Meet the Silver Spring man who has given away more than 700 used bikes for free

SILVER SPRING, Md. — On most afternoons, you may find Manuel Vera in a shed in his backyard.  He's busy.  Tinkering, checking gears, testing braks, and spinning the wheels on bikes that he's repairing.  It's something that he's enjoyed doing since his 30s.  Now in 70s, Manuel gives the bikes away for free. No questions asked.   

It all started in 2020, when people were locked down in the pandemic and he was not able to get out as much.  Manuel started repairing bikes for neighbors, only charging for parts. Then he took a few of them near downtown Silver Spring and held up a sign with the words, "free bikes."

Naturally, people were surprised. 

"They would ask me, are those really free?  What do you want? And I said 'yes, absolutely they’re free'.  They would pick one out, take it for a little test ride around the parking lot and decide to take it," Vera explained.  "So I just told them, 'Yeah, go ahead. It's yours.' I would help them load the bike, and off they went.”

 Right now, there are about 50 bikes in his yard waiting to be repaired and given away. So far, he said he has given away about 730 bikes and counting. 

 He now works with charities such as Homes Not Borders, which helps Afghan refugees who need a new start.  

 "Working with Manuel has been a true blessing," said Manizha Azizi, who serves as Family Services Director with Homes Not Borders.   "He takes care of  some of the needs that the refugees, you know, they need a bike. The kids need bikes to, you know, to go around. They've been through a lot,” Azizi said. 

But not only is this helping people, it's helping the planet. Bikes that end up abandoned or in the trash can cause environmental waste.  

It's a full-circle moment since Vera spent his career working at Pepco, ensuring that businesses were energy efficient. While not his primary intention, it is a beneficial side effect. 

 "It works out for me, for the environment and for the person that's getting the bicycle,” Vera said. 

 He doesn't always meet the person on the other side of the handlebars, but there are a few stories that stick with him.

 “There was one gentleman who obviously was having a hard time,” Vera shared.  “This one man approached me. He said, 'Can I have a bike?' And I said, 'Sure'. He takes it for a ride and I told him, 'Go ahead and take it.' And he looked at me and he said, 'You give me hope.' And that got to me. I still to this day think about that person.”

 Moments like that keep the wheels in motion.

 “Just doing little things that touch people directly is what's keeping this project going,” Vera said. 

The community has rallied around Vera as well. He said neighbors and friends chip in when they can. When he goes to local bike shops for help, the shops don't charge him for labor and are eager to help him, because they know that he's helping others. 

If you want to help Manuel Vera on his mission you can email him here.