FAQ

What is the Ohio City Bicycle Co-op?

The Ohio City Bicycle Co-op (OCBC) is a volunteer-driven, non-profit bicycle education center that offers riding and repair classes, a well-equipped community shop where individuals can repair their own bikes, and a bicycle thrift store for refurbished bikes and used bike parts and gear. Through the Pay What You Can Program, OCBC provides free and affordable bikes and repairs to low-income cyclists in Northeast Ohio.

Where are you located?

We are located in the Flats, close to beautiful downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Our address is 1779 Merwin Avenue Cleveland, OH 44113.

Our building is in the Irishtown Bend section of the Flats. Turn onto Merwin Avenue between the green Columbus Road lift bridge and Sainato’s restaurant. Turn right at our Ohio City Bicycle Co-op sign (before Merwin’s Wharf restaurant), and the entrance to our part of the building is near a black chain link fence at the far end of the parking lot.

Don’t turn onto Merwin Avenue from Center Street (by the Flat Iron Cafe). Merwin Avenue doesn’t connect in the middle.

Can I come to the store and look at bikes in your showroom?

Yes! We have a physical showroom with bikes for sale. We’re open for retail shopping on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, 12-5pm. Our parking lot and main entrance are located next to the Crooked River Skatepark at 1779 Merwin Ave. Cleveland, OH 44113.

The number of bikes available for purchase is often too large to fit in our showroom. To see our complete selection, please visit our online shop.

In the warmer months, we can get very busy, and our staff/volunteer capacity is limited. For best service, we recommend pre-ordering a bike via our online store and scheduling a test ride appointment. We can do a return/exchange if needed when you come for a test ride. 

Do you accept donations?

Bicycle donations:

See our bicycle donations page for details.

Monetary Donations:

Donations can be submitted via the donations page of our website. Checks can also be mailed to:

Ohio City Bicycle Co-op
attn: Erik Anderson
1779 Merwin Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44113

We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Bicycle Racks, Apparel, and other accessories:

We also accept any bicycle car racks, jerseys, spare parts, books about cycling topics, and other cycling-related items. If you would like to donate these items, no need to send a photo in advance. Just drop off during open hours for our bicycle thrift store (Thurs, Fri, Sat, noon-5pm).

Can I buy parts for my bike?

Yes! You can visit us in person during open hours for our bicycle thrift store. We sell mainly used and some new bicycle parts. Most of our parts are not listed in our online store. 1779 Merwin Ave. Cleveland, OH 44113. Open hours: Thurs, Fri, and Sat, noon-5pm. 

Our fancier parts usually end up in our eBay store.

Can I use your shop to work on my own bike?

Yes, you can schedule an appointment to reserve one of our shop workstations. Tools and a repair stand are included. Assistance from our knowledgeable staff is available for $1/minute. Appointments are available Wednesday – Saturday.

Sorry, due to insurance reasons, no one can work on gas-powered or electric bikes in our facility.

Can you repair my bike for me?

As a nonprofit bicycle education center, we’re focused on providing knowledge, tools, and space for individuals to repair their bikes on their own. In 2020, we started offering drop-off bike repair services because demand for bike repairs was too high for retail bike shops to meet alone. We have now stopped offering drop-off repairs, and we encourage you to visit a local retail bike shop for this service.

We are continuing to offer bike repairs for low-income customers through our Pay What You Can program. To inquire, please email pwyc@ohiocitycycles.org.