions.

Partnerships

Transportation Equity has to do with much more than just transportation. While cargo bicycles present an important part of the transportation conversation, they are not for everyone and true equity takes into account a multitude of experiences and perspectives. Re:Ciclos strives to work with a diverse set of community partners to offer our contribution toward equitable transportation wherever it intersects positively with equity work on all fronts. Here are some of the partners we’re worked with over the years:

New Village Girls Academy

Bicycle Kitchen

LACBC

Bresse Foundation

Artworx L.A.

Five Keys Charter

CSU, Inc

CALO YouthBuild

LATTC

Los Angeles Eco Village Institute (crsp/LAEVI)

Sponsors

We are grateful to our sponsors! Our sponsors have been special partnerships with us that have assisted us in a very specific way in getting started and to grow in the work we do. All items donated to our cause help in building more cargo bicycles that in turn builds capacity in our community members. Some sponsors we currently have are:

  • Stronghand Tools
  • Industrial Metal Supply

GRANTS

With a generous grant from The Energy Foundation in 2022, Re:Ciclos has been able to go from a pilot prototype in a small bike shop space to hiring staff and renting a fabrication shop space to adequately be able to build cargo bicycles and teach interns the craft. We are continually seeking funding from foundations and partnerships toward increasing our impact and building as many cargo bicycles for community as possible.