Bikes Not Bombs

03/03/2026

TODAY 📣

The rally portion will be at 1:15PM today!

Let's make some noise about better snow clearing!

03/01/2026

BIKING’S BLACK HISTORY #6

NewEnglandBikeLife hosts ride outs and events which have encouraged hundreds of Black youth and youth of color to get on two wheels.

If you’ve ever seen a huge group of youth on bikes, popping wheelies and showing extreme skillon BMX bikes, it’s probably BikeLife.

The BCU sees groups like BikeLife, and ride out culture generally as an incredibly healthy way bjto get youth into community, encourage them to get outside, and have fun. Unfortunately like so many groups of Black young men, they are unfairly targeted by the police and mainstream media.

These talented youth are our future. Their love of biking should be cultivated, not criminalized.

The BCU is celebrating and honoring Black History Month this year by showcasing the lives and legacies of Black Americans who changed the history of biking.

02/24/2026

From Youth Apprentice to Future Social Worker: Why We Ride!

"I was a young Black girl who didn’t yet understand the systems working against me, but I quickly found a community that did." — Tamirah Brown, BNB Sales Coordinator & Northeastern University Senior.

At Bikes Not Bombs, we don’t just fix bikes; we cultivate the leaders who will fix the systems that make up our society. Today, we are proud to share the journey of Tamirah Brown. Tamirah joined us at 16, mastered the male-dominated world of bicycle mechanics, and is now graduating from Northeastern University with a degree in Psychology and Human Services.

Tamirah’s goal? To become a social worker and ensure the youth in her community have the resources and voice they deserve.

This is why we ride. On May 17th, we are hosting the 2026 Bike-A-Thon with a goal to raise $175,000 and recruit 400 riders. These funds directly support the "behind the scenes" work Tamirah now helps lead — strategic planning, youth development, and dismantling the systemic barriers of "Mobility Apartheid."

How you can support leaders like Tamirah:
🚲 Register to Ride: Join a community that understands the reality beyond the walls and fights for change.
📣 The "Plus One" Challenge: If you’ve ridden before, sign up and bring one new person into the movement.
🤝 Corporate Teams: Invest in the future of Boston's social and economic fabric by riding as a squad.

Tamirah found her voice and her future at BNB. Help us ensure 500 more youth have the same opportunity.

Join the movement: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/bike-a-thon2026/

02/13/2026

Act now: FREE event registration ends tomorrow night! Ride for change in our annual Bike-A-Thon fundraiser on Sunday May 17th. Choose from three routes (10, 25, or 50 miles) and ride easy with rest stops & route support before celebrating at our after party. We can't wait to ride with you!

https://secure.qgiv.com/event/bike-a-thon2026/

02/06/2026

IF THE CITY WONT, WE WILL!

It's now been well over a week since Boston's snowstorm, and yet most protected bike lanes are unusable because of the snow accumulation.

The city needs to know that we need change. We have two ways you can take action.

1️⃣ Submit a 311 report with evidence showing unusable bike lanes.
2️⃣ Help us take action into our own hands and shovel the urgently needed bike lanes ourselves

Our first effort will be TOMORROW, FRIDAY 2/6 on COMMONWEALTH AVENUE.

Commonwealth Avenue is one of the most used bike lanes in the city, and yet it's completely unusable as it currently stands.

We will be meeting at 3pm on Friday at the intersection of Babcock and Commonwealth to take on the street. If you come later we'll be heading Eastward so try to find us!

We'll offically wrap up around 7pm or when the bike lanes are cleared enough.

(Link also in bio)
🔗 https://bcu.bike/shovel

02/06/2026

From the Boston Cyclists Union:
In the wake of previous snowstorms, hardened snow mounds along Commonwealth Avenue have severely narrowed the roadway and completely compromised the bike lane. At this point, it’s simply too dangerous for cyclists to be forced into already constricted travel lanes alongside traffic.

Because the risk is immediate, on Friday, February 6th, the Boston Cyclists Union is mobilizing volunteers to clear sections of the Comm Ave bike lane ourselves. This is not work community members should have to take on, but leaving the lane unusable puts people in harm’s way.

We are asking our community to advocate for safe streets in this moment by:
1. Calling 311 to make a complaint and provide evidence
2. Contacting City Councilors Liz Breadon and Sharon Durkan, and the 4 At-Large City Councilors, Ruthzee Louijeune, Henry Santana, Julia M. Mejia, and Erin J. Murphy.
Be Sure to include your 311 case numbers.
3. Also, contact the ONS Rep https://www.boston.gov/departments/neighborhood-services

If you are able; please volunteer by joining us and/or help us get the word out quickly and widely by sharing this post with your networks and on social media. Our hope is that visible, urgent community action will not only protect people in the short term, but also push the City to respond more promptly and efficiently when it comes to clearing roads, crosswalks, and bike lanes after storms.
Sign up! For more information about 2/6/26 Day of Action, please email us at [email protected].

As always, we will continue to elevate the lived realities of moving around Boston on foot and by bike.

Please stay safe out there,
Tiffany Cogell
Interim Executive Director

We provide a forum for both groups and individuals to express concerns, request services, and extend opinions. We also serve to disseminate information and facilitate delivery of City services. We encourage, facilitate, and maximize resident input and participation in all aspects of government.

09/06/2025

UPDATE: Our Century Challenge fundraising ride is postponed to Sunday September 14th due to predicted thunderstorms tomorrow morning. We hope to see you next weekend with beautiful weather!

Ride for social change at Bikes Not Bombs' Century Challenge! Challenge yourself to ride further: 100 kilometers or 100 miles.

08/13/2025

Pull up to Bikes Not Bombs' Great Commuter Challenge this Saturday, August 16th, at 10 AM. Our Youth Apprentices are hosting a multi-modal scavenger hunt across Boston. Participants can form teams to compete by car, MBTA, or bike. We'll be kicking off at Bikes Not Bombs (284 Amory St, Jamaica Plain) and concluding with a celebratory lunch and popsicles in East Cambridge (secret location TBA).

We're also excited to announce our brand new Century Challenge fundraising ride on Sunday, September 7th, a low-key, semi-supported event celebrating cycling in New England. Riders can choose between a 100-mile or 100-kilometer route, with all funds raised supporting Bikes Not Bombs' vital local and global programs. We would be thrilled if you or your staff would consider joining us for this special ride.

You can find more information and register below:
Great Commuter Challenge [August 16th] - Bikes Not Bombs
Century Challenge - Bikes Not Bombs

07/08/2025

Can you believe it's already been one month since our Bike-A-Thon?! We are so thankful for our community of supporters who made this event possible - AND we want to ride with you again soon! Challenge yourself to go further on a 63 or 100 mile ride for ultimate 'Century' ride bragging rights. Sign up for free today!

Join us on Sunday September 7th for a low-key fundraising ride on the longer Bike-A-Thon routes that you know and love, but without the crowds or high minimums of other rides. Use the promo code BAT2025 and get ready to ride! https://bikesnotbombs.org/century-challenge/

04/23/2025

Say hi to Bikes Not Bombs at one of the 'Try an E-Bike' events coming up! We'll be in Roxbury tomorrow and in Mattapan on Sunday. See you there!

10/25/2024

10/25/24 Update on Container Loading: unfortunately our container is delayed in its arrival, leading us to cancel the container loading this weekend. Please stay tuned via our monthly e-newsletter and social media for new dates in November - most likely on November 15th to 17th!

In the meantime, catch us at our last Chain Reaction free bike repair of the season tomorrow in Mattapan; or at our 40th anniversary celebration on November 7th! Full details on our events calendar here: https://bikesnotbombs.org/calendar

For any questions, please reach out directly to Global Operations Coordinator Sara Parra: [email protected]

Due to a shipping delay, we have had to postpone our Container Loading to November. Please stay tuned via our monthly newsletter or on social media for a new date. Thank you!