ABOUT US
MORE THAN BIKES. BUILDING FUTURES.
In Southwest Atlanta, Bearings Bike Works uses bikes to build confidence, skills, and belonging, helping youth discover what they’re capable of and where they’re headed.
Our Mission
is to put the right tools in the hands of youth enabling them to advance their skills to build productive lives.
Our Vision
is to see those that we serve take ownership of their lives with character and purpose and experience the freedom of economic mobility.
It Starts With A Bike
Think back to the first time you learned to ride a bike. That moment when balance finally clicks and suddenly you’re moving forward on your own. It’s exhilarating. It builds confidence. It makes you think, “I can do this.”
At Bearings Bike Works, we believe that feeling is powerful. We use bikes as a tool, but what we’re really building is confidence, character, skills, and belonging — because when kids believe in themselves, anything is possible.
Why It Matters
Today’s young people are growing up in a world full of challenges — social isolation, mental health struggles, rising costs of living, and fewer clear pathways to meaningful careers. In Southwest Atlanta, many youth also face limited access to safe spaces, mentors, and hands-on learning opportunities.
These challenges are not a lack of talent or potential. They are a lack of opportunity. We believe every young person deserves the chance to discover their strengths, build real-world skills, and be part of a community that believes in them.
The Impact
300+ Youth Served Annually in Skills for Life
15 Years of Serving SW Atlanta
8,000+ Bikes Donated
Community Changes Everything
At our core, Bearings is about people showing up for people.
We believe growth happens in community — through relationships, encouragement, accountability, and belonging. We don’t exist to do things for kids, but to walk alongside them, put the right tools in their hands, and create spaces where they can discover what they’re capable of becoming.
When young people are known, supported, and challenged, they rise to the occasion.
How We Show Up
Everything we do at Bearings is built around hands-on learning and real relationships. Kids learn by doing — by trying, making mistakes, fixing what’s broken, and trying again.
Through bikes, teamwork, and mentorship, young people build:
Confidence and independence
Work ethic and responsibility
Problem-solving and persistence
A sense of belonging and purpose
We’re playing the long game, because investing in kids today creates ripple effects that strengthen families, neighborhoods, and our entire city for years to come.
The Ripple Effect
When kids discover their strengths early, it changes the trajectory of their lives.
We see alumni return as young adults pursuing careers in skilled trades, engineering pathways, and technical fields inspired by their time at Bearings. They talk about the confidence they gained, the mentors who believed in them, and the moment they realized they belonged somewhere.
This is what long-term investment looks like — stronger families, a skilled workforce, and communities that thrive.
Our Programs
Three connected program models work together to help kids Discover, Build, Ride, and Succeed.
Skills For Life
Skills for Life is our drop-in after-school program where kids learn bike maintenance and building while earning points toward owning and maintaining their own bikes.
It’s also a place to belong. Kids build friendships, learn responsibility, and gain confidence as they solve problems and stick with challenges. Over time, they begin to see themselves differently — as capable, valuable, and full of potential.
For many, Bearings becomes a second home.
Frameworks Career Accelerator
Frameworks prepares teens and young adults for the workforce through hands-on training in our social enterprise bike shop.
Participants restore donated bikes, serve real customers, and learn technical skills alongside customer service, teamwork, and leadership. Just as importantly, they build the soft skills employers value most — reliability, integrity, and growth mindset.
Frameworks helps young adults leave Bearings confident, job-ready, and equipped with skills that translate far beyond the bike shop.
Youth Cycling
Our mountain biking programs introduce kids to cycling and move them from first-time exposure to skill-building clinics and team environments where they can race with peers from around the state.
Riding builds confidence, resilience, and independence. It also supports mental health through physical activity, time outdoors, and connection with teammates and coaches.
Through programs like Cone Crusher Clinics, our Elementary Mountain Bike team, and our Middle and High School team, kids gain access to equipment, coaching, and a team culture that helps them grow on and off the bike.
Our Story
Bearings began in 2008 on a front porch in Adair Park, when neighborhood kids started earning bikes by helping clean up trash and learning simple repairs.
What started with a few bikes quickly became dozens of kids showing up every weekend to learn and work together. As the program grew, so did the need for space — first a basement shop, and eventually, the purchase of property in Adair Park so Bearings could put down permanent roots in the community.
Today, our campus includes youth learning spaces, workforce training programs, a full-service retail bike shop, and direct access to the Atlanta Beltline — all dedicated to serving youth in Southwest Atlanta.
What started with one bike has become a long-term commitment to this neighborhood and its kids.
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Bearings publishes an Impact Report annually in order to share with our community and donors the work happening at Bearings and the measurement and outcome metrics we track and share show growth and impact in the lives of youth in our programs. We invite you to take a look and celebrate the work happening in our city through Bearings!