Expanding E-Bike Access in Western New York
Our vision is simple: We want every resident in Western New York to have free access to an e-bike.
With financial support from Independent Health, and Ralph Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, Shared Mobility Inc. is realizing this vision. We are steadily refurbishing a large reserve of pedal-assist e-bikes to donate to community-based organizations across Western New York to start their own E-Bike Library.
Much like a public library where people can borrow books, E-Bike Libraries allow folks to borrow electric-assist bikes free of charge. And because each community is unique, we believe folks from the communities are the most qualified to lead e-bike libraries. We partner with community groups to lead and administer the programs.
We are seeking additional private and public funding sources to donate more e-bikes to additional community groups to expand the library network.
Click the button below to get in touch to learn more about sponsoring an e-bike library!
" Residents here in the city [ Niagara Falls ] that are struggling with negative health outcomes now have the opportunity to do something."
- Brian Archie, Create a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative's Co-Chair
Community-Controlled Transporatation
Every community has unique needs and challenges. This is why we partner with community-based organizations to ensure every e-bike library is tailored to needs of the people borrowing the bikes and the goals of those administering the program. Community-based organizations can use e-bikes to meet their program objectives. This could include activities such as education on device maintenance through collaboration with a local bicycle expert, and supporting employment opportunities and access to healthy foods
E-Bike Libraries also promote healthy lifestyles by encouraging physical activity and outdoor experiences as well as bringing people together.
Are you community-organization interested in hosting an e-bike library? Get in touch! Click the button below to email us!
Current Programs
Shared Mobility Inc., with support from Independent Health and Ralph Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, is providing qualified community organizations the assets necessary to start an E-Bike Library Program: a small fleet of refurbished pedal assist e-bikes with batteries and plug-in chargers.
We are currently working with organizations like The Tool Library, Create a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative and East Side Bike Club to assist in their E-Bike Libraries.
Create a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative
The Create a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative gives opportunities to residents of Niagara Falls to become change agents. The Collaborative is deeply engaged in the community, provides tools and support to residents, and partners with local businesses, non-profit organizations and faith communities to positively impact the health and well-being of the City of Niagara Falls and its residents.
The Collaborative is led by four Niagara Falls residents who currently serve as official co-chairs: Brian Archie, Keyona Dunn, Evelyn Harris, and Sarah Obot. They meet weekly and work tirelessly between those meetings (and their day jobs) to coordinate events, support work groups, and make sure residents’ voices are being heard and ideas are being implemented.
East Side Bike Club
East Side Bike Club is a grassroots bicycle organization working to expand access and awareness of biking in communities of color through weekly bike rides, open workshop hours, and pop-up events throughout the city to engage with residents and stakeholders.
ESBC is a program of Buffalo United Front, a coalition of frontline organizations and individuals working to improve the quality of life for Buffalo Residents.
Through the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds administered by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo and Better Bike Share Partnership, SMI helped ESBC and Create a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative launch E-Bike Library Pilot Programs in the Spring of 2021. Since then, ESBC has developed their own E-Bike Library and Community Workshop. Stay tuned for their E-Bike Library launch.
The Tool Library
The Tool Library is a volunteer-powered nonprofit tool-lending library located at 2626 Main Street in Buffalo, NY. A membership to the Tool Library gives community members access to thousands of tools, free educational programming, and a community of doers and makers. They foster collaborative consumption of shared goods, which shifts the focus from wanting more stuff to wanting more access to stuff.
Their Founder Darren Cotton has over a decade of experience in the fields of community development, urban planning, and information design. Malissa Rhodes of their staff combines their hands-on people management from their decade and a half of service industry work with years of carpentry knowledge to offer members a great experience when borrowing from their inventory of over 4,500 tools.
The Tool Library facilitates the sharing of essential physical items from circular saws to sewing machines within a trust-based network that also builds relationships across lines of race, class, gender, and even politics.
Our Supporters
This network of E-Bike Libraries would not be possible without support from Independent Health, Ralph Wilson Jr. Legacy Funds at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, and community partners including Create a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative and East Side Bike Club.
