History of The Ohio City Bicycle Co-op

The Roots of OCBC (1995–2001)

1995: The Spark: The Cleveland Area Bicycle Association launched an “Earn a Bike” service project. They successfully awarded bikes and helmets to 30 East Cleveland children, but the program paused when key volunteers moved away.
2001: The Return: Two original organizers returned to Cleveland. They teamed up with other local cyclists to restart the project out of a small garage behind St. Ignatius High School’s Arrupe Community Center. For two seasons, volunteers taught neighborhood kids how to repair bikes and ride safely.

2002 – Official Incorporation: The Ohio City Bicycle Co-op (OCBC) formally incorporated and moved into a donated storefront on Lorain Avenue. To cover expenses without grant funding, they began selling refurbished bikes, offering adult memberships, hosting repair classes, and running fee-based school programs.
2003 – Moving to the Flats: After the Lorain Avenue building was sold, OCBC moved to a larger space in the Flats. The lower street traffic made group rides safer, and the extra space allowed them to store a growing volume of bicycle donations.
2011 – A Permanent, Large-Scale Home: After years of planning, OCBC moved into its current 16,000-square-foot industrial facility in the Flats. This massive space allowed them to open the workshop to the general public, rent out workstations/tools, and expand educational offerings.

2019 – A pillar in the community: The Co-op continued to grow and expand their offerings as the volunteer base increased. The Ohio city bicycle co-op is well known amongst necessity cyclist and recreational users alike as a place that will help you with your bicycle, no matter your station in life.

2020: The COVID-19 pandemic: The Ohio City Bicycle Co-op executed a strategic operational pivot to online educational programming and offsite volunteering opportunities, maintaining its core mission while adapting to safety restrictions. To manage the unprecedented surge in bicycle demand, they implemented a new point of sale and e-commerce system to meet the needs of our community.

2025 – Transition and Evolution: After nearly 30 years helping people use bicycles, Jim Sheehan, Founder and Executive Director, stepped down, and welcomed back Erik Anderson, former staff and operations coordinator, as the new Executive Director.

Community & Values: Today, OCBC operates on three core principles: Respect, Reciprocity, and Resourcefulness. They partner with CDCs, social service agencies, and businesses across the region all in an effort to continue Helping people use Bicycles.