What we're all about

Wheelhouse uses bicycles to improve lives. The organization is 100% volunteer-run and depends on the efforts and generosity of the Tri-Cities community to deliver programs. Our Board of Directors oversees Committees that deliver our programs. These programs include bike refurbishment, ride groups, formal training, and Bike Bonanza events.

Training is a core part of our mission. Our training goals are to increase peoples’ autonomy and confidence in using bicycles as a form of low-cost, green transportation and for mental health. Our training areas are bike handling skills, on-road riding, and mechanic skills. Our formal training programs target women and youth. We offer both in-person and online Learn+Earn-a-Bike opportunities.

We operate a non-retail bike shop in a donated space on the CBC Pasco campus. Our shop provides space for training and for volunteers to refurbish bikes. We donate bikes to people in need, particularly those who use them for transportation. The majority of our mechanics training occurs informally during our volunteer shifts.

Each year, we receive around 300 bicycles from the community. We refurbish those that fit the needs of the community and donate over 200 bikes. The bikes that do not get refurbished are torn down for parts or used as training tools for our volunteers.

We deliver hundreds of person-hours of mechanics training each year through formal classes and informal over-the-shoulder training. Our ride programs also deliver informal training in bike handling skills and basic trail riding skills. Our formal classes are taught by our three League Cycling Instructors and focus on delivering the League of American Bicyclists’ Smart Cycling skills.

Our programs have cascading impacts throughout our community. The result is more people of all ages and abilities riding bikes for their mental health, for their mobility needs, or simply for joy.