About Us
-
Our Values & Vision
The chaos and complexity of our modern consumer-lifestyle gives rise to convenience above all. Rising to solve the challenges of climate change and waste pollution requires a conscious change in the paradigms that led to this reality!
The difference is in our total commitment to planet and people. Reduce waste, support legit. local non-profits, build community through hard work, honesty, respect, and ultimately; trust. This is what Cyclized offers with an e-bike conversion service.
-
Partners
We highlight our partnership with Shift Community Cycles. Our founder volunteered hundreds of hours there during Shift’s early days. Shift Community Cycles confirms its’ partnership with us as a '“key collaboration for building electric bikes and getting more local riders on e-bikes”.
-
About Tom
Thomas Holden, founder of Cyclized, spent 17 years in Tanzania running a Kilimanjaro trekking business, and co-founding a recycled bike enterprise. The company he ran was recognized by the United Nations for its leadership in sustainable business development, and his passion for bikes and sustainability has followed him to Oregon.
Our Values Matter
“Unless we learn how to bring nature’s regenerative and resilient models into our work and our communities, we will not thrive.”
Most ebikes are used for a few years until they hit the back of the garage, or worse; fall into disrepair and are abandoned and trashed. Our society’s infatuation with replacing everything with new materials has resulted in a massive glut of stuff clogging up our lives and our landfills. New bikes and eBikes have a heavy impact, using all new materials with excessive non-recyclable packaging, and creating massive carbon outputs in manufacturing and transport. Moreover, most ebikes anywhere close to the price range of a conversion with Cyclized are cheap products; heavy frames, wheels & components, low-quality parts, proprietary design batteries and motors that cannot easily be fixed and cost silly amounts to be replaced, and controllers displays and other peripherals that are difficult to access, diagnose and fix. The result is a junked ebike, with tons of waste (some toxic), and overall bad for planet and consumer…
Cyclized and its partner, Shift Community Cycles are tackling existing wasteful paradigms to create the most sustainable and useful pedal-transport options. We aim to create a multiplicity of good by meeting our planet’s biggest issues head-on! When you refurbish (and electrify) quality used bikes, this not only benefits the planet but our customers too: A Cylized ebike is a better value ebike; one that you can actually find replacement parts for and keep it going far longer than any new ebike in this price range. Also, you’ll have a lighter bike; one that still feels like a bike and not a heavy electric motorcycle…
Vision in Practice
Our founder, Tom Holden currently works directly with Shift . Holden—who founded Cyclized in 2021, manages Shift’s Free Bikes 4 Kidz program, focused on giving free bikes to underserved kids of all ages. Shift and FB4K work with over 20 local partners in Eugene and Lane County. Shift is not just a cool bike shop (on 811 W. 6th Ave), but they offer a range of services, education and access to bikes including FB4K (at 190 W. 8th Alley), free-bike-repair pop-up stands, workforce development training, kids’ summer camps, organized rides, and much more. FB4K aims to give away 600 bikes in Lane County this year!
You can read more about Thomas Holden's role and his work across both organizations at shiftcc.org
Strong partnerships are the key to any successful venture, and our partnership with Shift sends a $50 donation for every e-bike conversion we do.
Experience in Action
Thomas Holden spent 17 years in Tanzania running a Kilimanjaro trekking business, Nature Discovery and co-founding a recycled bike enterprise called Arusha Bicycle Center (ABC).
In October 2018, Thomas presented his company’s success story at the at the World Economic Forum in Geneva, after winning the United Nations (UNCTAD) ‘Best Responsible Tourism Product Award.’
As much as Thomas enjoyed 17 years of racing through the African wilderness on a bicycle, the experiences that were been most meaningful to him were his work developing social equity. Working with the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project, he helped to set the standards for ethical porter treatment standards that now are being practiced on a widespread level. His work co-founding the Arusha Bicycle Center (ABC Bicycle Center), has been a successful project to provide communities in Tanzania with bicycles for transport and repair facilities, while raising the level and participation of competitive cycling in Tanzania.
