Members of the Friends of Central Iowa Biking need help from community members to make their annual Spring Bike Sale a success.

The group is looking for donations of used bicycles, and volunteers to make repairs for the April 27 sale, which will begin at 10 a.m. in the parking lot of Grand Avenue Baptist Church, 612 24th St.

“The sale is aimed at providing low-cost transportation for children and adults, recycling used and abandoned bicycles and generating funding for community conservation projects,” said Eric Fralick, Friends of Central Iowa Biking board member.

The group will not accept all used bicycles, however.

“We look for overall condition – the absence of rust, seats without tears, good tires,” said Terri Nelson, president of the organization.

The group began the sale in the early 1990s.

In previous years, the group has sold between 60 and 90 bicycles each spring, said Lucy Thomas, former president of the group.

She said this year’s sale may set a record, because the group has collected nearly 100 bikes.

Denny Jones, club secretary and treasurer, said they stash the bikes all over Ames until the sale.

“We have so many donations, we don’t have room to keep them in one location,” he said. “We keep them in so many odd areas of the cities.”

Nelson said the sale has a great benefit to the community. The group donates money to local trail conservation projects.

“We usually raise between $1,200 and $1,700 each time,” he said. “We’ll give at least 85 percent of that to Story County trail projects.”

The group is also dedicated to keeping the used bicycles in good condition by hosting “fix-up” nights every Tuesday and Thursday in April, Nelson said.

Marla Tebben, member of the group, said she didn’t have a bicycle when she moved to Ames last summer.

Tebben said she got a bike from the organization and has participated in group rides since.

“It’s a great way to get to know Ames, and I’m pleasantly exhausted at the end,” Tebben said.