Our Mission
At Good Karma Bikes, we envision a world with access to opportunity where no-one and nothing is thrown away. Our mission is to empower people and build community through bikes.​​
​
Each year, thousands of donated bikes come through our doors. Our dedicated volunteers repair every one of them. Half are sold in our shop to fund our mission; the other half are given directly to people in need through our programs and community partnerships. We serve youth, low-income families, people experiencing homelessness, those in recovery, returning citizens, and refugees. In all our years, we have never turned anyone away for financial reasons.
​
We offer a wide range of programs designed to meet our community where they are — from Women's Night and Youth & Family Programs to Volunteer Programs, Outreach Events, and Holiday Programs. There's a place here for everyone.
​
Explore all of our programs here.
Our History
Good Karma Bikes didn't start in a shop — it started in a park.
​
In 2008, CEO Jim Gardner began fixing bikes for people experiencing homelessness in a downtown San Jose park. It took less than ten minutes for him to realize something profound: this wasn't about bikes. It was about self-esteem.
​
Moved by what he saw, Jim began teaching bike repair to those he was serving. They, in turn, taught others. And just like that — on a rainy Saturday in 2008 — Good Karma Bikes was born.
​
From there, the mission grew. Jim reached out to people in recovery, provided bikes to those who couldn't afford the bus, and kept showing up for anyone who needed a hand. By the time Good Karma Bikes had helped over 1,000 people, a donated appliance repair van in 2010 gave the organization the ability to go mobile and meet the community wherever they were.
​
Later that year, Good Karma Bikes found its first permanent home on Sunol Street in San Jose. In 2016, the shop moved to Lincoln Avenue. And in July 2023, we settled into our current location at 82 South Montgomery — just a one-minute walk from the Diridon Transit Hub.
​
The location has changed. The mission never has.
Our Values
Respect
The Golden Rule. We treat others as we’d like to be treated. We listen to others as we’d like to be listened to.
Respect also applies to non-human resources like tools and shop space.
Honesty
Truth and accountability in all actions.
Teamwork
Working together for a common goal and bringing the best out of each other along the way.
Integrity
Our actions are faithful to these values.