Started amid pandemic, community bike exchange is a booming success in River Forest, Illinois
Lindsey Silver's growing kids were tired of being stuck inside during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but when it came to outside activity, their bicycles were too small.
So how about getting some new and larger bikes? Due to shortages brought on by pandemic back-ordering, that was not an option.
"There was just no bikes available anywhere," Silver said.
So Silver thought of a solution.
"I was a little nervous to post it to see if people would embrace it or think it was a terrible idea," she said.
In March 2021, Silver issued a proposal to the River Forest, Illinois, community — would people don masks and come to a free bike exchange?
"You can drop off a bike that you're no longer using, or maybe it's too small for your children, and then you actually then pick up a new bike," said Silver.
People loved the idea — to the point where a long line formed for the bike exchange. They swapped in old rides for new ones, or donated money to roll away with new sets of wheels.
"I truly feel like, for my husband and me, this is one of the most proud things that we do," Silver said. "It's been really, really, incredible."
The fifth annual River Forest Community Bike Exchange is scheduled for this Saturday, April 12.
"You feel like you're shopping in a big open space as a kid where you can just go from bike to bike to bike and ride them around and test them out — and then just find the perfect match for you," Silver said.
CBS News Chicago cameras caught a glimpse of bike drop-offs this week leading up to the bike exchange event. Silver's backyard looks like a fully-stocked bike shop the night before an exchange.
"My dogs can't even use the yard," Silver said.
In 2024, almost 200 used bikes went to new homes. All of them were tuned up by volunteer mechanics who fix flat tires, tighten pedals, and straighten out handlebars.
"They're making sure the bikes are safe to be ridden home by the kids like right from the event the next day," Silver said.
Any bike too tricky to repair, or leftover from the event, could wind up far away from River Forest — even overseas. Africa might be where you find an extra bike from the exchange, after the excess bikes are picked up by the Chicago nonprofit Working Bikes.
"With the bikes, they're able to visit more villages," said Trevor Clarke, executive director of Working Bikes.
The nonprofit also collects broken parts from the event, such as flat tire tubes.
"Maybe we will cut it into strips and tie pedals to the bikes we ship abroad," said Clarke. "Maybe we'll use it to latch down bikes on the back of a truck."
It is a truly sustainable operation thanks to a mom on a mission.
The Silvers are collecting bikes for the rest of this week at their home across from the River Forest Public Library. Anyone can also bring a bike to the exchange event.
The River Forest Community Bike Exchange runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 12, at Roosevelt Middle School, at 7560 Oak Ave. in River Forest.
