The childhood joy of a bicycle found under a Christmas tree, or bedecked in ribbons and streamers awaiting birthday celebrations, is something many of us experienced in our youth. The initial catch in our chests when we lay eyes on Our Bicycle is rivaled only by the excitement (or abject terror) of our maiden ride. It is a thrill we strive to replicate in adulthood. (See: motorcycles.)

But we outgrow our bikes, and sometimes they get passed on to a sibling, sold for pennies on the dollar at a garage sale, or simply get left on the street for trash collection. Worse yet, as adults, we experience bike theft or find ourselves unable to afford a bike.

Either way, at some point in our lives we are likely either in search of a bike or trying to dispose of one.

Thanks to dedicated groups of cyclists looking to round out the circular nature of the issues, old bicycles are given new leases on life.

Troy Bike Rescue was one of the first groups to promote cycling in the Capital Region (there are bike rescues in Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga and Hudson, as well as throughout the state). "I was commuting to RPI (to study electronic arts) and passing the public works dumpster that was full of bicycles. I was pulling bikes every day. I'd come by later with my car and pick them up," says Andrew Lynn, an arborist and graphic design instructor who started Troy Bike Rescue in 2001. Lynn, originally from western Pennsylvania, had been an avid cycler and worked as a bike messenger in Boston and New York City.

"When I was riding by and seeing these usable bikes, I felt like something had to be done."

The group started through "loosely organized collecting of bicycles out of dumpsters," with like-minded acquaintances and fixing them up in reclaimed public spaces with a "work potluck" included, he says. That turned into weekly work sessions in backyards and basements until Lynn moved away from Troy in 2003. Volunteers who lived in Albany started the Albany Bike Rescue about that time.

Lynn returned to Troy in 2007 and restarted TBR in a small space at 51 Third St. The "learn to earn" program, which requires that participants and volunteers work six hours at TBR to earn a bike, became a popular way for people to find a new mode of transport.

Carrie Will, an Albany resident and yoga instructor, started volunteering with TBR in 2009, "because I really wanted a bike and had been in a low financial situation for a while.

"I didn't know the difference between a wrench and a screwdriver," she says, stating that the skills she learned through TBR were things she never thought she could accomplish as a woman. "Growing up, no one ever put tools in my hand."

Becoming part of a community, gaining physical and problem-solving skills, and building up her self-confidence were all beneficial side effects of earning her own bike. She comes to the Troy rescue, because it is convenient with her work schedule at St. Peter's Health Partners, where she works with drug rehabilitation patients. Some of those patients have come in for their own bikes, she says.

"I got my bike, and it was amazing, but I got more than I was looking for. It was exactly what I needed," says Will.

TBR quickly outgrew the Third Street space, and in 2010 bought a foreclosed property from the city at 3280 Sixth Ave., in North Troy. A fix-it station where people can do minor bike repairs is now available. It is still run by volunteers, with operational costs covered by donations and an annual fundraiser in May. Anyone can come to the shop and "adopt" a bicycle — ranging from cruisers to road bikes to mountain bikes — for a suggested donation ranging from $5 to $100, depending on the bike.

Children's bicycles are also available to be adopted, but most kids' bikes are given away at a holiday event with North Troy Community Center and in June at a community cycling event at the Sanctuary for Independent Media, also in Troy.

"TBR's presence is really felt in North Troy. They are incredibly generous people, who volunteer their time to make sure everyone who wants a bike gets one. TBR is like a bridge, linking youths in one of the Capital Region's neediest communities to the outside world in a really caring way," says Steve Pierce, executive director of the Sanctuary for Independent Media. Pierce notes the importance that TBR plays in advocating for transportation alternatives throughout the region and in reducing what goes into the waste stream.

Lynn estimates TBR gives away 75 to 100 children's bikes at a time at these events. Will says TBR is a safe place for kids to learn real-life skills — like how to apply math and science to fixing a bicycle — that they wouldn't get in school.

More Information 2 wheels 2 work We're in the middle of National Bike Month and today is Bike to Work Day. The Capital District Transportation Committee (CDTC) and Bikeatoga are once again sponsoring the Capital Region Bike to Work Challenge for Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady Counties. For information about commuting by bike or to register for the challenge, go to http://capitalmoves.org/b2w518/ See More Collapse

"We're not interested in turning people away. We want to include everyone. The kids feel empowered and good about themselves," she says.

Lynn takes pride in the "mutual aid" TBR has developed with local businesses. Cycling shops in the area will give used parts they cannot use to TBR to repair bikes or offer in exchange for a donation, and TBR will refer more experienced cyclists to those businesses for advanced needs and new bike purchases.

"It is important to teach people, especially kids, how to fix things," says Ed Agans, owner of the Bike Barn in Cohoes, who regularly works with TBR. Both Agans and Lynn see an uptick in cycling — and the infrastructure around it — in the Capital Region.

"It's getting better. I've been in the Capital Region my whole life. At least now there are markings on the ground. It could be better if we had protected bike lanes," says Agans.

"I think just from looking around there are more people looking to bikes for transportation than there were five years ago," says Lynn, adding that the correlation between the number of bike rescues in the Capital Region and the number of cyclists is "a little bit of a chicken/egg thing."

The number of Americans who travel to work by bicycle increased from roughly 488,000 in 2000 to about 786,000 by 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is the largest growth of any mode of commuting during that period.

Locally, the Capital District Transportation Committee has launched bike-share programs in Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, Troy and Albany, where users pay at a kiosk to rent a bike. The University at Albany and Skidmore College have similar programs. But biking to work only accounts for 0.4 percent of all commuting, according to the census. The Capital District Transportation Authority has made upgrades to bike racks at stops and on buses to accommodate workers who are multi-modal in their daily commutes.

Ken Crandall, organizer with the Safe Cycling Troy Initiative, says "motorists do not understand the flow patterns of traffic (with cyclists)." He pedals 6.5 miles daily to work on Route 4, from Defreestville to Troy, and notices how a lack of bike lanes has negatively impacted the cycling community in the Capital Region. The Governors Highway Safety Association notes a 16 percent increase in cyclist deaths by vehicular crashes between 2010 and 2012.

The lack of dedicated infrastructure has been at the forefront of the Madison Avenue restructuring in Albany. Where to place bike lanes — if at all — is a source of contention among interested parties.

"We've come to the realization that cycling and bike rescue is a national, international movement," says Lynn. Regardless of bike lanes, he still tries to ride 30 miles a week on his bike and build a culture of do-it-yourself among many disparate groups.

For those who do end up partaking in cycling or volunteering at Troy Bike Rescue, the freedom that comes through a bicycle is still there, whether that comes in a wind-through-your-helmet ride on a two-wheeler, or in the agency and independence developed from the unique skills bike rescuers earn, one twist of the wrench at a time.