Many people are aware of the items that can be recycled such as paper, glass and aluminum, but did you know that in Statesboro, your old bicycles can be recycled? 

Thanks to Recycled Cycles owner, Madison Flocks, 30, and her partner Bobby Richards, 53, discarded bikes can have a new life. 

Flocks is a certified Shimano tech bicycle technician. 

“I handle the services, final set up, test riding, and adjusting of the bikes that go out. Bobby is the disassembler, creative painter, refurbisher extraordinaire! He’s been really stepping up his role since I became pregnant with our second son,” she said. 

Their oldest son, Ryder, 3, is not on the payroll, but that doesn’t keep him from contributing where and how he can. He serves as the tool “go-fer,” shop boy and test rider for kid’s bicycles. He also serves as an inspector because he notices when things are missing or broken. 

“He’s not really a worker he just likes to help and sees mom and dad doing it so he wants to do it too,” Flocks said. 

Recycled Cycles is based in the Georgia Southern University Business Innovation Group and is available by appointment to accept bicycles that you may think are beyond repair. 

The Flocks began collecting bicycles that they came across that were broken or in need of repair—many were being thrown away.

“I can’t stand seeing bikes being thrown away! So, the accumulation began little by little. We started fixing bikes out of our garage at our old house and that quickly became filled up with bikes and bike parts,” she said.  

Ryder had just been born 5 weeks early and Flocks was a stay-at-home mom. She didn’t want to put him into daycare or start a new job since he had been born prematurely. After her recovery from the C-section, she felt like she needed something to do.

“The bikes we had accumulated were staring us in the face and it basically evolved into a business that we saw the community had a need for,” Flocks said. “Not everyone can afford to go buy brand new bicycles. A lot of times the new bikes would get thrown away simply due to improper set up. So, we applied our findings to how we rebuild our bikes.” 

Oftentimes, the bicycles are sold to community members who are in the market for a bicycle, but don’t want to pay full price. But Recycled Cycles also partners with The Hope Chest to do a large bike donation at Christmastime.

“Hugh Yaughn also brings us bikes to repair that others have donated and we fix them up and return them to them. We don’t handle the actual donation process or determine who gets them. The Fostering Bulloch Hope Chest handles the coordination of bicycle donations to the individual,” Flocks added. 

The Flocks receive the bicycles that they repair, refurbish and resell through a variety of avenues. Most are discarded, but some are purchased at yard/garage sales, off of Facebook Marketplace, estate sales, donations, from the university campus or from “individuals that have something old and cool we want to buy.”

The team will also take bike-related items such as bike racks, accessories, and helmets. Flocks urges the community to contact Recycled Cycles to see if a bike is salvageable before trashing it. 

“We want the community stop throwing away bicycles,” she said. “Bring them to us, they can be reused! Don’t fill up the dumps or landfills with a bike you think is trashed. It may have good parts on it that can be reused. Every donation allows us to keep giving back to those in need. Bikes can often be fixed or salvaged parts removed.”

At press time, Flocks was preparing her husband to take over the day-to-day operations of the shop so that she could go on maternity leave. They are expecting their second son, Rhett Jackson Richards, in June.