Community-Led.
Purpose-Driven.
Built by Us.
Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection (OSCI) believes mobility is a human right. Our mission has been to ensure that every Oregonian living with a spinal cord injury (SCI) has the care, community, and resources they need to thrive.
Who We Are
The Challenge: A System That Leaves Us Stranded
For too long, wheelchair users have been at the mercy of a broken repair system. When a chair breaks down, users often face weeks or months-long wait times for simple repairs from corporate DME (Durable Medical Equipment) companies. This isn't just an inconvenience; it is a crisis of independence that leads to social isolation, health complications, and lost autonomy.
The Solution: Oregon Wheelchair Repair
To meet this unmet need, we are launching Oregon Wheelchair Repair, a community-powered maintenance workshop designed to get us back in motion. We are replicating the community bike shop model to provide fast, affordable, and expert service for the wheelchair community.
Our model is built on Radical Sustainability:
Subsidized Care: We utilize a retail model where the sale of donated, high-quality parts and paid repair services directly funds our mission.
Mutual Support: When you pay for a repair at Oregon Wheelchair Repair, you aren't just fixing your chair—you are subsidizing repairs and free monthly workshops for wheelchair users who cannot afford them.
Mechanical Literacy: We don't just fix chairs; we provide the tools, training, and space for users to develop the skills to maintain their own equipment
From Workshops to a Revolution
Oregon Wheelchair Repair grew out of our successful Free Wheelchair Maintenance Workshops. These monthly clinics were created to fill a massive gap in the healthcare system: the lack of service availability and education on how to maintain the equipment we rely on every day.
By offering a space where community members can gather to learn basic maintenance—like checking tire pressure, cleaning casters, and identifying wear and tear—we started a movement of self-reliance. These workshops remain a cornerstone of our work, offering a supportive environment where peers teach peers, ensuring that no one is forced to stay home because of a loose bolt or a flat tire.
"Repair is Resistance"
Our tagline is more than a slogan—it’s a movement. Big corporations often design equipment that is difficult to service, hoping to keep users dependent on expensive, slow, and proprietary repair cycles. Repair is Resistance because taking maintenance into our own hands is an act of reclaiming our freedom and our right to move.
By choosing Oregon Wheelchair Repair, you are joining a system where the community takes care of its own. Together, we are building a world where no one is left stranded.
Services Offered
At Oregon Wheelchair Repair, we look at wheelchair maintenance much like car or bicycle repair. Some fixes are straightforward—like patching a tube or tightening a bolt—while other issues require a deeper look under the hood.
Because every wheelchair is a precision piece of equipment tailored to the user, many parts are not universal. While we carry a variety of components, some repairs may require ordering specific parts. Our technician will always walk you through the diagnosis and discuss all available options and costs before we begin work.
Please reach out if you need a service you don't see listed here. We can probably help.
Tires & Tubes
Flat repairs, tire replacements, and tube changes to keep chairs moving smoothly and safely.
Caster Maintenance
Caster bearing changes and caster fork replacements to eliminate "flutter" and improve your roll.
Manual Brake Adjustments
Battery Services
General Tune-ups
Walkers & Rollators
Learn the basics. Stay independent. Keep moving.
Free monthly clinics were built to close a major gap in the healthcare system by giving people a place to learn practical maintenance skills, ask questions, and support one another.
Service Locations
We offer three ways to get your chair serviced within the Portland area. All services are performed by appointment only.
OSCI Wheelchair Repair Shop
BikeFarm
Mobile Service
Cost of Service
We operate on a community-subsidized model to ensure our services remain accessible to everyone:
- Labor - $40/hour (Suggested Donation)
- Parts - Based on availability and specific model requirements. We may be able to provide some small parts from our existing stock, but there will likely be costs associated with replacing major components. A technician will discuss all part requirements and options with you before moving forward.
Repair is Resistance. By maintaining your gear, you are reclaiming your mobility. Let’s get you back in motion.
Pay It Forward
At Oregon Wheelchair Repair, we don’t just see a broken piece of equipment; we see a person’s mobility, autonomy, and lifeline. Because our organization is built by and for wheelchair users, we understand that a wheelchair is more than a chair—it is an extension of who you are.
The Journey to Independence
Every wheelchair user shares a common journey. We know what it feels like to be a new user: overwhelmed, scared, and staring at a complex machine you don't yet understand. But we also know the transformation that happens when you move from fear to mastery—when you learn to love your wheelchair as the ultimate tool for your independence.
Mutual aid is how we ensure every member of our community reaches that point of empowerment.
How You Can Help
Our "Pay It Forward" model creates a cycle of support where those who have the means—whether that is time, money, or gear—help lift up those who don't. You can contribute to this movement in several ways:
When you pay the suggested $40/hour labor donation for your own repair, you aren't just paying for a service. Your contribution directly covers the costs for a peer who cannot afford to get their chair back in motion.
- Get Service Link - https://forms.gle/W6GsVCMn3thS7wzN8
You don’t need to be a master mechanic to make a difference. By volunteering as few as 4 hours per month, you can help us manage the shop, assist with basic intake, or help others learn the ropes of chair maintenance.
- Volunteer Link - https://forms.gle/Upb9KV3bdrzj8smB6
Have an old chair or spare parts gathering dust? Donating high-quality components allows us to provide low-cost or free replacements to those in urgent need.
- Donation Link - https://forms.gle/3Mdts6rnqAgkbNg69
Simply showing up matters. By attending OSCI events and our monthly workshops, you help build the social fabric that keeps our community strong, informed, and connected.
- Link - www.oregonsci.org