Moloka‘i Bicycle Mission to Gift Keiki with Dozens of Bikes, Sept. 25

Molokaʻi kids will receive about 40 to 50 free bicycles during a giveaway starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25 2021 at the Molokai Youth Center in Kaunakakai. Also during the event, Molokaʻi residents are invited to bring bicycles to be fixed for free.

The volunteer effort is presented by Makawao-based bicycle shop Krank Cycles.

“March 2020, when the lockdown happened for COVID-19, instead of panicking we got busy helping the community of Maui,” business owners said.

As part the “Maui Bike Mission” the company is using a Sprinter van, which serves as a mobile Bicycle repair shop.

“We focused mainly on keiki bikes, especially for those who can’t afford to fix their own,” said owner AAron “Moose” Reichert, who began the mission at a property in Central Maui.

“This impacted us greatly… there were five different families living on the property in tents. There were 17 kids but 15 of the kids were under the age of 13. They started pulling bikes from out of the bushes in the grass. By the magic of Akua we were able to take 18 bikes and make 14 workable,” said Reichert.

It was then that he had the idea to continue the mission, and take it to the East Maui community of Hāna.

“We then put out the word to all of Maui that we would take any bicycle donation under any condition to take to Hāna,” said Reichert. The donated bikes were then fixed up and recycled for use, with preference given to keiki first.

The mission completed three trips to East Maui, and gave away more than 200 bikes and repaired over 300 more.

After Hāna, a similar effort was conducted on Lānaʻi with the assistance of Trilogy. “We gave away almost 50 bikes and repaired over 200 bikes in one day,” said Reichert.

In addition to bike sales and repair, Krank Cycles Maui is also involved in annual community events and public outreach, such as Boys and Girls Club/Jim Falk Christmas Bike Give Away, Pedal IMUA, YMCA Keiki Triathlon, Hāna and Ke’anae Bike Missions, Maui Mountain Bike Club Coalition trail building and fundraising events. The business has also partnered with Maui Rescue Mission and Salvation Army to repair bikes for clients.

The store is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday at 1120 Makawao Ave.