It is so easy: Refugees in need of a bicycle reach out to us. One after another we invite them to our workshop. There, we find the right donated bike for them and repair it together. For this purpose, our workshop is opened on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 4 pm to 8 pm.
We love to help! Please register on our waiting list and we'll get in touch with you for an appointment in our workshop. Since many refugees are waiting for a bicycle, it may take up to three months til your appointment.
Have you got time and want to repair bikes with us? Great! We are happy to welcome volunteers who want to fix bicycles with us. Experience in repairing bicycles is a plus, but not required.
You are welcome to bring your bicycle to our workshop, Lenaustrasse 3, from Monday to Friday between 4 pm and 8 pm. Every once in a while, we also come and pick up donated bicycles.
Mobility is key to getting to know one’s new neighborhood, to visiting new friends and to settle in. With their own bicycles, refugees can move around Berlin independently, in an environmentally friendly way and for free.
Simply handing refugees bikes is not enough for us. Instead, we want to bring together Berliners and refugees. By fixing bikes side-by-side and welcoming everyone to our events, we help to overcome prejudice and create a bicycle community.
Our bicycles are recycled, because we reassemble them with used spare parts and frames. In doing so, we create sustainable mobility and excite others for the most sustainable means of transportation.
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Learn how to repair your own bicycle. At Rückenwind, refugees and Berliners fix their bikes side-by-side.
Every Friday, from 4 pm to 8 pm in our workshop Lenaustraße 3, 10245 Berlin
Under the motto “Help people to help themselves” we show you how to repair your own bicycle. When it comes to a little trickier repair jobs, you will be helped by a trained refugee and by one of our more experienced mechanics. We provide you with the needed spare parts for a small fee. The majority of our spare parts have been recycled from used bikes. Should something be missing, a well-stocked bike shop is just a few steps away from our workshop.
You want to join us? You've got a leftover bicycle, a lock, a light or a helmet? Or you might want to support us financially? We appreciate your time as much as your donation of money. Find out here, how you can help us best.
You are welcome to bring your bicycle donation from Mondays to Fridays from 4 pm to 8 pm to our workshop, Lenaustrasse 3. From time to time, we pick up bicycle donations. Register here for the next pick-up.
To repair bicycles, we need tools and accessories. Unfortunately, these things are expensive, which is why we are very happy about donations. If you want to support us financially, just click here.
Regular donations help us to maintain our workshop operation as planned. Accordingly, we are grateful to our sponsoring members A sponsoring membership starts at 50 euros per year. Of course, we also appreciate more.
Got time and want to repair bikes with us? Great! Come on a Monday to our workshop during opening hours (4pm-8m) and we’ll find something for you to do. You can find more information in our Facebook group which you’re more than welcome to join.
Organize events, do paperwork, collect donation bycicles or realize your own idea ..? There is always a lot to do and we appreciate everyone who helps us. Write us, we are looking forward to seeing you!
Our basement is bursting at the seams and the way to us to Neukölln is too far for many bicycle donors. Support us by providing us with your basement as a collecting point.
Rückenwind – We are volunteers and refugees who repair bicycles together in Berlin-Neukölln. Our goal is to mobilize refugees with bicycles, to offer them employment and to bring them together with Berliners.
In our workshop in Neukölln, refugees and Berliners fix bicycles together and get to know each other. Mechanical knowledge or knowledge of German is not required everyone is welcome. We are happy about active or financial support as well as donations of any kind.
7 young students found Rückenwind in their kitchen
We present our ideas at the bike fair Velo and receive the first 70 bicycle donations.
Über den Tellerrand e.V. lets us store the donated bicycles in their cellar, while we can repair our first bicycles in the courtyard of HellYes recycling together with refugees.
Wir reparieren 48 Fahrräder und gewinnen 8000 Euro. Mit dem Geld richten wir unsere Werkstatt im Refugio der Stadtmission in Neukölln ein.
After months of renovating the premises by ourselves, of organizing tools and processes, we finally open up our own workshop.
At the Velo in Berlin, we receive the "FahrradStadtBerlin" award from the Senator for Environmental and Urban Development, Andreas Geisel.
Our association is recognized by the German Federal Volunteer Service (Bundesfreiwilligendienst) and Siamak officially starts as a Federal Volunteer. He is from Iran and has supported us voluntarily for some time. As a federal volunteer, Siamak gets pocket money, an annual ticket for public transportation in Berlin and social security.
We hold our first bicycle charity auction. 16 bikes are auctioned, pimped beautifully by our international team. The entire 3000 Euro proceeds go to the club and helps us with our work.
Now we also open our doors on Thursdays and Fridays – for all Berliners! Our federal volunteer from Iran who has been with us for almost a year and knows almost everything about bicycles as well as other members of the Rückenwind repair team are now ready to help you, if necessary.
Our goal is to build a community around the bicycle. For our previous milestones we have already received awards from public and private institutions. In order to reach our goal, we carry on with organizing and supporting integrative events.
Whether on an easygoing trip to Wannsee or speeding the Velothon: Riding a bike is fun and brings Berliners and refugees together.
At our repair events, festivities and the summer party, refugees and Berliners come together.
For our integrative activities we were awarded by the Federal Chancellor Merkel and the Berlin Senate.
Here's a selection of reports and videos from and about Rückenwind. We also compiled a press kit and high-resolution picture material for journalists. .
Over time, we have worked with many great people whom we want to thank.
