How to Recycle Recumbent Bicycles

Unlike traditional bicycles, no standardization exists for recumbent bicycle tire size, handle bar position or other specifications. While the low wheel base and high-backed seat make the bike a conversation piece, sometimes riders lose interest in a recumbent bike. Donate your unwanted bike to a non-profit organization or recycle components of an unrepairable bike to keep rubber and usable metals out of the landfill.

Instructions

    • 1

      Inspect the bike for weakness or damage. The condition will determine if you can donate the bike or if recycling it is your best option.

    • 2

      Donate the bike to an organization that assists with rehabilitation or the disabled. Individuals who cannot perch forward on a traditional bike or cannot swing their leg over can sometimes successfully ride a recumbent bike. Contact your local Veteran's or children's hospital. Alternatively, if the bike's condition is far from perfect, research organizations that teach bicycle repair. For example, youth participants in the New York City Recycle-a-Bicycle program learn mechanical skills and earn a bike of their own.

    • 3

      Find a thrift store. Organizations sell gently used sporting goods to generate funds for their cause. Clean the bike thoroughly to make it sales-floor ready.

    • 4

      Part it out. If the old bike's condition does not merit a donation, use parts from the old bike to fix your new one. Retain expensive or scarce parts even if the new bike does not need them yet. Remove the tires. Look for pieces of aluminum or steel. Recyclers pay for scrap steel and aluminum. A local scrap yard may offer a price by weight.

    • 5

      Contact your local bike shop to inquire about recycling programs. Sometimes bike shops collect tires and include them with old parts generated from their parts shop.

    • 6

      Visit the landfill. Landfills often recycle rubber tires and tubes for a nominal fee. For example, Orange County New York charges a disposal fee of .25 cents per tire.