Mondays and Wednesdays 5-8:30 pm
Rain, hail or shine !
In the car park, 1 Phillip St., Waterloo (cnr Cope St.)
WHAT DO WE DO ? – OUR MISSION
Cycle Re-Cycle Club (affectionately known as “The Nunnery Bike Workshop”) is a community based group of enthusiastic bike minded people who gratefully receive pre-loved or abandoned bikes, parts and accessories to help you make a working bike to go back into the community. At present, we have only limited means to receive bikes outside our operating time, but give us a call and we might be able to pick up.
Our goals are to:
- assist disadvantaged people from the local and wider community to own a bicycle.
- maintain and increase the availability of bicycles.
- provide a social forum for exchange of ideas and experiences to enhance client knowledge.
Our volunteers work alongside people from the local community, sharing their mechanical knowledge and showing them how to use tools to recycle discarded and pre-loved bicycles and to repair and maintain them afterwards. All aimed at increasing the use of bikes in and around Sydney.
We and others like you who attend, will help you to use our tools carefully and safely and to select parts available, to build a bike for yourself or a friend or repair or maintain your own bike. In return, we ask that you come back to help others, using what you have learned from us.
Access to tools, parts, components and consumables is free and you are encouraged to ensure the club’s future by participating in our activities and returning to share your knowledge with others. For more detail on what we expect from you in return for what we give to you, please see our How Does Bike Club Work ? page on this site.
Join in with us and learn all about how bikes work and / or share your knowledge and experiences or just come along and have some social time.
Everyone is welcome !
OUR PLACE IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
Currently based at 1 Phillip St., Waterloo (cnr Phillip and Cope Sts.), in the grounds of the Housing NSW precinct, we serve a wide range of people from a variety of cultural backgrounds including local indigenous people, the unemployed and nearby residents. We also receive visitors from all over Sydney including students, backpackers and foreign language visitors to Sydney / Australia.
We are located in the two garages below the ‘Turanga’ building and have been affiliated with The Factory Community Centre Incorporated since Jan 2009.
For a summary of our history, beginnings and vision for our future, see our How Does Bike Club Work ? page on this site.
A map is available at the Bikely website showing the route from our previous location at Forbes St., Newtown to our new Phillip St., Waterloo location.
WHEN ARE WE OPEN ?
We open every Monday and Wednesday 5-8:30pm excluding 25/12 and 01/01 (we’re all volunteers, so sometimes we might be a bit late opening up). If you believe you can commit to opening up Bike Club for us one day a month, please see the contact list below. If it’s raining, feel free to call us to see if we’re there. Same goes with long weekends.
DO YOU SELL SECOND HAND BIKES ?
We do not build second hand bikes to sell, however, we can put you in touch with people that do, so feel free to ask. We would rather have your help than your money and having some people as customers and some as bike sellers detracts from the community nature of our Bike Club.
HOW CAN I HELP ?
Cycle Re-Cycle does not charge for its services. To remain viable, we rely solely upon donations of bike parts and consumables with volunteers giving freely of their time and bike mechanics’ expertise.
We gratefully receive pre-loved or abandoned bikes, parts and accessories. At present, we are only able to take donations on Monday afternoons during our operating hours (5-8pm).
Anyone showing up on Mondays is encouraged to take part in the running of the workshop. This can be by simply donating their time to help others learn how to maintain or repair their bike, help sorting of parts and components or general housekeeping. The idea is that anyone who attends learns by hands on experience how to maintain/repair their bike and be able to share the knowledge gained with others.
To be up with all the news and to be involved in the latest happenings at the workshop, visit our Events, Diary, Discussion page.
If you find our help valuable or just had a good experience at Bike Club and would like to show your appreciation with a donation in kind (stuff we need), we always need inner tube repair / patch kits, degreaser, tools, oil and grease and, of course, we’d like your company while we fix bikes and help to keep the club going. Most of all, we are always on the lookout for mechanically skilled people to share their talents.
The first time you attend, please ask for a tour of how the place works and where stuff goes. Then, every time you attend to work on your bike, we ask that you spend 20 min to tidy up your work area to keep the workspace you used clean and tidy and help maintain the work space for the comfort and safety of everyone else. This labour share is what keeps Bike Club running smoothly and makes it a good experience for others coming after you.
CONTACTS
As a first point of contact as well as to seek out specific advice, we recommend you try our mailing list. This will put you in touch with a cross-section of people involved with the workshop who have a wealth of information and experience to share.
As a last resort, you can directly contact one of the following:
| Oliver – main contact for enquiries and events | 0422 331 213 | olivercashman At gmail d0t com |
| James | 0422 684 236 | james.ashton.nichols At gmail d0t com |
| Hugh – contact for bike donations, parts and tools | 0428 639 632 | hughaj At gmail d0t com |
Please note that if you send a text message, you might not receive a reply due to our other life commitments.
(Updated 25/01/12)

26 comments
Comments feed for this article
January 18, 2012 at 08:17
Rob Allsop
Hi,
I have a well-used bike I would like to donate. It’s an older mountain bike style frame, no front suspension, frame has surface rust, gears need a clean up and tweak, but still it’s still fine to ride and don’t want to throw it away. I have updated to a hand-me down bike from my mate.
Can I drop it off on a Wednesday night?
Cheers, Rob
January 22, 2012 at 15:55
Kim
Sure, we are open from 5 to 8:30pm
January 14, 2012 at 14:24
Paula
Hi,
I have an old bike that i was going to throw away, then i found you guys. Would it be any use? its a little bit rusty!
January 15, 2012 at 12:37
Eric
Hello Paula,
Thanks a lot for your offer. Just bring your bike over to us, and we will make good use of it. Even if the bike can’t be restored, it always has some useful parts that can be salvaged. However, we restore most bikes.
Regards,
Eric
January 12, 2012 at 11:33
Dean
I have 2 bikes in working order, would you be interested in them as a donation ?
January 12, 2012 at 13:59
Kim
Thanks, we should be able to use them. Would you be able to drop them off on a Monday or Wednesday night?
January 12, 2012 at 14:13
Dean
I work in Woolloomooloo but leave at 3:30pm, if we could make it a little earlier it would be good. If not sure we could work some thing out
January 13, 2012 at 08:30
Kim
Would around 4 pm next Monday be OK? Happy to be there earlier if there are bikes for us to collect.
January 13, 2012 at 19:54
Dean
4pm I can do, see you then : )
August 25, 2009 at 11:56
Karen
J.Smith,
The volunteers from Bike Club are best to contact via phone. I have answered your questions listed below and above as best I can without filling up the message board too much. If you need further information please email or contact one of the members listed at the top of the page. If you have difficulty getting in contact with them or need further info regarding goodwill bicycles etc, email or phone me. Alternatively, leave your email address so they can get in contact with you. Regards, Karen.
August 17, 2009 at 23:30
Karen
It would be best if you contact one of the volunteers on the phone numbers at the top of the page. If you cannot reach them/or have difficulty arranging tranport of the bikes then give me a call on the number above. Regards, Karen.
August 17, 2009 at 18:54
J.SMITH BA,MB.
How do Goodwill Bicycles (GB)(Africa) get 2000 bicycles,if they don’t get any bikes from the Nunnery?Don’t GB get bikes sent from Sydney and other cities?
I would have another 4 good bikes to donate,but I was keen to get to a library internet booking.
I also have a 1970′s full suspension ‘MOTO X FOX’,'KASHIMAX’ BMX TYPE BIKE,IN NEAR ORIGINAL CONDITION-FOUND DISCARDED IN A COUNCIL’S ANNUAL KERBSIDE CLEAN-UP.
August 16, 2009 at 00:28
Karen
Diane,
Did this gentleman get his bike sorted out? If not, pass on the info regarding the Monday workshops. Regards, Karen.
August 16, 2009 at 00:25
Karen
If easier, you can email me save mobile phone costs. karen@bicyclerecycling.com
August 16, 2009 at 00:24
Karen
Hi JSmith,
Goodwill Bicycles has moved to Ballina so wont be able to pick the bikes up. I have a van so it is no problem picking up a number of the bikes. The wooden rims I would like to look at. They would be best used on a antique bike if they are serviceable. If not, at least used for display. I know a gentleman who has worked with wooden rims so can get him to check them out if you like. I am available today (Sunday) and also most of next week. If you would like them picked up, give me a call and I can stop by and drop them ready for bike club to use on Monday if this is suitable. If not we can arrange a more suitable time for you. Thanks, Karen.
August 15, 2009 at 10:56
J.SMITH BA,MB.
10 – 12 OR 13 BIKES,IS THAT STILL OKAY?
AM WAITING FOR RESPONSE FROM GOODWILL BICYCLES,ABOUT THEM HAVING THE ABOVE BIKES.
WHICH DAY IN THE WEEKEND?
AND WHO WANTS THE WOODEN RIMS.
July 1, 2009 at 09:55
Dan
Getting freewheels off is easy with a quality big adjustable shifter. At Newcastle Bike Ecology Centre we get them off all the time. Try holding wheel between legs. Put shifter on cluster romover tool horizontal to ground. Use right foot on shifter to break through stubborn rust!
bike hugs,
Dan
May 1, 2009 at 15:29
Chris
Hi Guys
I love your idea and appreciate the effort yous put into this. Hope more project like yours are coming up maybe for cars???
cya
February 17, 2009 at 16:00
drew
Went to fight club last night was really impressed with the volunteers,their generosity and knowledge,didnt get a bike myself but hung around and gave some dubious advice about repairs,look forward to going next week and maybe finding something,or else getting my first fight.great work you are all doing.
February 11, 2009 at 10:01
Daniel
This is a great workshop!
It’s been helpful to encourage my colleagues to ride, especially when they know they can get bike maintenance help so easily!
Cheers
December 15, 2008 at 20:03
Scott
Dave at the workshop is great. He is professional and helped everyone. He was there to open up early however they had not entrusted him one of the three keys needed. Dave helped the new comers and is a wealth of knowledge.
Thank you
Scott
December 10, 2008 at 10:55
barbara
hi there,
i just wanted to say thanks again for the help in finding a bike. it’s a breeze to ride!!! I just started riding it to work this week and it is a really great way to get to know the city. or get lost in the city. I was put off by the rain last Monday but hope to see you next week.
Cheers
Bx
December 3, 2008 at 15:53
Adrian
Hi Bike clubers
I’ve did some time lapse photography of the bike workshop last week. You can see it at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abN102lsa4c
January 29, 2008 at 05:15
gwadzilla
Washington DC could use something like this!
I dream of a YOU NEED A BIKE-YOU GOT A BIKE program
everyone should have a bike that wants a bike
http://www.gwadzilla.blogspot.com
a bicycle blog
April 26, 2007 at 15:47
bigrocco
We are fortunate enough to have something similar here in Eugene, Oregon. The Center for Appropriate Transport. http://www.catoregon.org I wonder if they know about you? The brother and sisterhood of the two wheels keeps turning and keeps oil from burning. Ride on!
September 22, 2009 at 10:52
markpa
I hear that there is this awesome company called the carbon reduction institute; how would another bike workshop like http://hobartbikekitchen.org go about getting similar lights donated?