Our mission is to get more youth and adults outside and active

by increasing equitable access to affordable, reliable gear.

Who We Are

The Portland Gear Hub is a non-profit outdoor gear and bike shop powered by Ketcha Outdoors, a 501c3 youth outdoor organization.

The Gear Hub’s garage at 155 Washington Ave takes in donations of used outdoor gear and fully inspects and repairs the equipment. We recycle and reuse as much as possible, saving parts for reuse and refurbishing bicycles both for sale and for programs. We aim to lower the barrier of entry for those interested in outdoor recreation and/or sustainable transportation.

The Bike School at 85 Anderson St opened in May 2017 to provide a dedicated space for bicycle education. At the bike school, we offer free youth and adult programming, including Youth Wrench, Open Bench Time, and Bikes for All Mainers, as well as a variety of advanced bike maintenance classes.

The Gear Hub is made up of a small group of year-round staff who are supported by many dedicated volunteers. Our volunteers help us sort skis, repair kids’ bikes, make improvements to our building, translate traffic safety classes, and much more. Our staff and volunteers love the outdoors and we love what we do! We hope to share the joy and knowledge of bike repair and outdoor recreation with our community.

History

The Portland Gear Hub was created in January 2014 in the basement of the Portland YMCA. The idea originated between two youth nonprofits in southern Maine, Camp Ketcha and the Community Bicycle Center. At first, the primary goal was to provide funding for existing youth development programming, but it has grown to be so much more.

After a year in the YMCA basement, the Gear Hub opened its own retail storefront in April 2015 on St. John St. in Union Station Plaza. At Union Station, the Gear Hub gained new exposure, hired new staff (former volunteers!), and began drawing in more donations and more foot traffic.

In the Spring of 2017, the Gear Hub raised about $6,000 from our community to relocate to the East Bayside neighborhood. A former auto garage at 155 Washington Ave offered a better layout and work environment.

The Bike School at 85 Anderson St is situated in a residential neighborhood across the street from Kennedy Park and Fox Field, a great location for offering youth programming. We opened our new locations in May 2017 and we continue to grow and improve. Come visit!