2024 Devo Bike Swap is a Wrap!

Durango may rank 33rd in population among Colorado cities, but thanks to our vibrant and supportive cycling culture, we boast the second-largest annual bike swap in the state. And this swap, it seems, keeps growing. Here’s a quick rundown on the impact of this year’s event.

HOW’D IT GO?

This year we welcomed more than 1,200 shoppers through the door. We sold a record 445 bikes – including many, many bikes for very happy kids – and countless pieces of gear and equipment on behalf of our community, totaling $234,000 in sales. For the data lovers among us, that’s an astounding 20 percent increase from our previous record, set last year.

But if you’ve been to one of our Swaps, you’ve probably noticed that it’s so much more than just a convenient marketplace. “The Devo bike swap isn’t merely an exchange of wheels; it’s a celebration of camaraderie, promoting accessibility, health, and the joy of exploring on a bike. By swapping bikes, we also champion sustainability through recycling, giving new life to old bikes while making cycling more affordable and inclusive for all,” explains Development Director Amy Haggart. 

After accounting for our expenses, the Bike Swap raised about $44,000 for Durango Devo – another record accomplishment.

Most of these funds come from our 22 percent commission on sales (relatively low compared to most consignment websites and shops) – the rest from a registration fee, the $1 admission, and a raffle.

WHAT DOES THE FUNDRAISING PAY FOR?

The primary benefit of Devo’s fundraisers is to keep the overall cost of our youth programs to a minimum. This is our biggest priority. Currently, nearly 50% of Devo’s annual budget comes from donations, sponsorships, and fundraising. That means that without fundraisers like the Bike Swap, youth registration fees would need to DOUBLE in order to continue covering Devo’s overhead costs (which include a small but mighty staff, coach payroll, insurance, permits, vehicle maintenance, website and technology costs, coach certification and training, and more). 

Anyone who participates in any of our adult programs knows what prices would look like without Devo’s sponsors, donations, and fundraisers. Adult DADS and WOW programs are not subsidized by fundraising and reflect the true cost of an 8 week program: $490! 

In addition to keeping overall costs down, Devo’s fundraisers allow us to run other essential projects that benefit Durango’s community. The Devo Scholarship Fund, which awarded 67 full semester scholarships in 2023, is paid for entirely by donations and fundraising. Devo helps local schools run annual bike rodeos supported by grant funding that help promote bicycle safety awareness for thousands of Durango kids each year. 

Without our sponsors, donors, and fundraisers, Devo would look a whole lot different. 

WHO MAKES THIS ALL POSSIBLE?

You are so observant to have noticed! The Bike Swap is truly a superhuman effort. It takes 250 superhuman volunteers to put this event on. Many of our staff and coaches volunteer, as well as a whole brigade of generous community members and a good number of our high school, middle school, and junior riders. Our sponsors donate food to fuel our volunteers, and 2nd Ave Sports even loaned some mechanics to help shoppers evaluate the bikes they were looking at.

It’s especially rad seeing our young riders who have grown up in the program assisting community members as volunteer bike experts out on the Swap floor – using the knowledge and expertise they have gained through their years of riding and learning about bikes on Devo teams.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE LEFTOVER BIKES?

In a perfect world, every bike would find its new home during our Bike Swap. In reality, this has never happened, and this bit of mismatch creates some great opportunities, too. Some bikes that did not sell are picked back up by their owners, who decide to keep them or sell them on the private market. Some are donated to Devo, and we store them for next year’s Swap or pass them along to scholarship riders in need of new wheels.

Still, there are bikes left over – and this is where even more magic happens. All remaining bikes valued $500 or less are donated to the Southwest Open School in Cortez. The SOS is an alternative education high school in Cortez serving primarily students considered at-risk and/or low-income. The SOS, through a Park Tools education grant, teaches interested students bike mechanic skills, enabling them to  earn a bike mechanic certificate at the end of the course! Students are then eligible to take jobs and internships in local bike shops.

The SOS uses donated bikes from the Bike Swap for these lessons. Students disassemble, clean, repair, and reassemble the bikes. Last year, about 75% of the bikes donated were fully rebuilt and repurposed, being given free of charge to students and local homeless shelters. The remaining bikes and parts are recycled. 

Buy, sell, rehome, donate, repair, recycle – it’s a cycle we’ve seen come around for fifteen years now, and it keeps growing bigger and better every year. Thank you Durango for making our Bike Swap possible!