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Looking Back on '24

rebecca5360

Updated: Jan 27

With more in store for '25


The starting point of one of our bicycle tours - way back in 2015!
The starting point of one of our bicycle tours - way back in 2015!

2024 marked ten years since Bikeworks began selling and servicing bicycles in Lancaster County. We first opened our doors in Intercourse, Pennsylvania, doing all the things community bike shops do, with a focus on bicycle rentals and guided tours. Back then, it was just Mark and me running the shop and leading tours to the home of our Amish friends. We’d pedal over covered bridges, often with baby Anna in a Burley bicycle trailer, before arriving at Dave and Naomi’s farmette. Without fail, their five children, now nearly all grown, would greet us with the happiest hugs. Our group would indulge in a delicious PA Dutch dinner while watching the sunset over rolling farmland.


That first year, we hosted our inaugural Cranksgiving food-raising bicycle ride. We had less than 20 generous riders, and while that seems small today, at the time, we were floored by the scene - a crew of riders heading out to local grocery stores to purchase and donate food to local families in need. This year, 200 riders took off from Lititz Bikeworks. Thousands of pounds of food, crates of feminine and cleaning products, and thousands of dollars in cash were donated to organizations serving local families. 


A brand new rider picks up speed at one of our "Lose Your Training Wheels" clinics.
A brand new rider picks up speed at one of our "Lose Your Training Wheels" clinics.

The heart of our work has always been grounded in community. From those early tours and Cranksgivings to our work with local children, we’ve always believed that bicycling is more than a pastime. It’s a lifelong skill that can act both as a mode of transportation and a tool for transformation, improving mental and physical health. That’s why 2024 brought our third consecutive year of free “Lose Your Training Wheels” Clinics and our 7th year of free cyclocross clinics. In July, parents signed up kiddos who hadn’t mastered the art of riding on two wheels. Our one-on-one sessions had a success rate of over 90%! Young riders looking for more of a challenge signed up for cyclocross clinics that taught techniques for this adventurous, often very muddy sport. This year, we saw Bikeworks kids take podiums in several local races!

Santa and one of your sweet pups during our Merry Little Toy Drive
Santa and one of your sweet pups during our Merry Little Toy Drive

To end the year, we hosted our “Merry Little Toy Drive,” benefitting families in Ephrata, Warwick, and Lebanon school districts. For this event, a wildly generous, anonymous local donor worked with us to donate 51 brand-new bicycles to local children. We worked with the school districts to identify families who would most benefit from having the bikes. Then, we asked all of you to bring a toy, gift card, or article of clothing to Lititz Springs Park. In exchange for your gifts, we offered you a free photo with Santa. You came with your children, your best friends, and your puppies, smiled with Santa, and won over our hearts. Earth to Lititz even got involved and partnered with Darn Tough Socks to donate hundreds of pairs of socks to children at the Warwick School District.


We’re very conscious of not asking for registration fees or money when we host an event. All of our donations are items - food, clothing, and toys - that go directly to service organizations. Any financial donations are made directly to those organizations. We’re ever thankful to Stauffer’s of Kissel Hill for sponsoring these events and helping us to cover costs. Working with other locally owned businesses who share our love for our community is the best!


Time to Get Earth to Lititz Involved!

If you read the above and wondered why our events are all bicycle-based, well, it has a lot to do with Bikeworks’ decade-long head start! But Earth to Lititz is gearing up for our own good stuff! We’re currently working on an urban hiking concept that will bring us together to explore downtown Lititz…with biodegradable trash bags in hand. Let us know if you like the idea of covering ground all around town - with regular hikes on different routes. We’ll uncover Lititz’s most naturally and historically beautiful areas and leave them better than we found them, taking any trash with us as we go!

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