What to Collect and Send

Our goal is to send usable bikes and parts.

A nice load will have:
  • At least 100 mountain bikes
  • No more than 75 kids bikes, 20" and under.
  • No more than 100 24" mountain bikes.
  • No more than 50 lugged frames for stripping.
  • The rest are a nice mix of adult street, road, racer, cruiser bikes and plenty of parts.
  • For more info on actually loading, Loading day
  • Our experienced shipping partners are able to cram about 525+ bikes into a 40’ long and 9 ½’ high container. (loading suggestions below)

All usable parts are in demand, except racing handlebars. As a general rule, new replacement parts from Asia are available in Africa, but their quality is so low that often the second-hand parts we send are more desirable. Mountain bike parts are especially in demand, especially cranks, bottom brackets, brake assemblies, freewheels, and derailleurs. Brake shoes for V-brakes are in acute shortage.

We have been getting complaints about rusty wheels. If the spoke nipples are rusty, that wheel is no good. If the rim is nice you might send it. If the hub is still good, cut out the spokes and send that.

Wanted: Parts in High Demand

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Lugged Frames

Ghana’s northern neighbor, Burkina Faso, with different tariffs and different access to parts, seeks a certain type of frame. These are the lugged frame with small bottom bracket to fit the three piece and cottered cranks. Their favorite is what they call the “three-finger neck.” Other lugged frames are OK too, especially larger frames and men’s style.
3-finger neck refers to size of the space btw. the top and down tubes, as shown on this (rather ornately) lugged frame.

One Piece Crank

 There are two sizes of bottom bracket. The big one carries the one piece crank (at right). These are in short supply because China doesn’t send that style to Africa, not as bikes, or as spare parts.

So what this means is that often its better to send just the parts than to send the whole bike. If its missing wheels, best to part it out and scrap the frame. 

One piece cranks are found on the ‘department store bikes’, Murray, Huffy, Coast King, Roadmaster, and also some Schwinn.


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Keep all the parts together, pedals too, if you can!

Send 'As Is' or Strip for Parts?

Marginal and Problematic

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If that chain is as bad as it looks, this one should've been stripped for parts. Send the drive train all together, maybe even the chain. They'll spend a lot of time working chains back in to shape. This one has a one-piece crank.

lapaz_fuji_w1.63.jpgThis one is also borderline. The paint is funky, but its got a cotterless crank, so I’d probably send it as is. This one will get the ugly discount, helping people with less resources afford mountain bikes. (Notice the pedals are installed backward, and the handlebars are turned. All bikes should be similarly 'flattened' before shipping. Pedals are often wired to the frame.)