TheThinkTank October 2008

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86 participants
54 discussions

Re: [TheThinkTank] Bike Education/Clinic curriculum?
by dragonfly＠mac.hush.com 09 Oct '08

09 Oct '08

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Hi, Everyone. This thread is great! Thank you for all the wonderful information. I have a slightly different bike education challenge. A lovely gym teacher at Assumption Catholic High School wants to work with me, and with some of my other bike dork friends, and with some of her collegues who teach other subjects, to develop a bike related curriculum for the school at large (and perhaps to be used at other kits)-- it will have: -- a gym component -- a shop class bit (bike repair, maybe bike building) -- an art class section (both an art history section and actual creative work with a bike theme-- art bikes, bike related art, etc.) -- units for geography, history, science... -- and can you think of anything else that would be good? Does anyone have ideas about things we should put in it? I am reminded of the lovely "bicycle thinker" notion from earlier e-mails-- is there a possible high school unit on bicycle thinkers waiting to be written? Has someone already written it? If we can end up with an integrated bike-related curriculum that fits with the government mandated curriculum, we are going to be pretty happy. It will take us a while to develop this, but we have started already. If anyone else is doing this or has done it, please get in touch. I am so happy to be part of this community. thank you all for doing such cool and needed work. Thank you. Sasha On Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:37:22 -0400 John Gatlin <johngatlin(a)gmail.com> wrote: >Dave, >I stand corrected. However, how do you get to that page from their >main >site? Perhaps their reorganization of the website confused me. >Anyway, it's >an excellent resource that ought to be in any shop's files. Thanks >for >finding it. > >Drew > >On Tue, Oct 7, 2008 at 11:59 PM, Dave Bourgeois ><stdaveb(a)gmail.com> wrote: > >> Bikes Not Bombs is still posting the manual here: >> >> http://www.bikesnotbombs.org/EarnABike >> >> Note this just above the download links: >> >> "We make our training manual available for people wanting to run >youth >> bicycle programs in other places. This is the mechanics manual >we use >> to train the volunteers who will become assistant teachers in >> Earn-A-Bike." >> >> I'm guessing BNB won't get upset if we use their copyrighted >manual to >> teach adults as well as youth. >> >> Dave Bourgeois >> Bici Centro >> Santa Barbara, CA >> http://www.bicicentro.org/ >> >> >> On Tue, Oct 7, 2008 at 8:50 PM, John Gatlin ><johngatlin(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> > Hey all, >> > >> > Along the line of instructor sheets, I was able to obtain a >copy of Bike >> Not >> > Bombs' Instructor Training Manual before they took it off the >web-- >> > the one they use in their Instructor Training Course. It is 13 >chapters, >> all >> > in .pdf, and very well put together with clear language (the >copy I have >> is >> > in english) and nice drawings. However, I'm not sure I feel >comfortable >> in >> > handing it out since they have stopped sharing it. Is a >representative >> from >> > Bike Not Bombs on this list? If so, would your organization >feel >> comfortable >> > if I submitted this to the wiki? If not, what do y'all think? >In the >> > interest of collaboration and team spirit I'd love to share >it, but I >> > definitely didn't develop this manual and it has a copyright >clearly on >> each >> > page. >> > >> > So, BNB, are you out there? Lemme know. >> > >> > Drew @ Back In The Saddle >> > 512.573.0408 >> > >> > On Tue, Oct 7, 2008 at 8:43 PM, Ryan Guzy <ryanguzy(a)gmail.com> >wrote: >> >> >> >> We just started an advanced maintenance class at Bike >Saviours in Tempe, >> >> AZ. We're targeting people who are potential volunteers. The >goal is to >> show >> >> the general principles so that they can work on any bike they >come >> across, >> >> and also so that they can begin to teach others. The class >will get them >> >> exposed to all of the maintenance aspects, and we envision >them working >> as >> >> assistant mechanics during our shop hours to gain experience >after the >> class >> >> session is over. >> >> We wrote some instructor sheets over the past few months and >have been >> >> teaching off of them. Right now I have them on Google Docs >and I plan on >> >> putting them on the Wiki. I'd like to gather material and >make handouts >> to >> >> go with each class too. Right now we're just using the same >sheet as a >> >> handout even though it is kind of dense. >> >> I have also been talking to Christine at Bici Centro about >working on >> >> a curriculum together. She is working on some good material >for a basic >> >> class. I've also seen other material out there that has good >diagrams >> that >> >> are free to use. >> >> I think if we can gather interested people to collaborate >online we can >> >> put out some really good material that we can all use. >> >> --Ryan >> >> >> >> On Tue, Oct 7, 2008 at 3:24 PM, Boson Au <boson.au(a)gmail.com> >wrote: >> >>> >> >>> Hi everyone, Boson from Baltimore, MD's Velocipede Bike >Project... >> >>> >> >>> First of all, @ bike!bike! the education-related workshops >were the one >> >>> that inspired/interested me the most. We got back and the >first thing >> I >> >>> want to kick-start was our clinic program which had be >suspended due to >> a >> >>> multitude of reasons... anyways... >> >>> >> >>> so we're about to reinstate our bike clinic series >(previously we had >> one >> >>> person do ALL the teaching and she's about to leave out of >town for 3 >> months >> >>> so we've decided that we're going to try to have a group of >educators >> rotate >> >>> classes) and I'm interested in any organizations that hold >regular >> >>> classes... This isn't exactly a youth program but more like >a general >> >>> public thing. We do have a curriculum, but I'm kind of >interested in >> other >> >>> project's solutions. If any project has their own >curriculum set up >> and >> >>> want to trade/compare notes that'd be so awesome. >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> _______________________________________________ >> >>> Thethinktank mailing list >> >>> Thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org >> >>> To unsubscribe, send a blank email to >> >>> leave-TheThinkTank(a)bikecollectives.org >> >>> To manage your subscription, plase visit: >> >>> >> >>> >> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank- >bikecollectives.org >> >>> >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> Thethinktank mailing list >> >> Thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org >> >> To unsubscribe, send a blank email to >> >> leave-TheThinkTank(a)bikecollectives.org >> >> To manage your subscription, plase visit: >> >> >> >> >> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank- >bikecollectives.org >> >> >> > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Thethinktank mailing list >> > Thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org >> > To unsubscribe, send a blank email to >> leave-TheThinkTank(a)bikecollectives.org >> > To manage your subscription, plase visit: >> > >> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank- >bikecollectives.org >> > >> > >> _______________________________________________ >> Thethinktank mailing list >> Thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org >> To unsubscribe, send a blank email to >> leave-TheThinkTank(a)bikecollectives.org >> To manage your subscription, plase visit: >> >> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank- >bikecollectives.org >> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Note: This signature can be verified at https://www.hushtools.com/verify Charset: UTF8 Version: Hush 3.0 wkYEARECAAYFAkjs0psACgkQ5O7ahKJmrRlnXQCeJqhkGw0XMCYwdVXYgvlBfWuDoSoA oIqcj+uvQackPhdsDazBSLRY+q/7 =vqSU -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Bike Education/Clinic curriculum? Bike Not Bombs?
by Bikes Not Bombs 08 Oct '08

08 Oct '08

Hello Think Tank! Arik here from Bikes Not Bombs in Boston. I've been on the list since it started but I only find time to check in occasionally and briefly. (and I think maybe someone administering Think Tank just subscribed some more of our staff members to the list ... ) First off, the Instructor Training manual we use to prepare our teachers to run Earn-A-Bike ... sorry it was off our website for awhile at the end of last year but it is back up now. I'm glad that you found it, and YES that is meant to share. Make copies, make use of it for any good purpose, just make sure to keep our name with the materials. Dave gave the URL but here it is again: http:// www.bikesnotbombs.org/EarnABike Someone else mentioned the YBEN site (Youth Bicycle Education Network) http://www.yben.org, which has been a great place for resources, but the site is currently down. Hopefully it will be back up soon. Recycle-A-Bicycle (RAB) in NYC is managing YBEN now, right? Our Instructor Training manual is focused on mechanics lesson plans, so it combines well with RAB's manuals which cover other, non- mechanics issues of running a youth program, at http:// recycleabicycle.org/resources/publications. We've just recently had two short documentary movies made about BNB by some motivated volunteers. You can see them online at http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRzSvVXVYrM and http://vimeo.com/1706577 , but note that the one on Vimeo will probably stutter - we'll be moving it to YouTube soon and also embedding on our website. We ALMOST sent two staff members to Bike!Bike! this year: Elijah Evans our Earn-A-Bike Coordinator (and originally a graduate of the program himself many years ago), and Jasmine Laietmark is our director of Grassroots Fundraising & Events. Then last minute we balked at buying the plane tickets. We've had some dreams that we would love to offer to host a Bike!Bike here in Boston in some future year, but don't quote me on that. It is really inspiring to know that there is a network of bike groups out there, and we would LOVE to be more involved. But we had to move 2 years ago, took on debt for our new space, took our full-service bike shop to 6 days a week, we're processing 5,500 donated bikes a year and sending trainers to Africa to start new programs, supporting our existing partners in Guatemala, Nevis Island, South Africa, Ghana, Tanzania, developing an appropriate technology working group to help spread knowledge about pedal-power designs, running Earn-A-Bike, summer youth programs, girls programs here, barely staying involved in official bike advocacy at the city level ... getting bigger and catching up with our growth ... basically we're overcommitted to everything we're already doing so it is hard to find any time to connect with this network. We're starting a new phase of updating and improving our website, and maybe we'll be able to post more resources. The applications for programs that we usualyl have up for downloading can be useful to see how programs are structured. It would be interesting to know what people most want to know that BNB would be better at answering than other groups. Also if we're not so active on this list, you can email our staff directly - use the website to find the right person to ask. We can often accommodate visitors from other programs to sit in on activities and learn here - let us know if you want to visit. As to the nonprofit question, here's a quick answer. Bikes Not Bombs started in 1984 as a volunteer-run solidarity effort with the people of Nicaragua when the Reagan administration was funding and running the Contra war, and the work was all in Nicaragua developing bike projects with donated bikes collected in the States. In 1991 we started youth programs in Boston. In 1994 we got our own physical space and added a teen-job training bike shop open a few days a week, and also started paying two staff - at that point we became an official nonprofit, and have developed that way ever since. In December 2006 we moved a few blocks and split into 2 spaces: the Bike Shop now has its own space and is open 6 full days a week and is employing 15 people, in addition to our Hub staff of 7 running the international work, youth programs, administration, plus the 8 teens who work part-time as assistant teachers in the youth programs (this is a new exciting development - more and more . We probably have 300 people who plug in as volunteers at some point in any given year. Over half our budget is the Bike Shop, which covers it's own expenses thru sales and service and makes profit that goes into supporting the youth program and international work. The rest of our budget is raised through a small amount of grant income, and much more significantly by the two to three thousand people who make a donation to support BNB in any given year. OK! -Arik Grier Outreach Coordinator, Office Manager Bikes Not Bombs 617-522-0222 www.bikesnotbombs.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 15:08:14 -0600 From: "Jonathan Morrison" <jonathan(a)slcbikecollective.org> Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Bike Education/Clinic curriculum? Bike Not Bombs? To: "The Think Tank" <thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org> Message-ID: <4dd29fd10810081408q64d37233u14dbb1fc08b6454(a)mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" There is no question there is a tremendous amount of information that the 130+ organizations on this list could use from well established groups like Bikes not Bombs and the Community Cycling Center. The question is, what do we have to offer them? At a minimum it would be good to interview some of the longer standing members of each of these organizations and figure out what hard decisions they had to make and what the out come was. One thing I have observed with some of the larger organizations is that they went more in the direction of a traditional non-profit. I would be curious to find out if it started out that way, or if that was an active choice. -- Sincerely, Jonathan Morrison Executive Director Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective 2312 S. West Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84115 w: 801-328-2453 c: 801-688-0183 f: 801-466-3856 www.slcbikecollective.org Get Addicted to Crank! http://www.slcbikecollective.org/crank/ The mission of the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective is to promote cycling as an effective and sustainable form of transportation and as a cornerstone of a cleaner, healthier, and safer society. The Bicycle Collective provides refurbished bicycles and educational programs to the community, focusing on children and lower income households. On Wed, Oct 8, 2008 at 2:08 PM, Rich Points <rich(a)richpoints.com> wrote: So, BNB, are you out there? Lemme know. I'm curious why BNB isn't present on the Think Tank or at Bike Bike! I can think of some other groups like the Community Cycling Center in Portland. These are groups that are way more established than most of us and have a lot to offer. I think the communications we have here and at Bike Bike are what makes us a movement and these more established groups should be part of our conversations/discussions. How can we get these groups involved? Rich Community Cycles ___________________

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leave-
by Beth Mort 08 Oct '08

08 Oct '08

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Tool List with Pictures
by Maggie Burrus-Granger 08 Oct '08

08 Oct '08

Does anyone have or know of any handouts with a list of bike shop tools with pictures or pictures of tools with the names next to them? Thanks -- Maggie Burrus-Granger Recycle-a-Bike 27 Sims Ave. Providence, RI 401.273.7101 www.recycleabike.org

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Fwd: tax break for cyclists??
by adam schwartz 07 Oct '08

07 Oct '08

hey dudes, so apparently in all the bullshit in that "bailout bill", there was a gem for us bike commuters... http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/bailout-for-bikes.php the clause doesnt apply till after december 31, but this means that we can get up to 20 bucks a month for bicycle maintenance if we regularly use our bikes to work...sweet! spread the word. christian -- Adam Schwartz Program Coordinator, The Engaged University Center For Educational Partnership 6200 Sheridan Street, Riverdale, MD adamgs(a)umd.edu (301) 405-3213 Adam Schwartz Co-Founder, Green Guild Biodiesel Coop adam(a)greenguildbiodiesel.org (301)275-2362

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Addressing incidents from last year's BikeBike!
by dragonfly＠mac.hush.com 07 Oct '08

07 Oct '08

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Hello, Dave. It takes courage to do the sort of introspection you've clearly done, and courage to apologize the way you just have. I was not there when you stepped over the line, and I didn't even know you had until I read this post, but I was pleased that you wrote it and impressed that you had done so, also. Thank you. Everyone has someone they wish had written to them the way you have just written to this community; it is nice to read such an apology, just to know that people do face themselves and take responsibility sometimes. Many of us probably have someone we should go back and write to. The positive way I felt about you reading this made me want to call an old friend whose feelings I know I hurt. So, your letter was encouraging in two ways. Thanks for writing it. Sasha On Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:53:51 -0400 Dave Caz <pwloffice(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >Hey all, > >My name is Dave, and I was asked to address a situation I created >at last year's bikebike before attending the current conference, >and after consideration, I wholeheartedly agree with the request >and apologize it was not done sooner. > >Last year, at the bikebike party, I drank quite heavily and >crossed major boundaries of people I never met. I created a very >uncomfortable situation for people just trying to have a good >time. I was responsible for making people feel threatened for >their safety and space they deserved. I apologize for turning a >people's night to celebrate into a bad memory for some. > >I can not say for sure what happened exactly, because I was too >intoxicated to recall a large portion of that night, but the >second hand accounts of my actions blew my mind. I have never >acted in such a horrific way, nor have EVER considered to do the >audacious things I did to people that eve. > >But I am responsible for my actions, drunk or not, and in no way >excuse what I did. I owed it to the people who worked so hard to >make bikebike! a success that year, to the visitors, conference >members and all in attendance, to manage myself in a respectful >manner, and I blew it. I am sorry. > >This year I promise to show the utmost control over my person as >to never ever ever ever make people feel the way I did. I >frequently dwell on the facts of what happened, and it is a burden >I will have to live with, but live with AND change from it to >never allow it to happen again. I will not be drinking >before/during/after anything going on in the next potential >FOREVER, and will also not be attending the celebration going on >this year or next. > >All I ask is that you take me for who I am, and not the monster I >was. I am truly sorry and understand that if I now have a bad >reputation with you, I earned every bit of it, but I am trying to >redeem myself. > >Sending this to 2 giant list-servs is not easy for me, but it is >something I am doing to come clean to everyone. Hoping that >people not expect a repeat from me, and encouraging others to >police their actions and not lose control as I did. Remember a >lot of people got their shit together and busted their collective >asses to make this awesome thing happen. > >If you wish to talk to me about this, please come find me and >we'll chat. >I'm trying to learn from this as best as possible. > > >Thanks to everyone for not blacklisting me and giving me a second >chance. >Again, I am truly sorry, and hope you can get past my past, as I >am trying to do the same. > >peace, >Milwaukee Dave. > > > > >_______________________________________________ >Thethinktank mailing list >Thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org >To unsubscribe, send a blank email to leave- >TheThinkTank(a)bikecollectives.org >To manage your subscription, plase visit: >http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank- >bikecollectives.org -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Note: This signature can be verified at https://www.hushtools.com/verify Charset: UTF8 Version: Hush 3.0 wkYEARECAAYFAkjrymYACgkQ5O7ahKJmrRkicACeMD6fIe1J8ZLaxbHPwuB6yxCz6PYA mgPsrZG+7Z+mFhTOYDQZUQ7RGBwu =sVPk -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Saturday Hours Question
by Bob Giordano 07 Oct '08

07 Oct '08

11-3 for free cycles missoula. works well, though we ususally stay open til 5pm informally. -Bob g. Jonathan Morrison wrote: > In Salt Lake City we are looking into opening another open shop night on > Saturday. For those of you that have Saturday hours, what are they? -- Bob Giordano Free Cycles Missoula Shop: 732 S. 1st St. West, 541.7284 3PM-7PM Mon-Thurs & 11AM-3PM Sat Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation www.strans.org, mist(a)strans.org, 406-880-6834

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Election do's and don'ts for non-profits
by Urban Bike Project Wilmington, DE 07 Oct '08

07 Oct '08

For all those with 501(c)3 status, this election guide<http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikeadvocacy/election.php#nonprofits>from the League of American Bicyclists was just posted on Thunderhead listserv and I thought I'd share it with you all as well. Brian Windle P.S. For newer members of the list: check out the Bike Collective Wiki<http://www.bikecollectives.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page>first before posting to the list, lot's of good information is just waiting for you there! Bike Collective Starter Kit<http://www.bikecollectives.org/wiki/index.php?title=Bike_Collective_Starter…> Shop Locations<http://www.bikecollectives.org/wiki/index.php?title=Shop_Locations>(Finding space for your shop) -- Urban Bike Project of Wilmington -a 501(c)3 non-profit bike shop- 1908 N. Market Street (entrance is in the parking lot behind the building) Wilmington, DE 19801 Hours: Thursday 6:30-9:00 Saturday 1:00-4:00 Visit us online at http://urbanbikeproject.org

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Saturday Hours Question
by troy neiman 06 Oct '08

06 Oct '08

At bicas we are open from 12-6pm every sat. and have a build a bike class that is usually from 1-4pm that runs simultaneously to our open shop. This requires 4 staff for the shop and 2 teachers for the class. Saturday is with out a doubt our busiest day for shop use, community service, and work traders. Its almost always overwhelming for us but works really well for the general public. Troy @ BICAS > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jonathan Morrison" <jonathan(a)slcbikecollective.org> > To: "The Think Tank" <thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org> > Subject: [TheThinkTank] Saturday Hours Question > Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2008 13:51:47 -0600 > > > In Salt Lake City we are looking into opening another open shop night on > Saturday. For those of you that have Saturday hours, what are they? > > -- > Sincerely, > > Jonathan Morrison > Executive Director > Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective > 2312 S. West Temple > Salt Lake City, UT 84115 > w: 801-328-2453 > c: 801-688-0183 > f: 801-466-3856 > www.slcbikecollective.org > > Get Addicted to Crank! > http://www.slcbikecollective.org/crank/ > > The mission of the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective is to promote cycling > as an effective and sustainable form of transportation and as a cornerstone > of a cleaner, healthier, and safer society. The Bicycle Collective provides > refurbished bicycles and educational programs to the community, focusing on > children and lower income households. > > _______________________________________________ > Thethinktank mailing list > Thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org > To unsubscribe, send a blank email to leave-TheThinkTank(a)bikecollectives.org > To manage your subscription, plase visit: > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… > -- Be Yourself @ mail.com! Choose From 200+ Email Addresses Get a Free Account at www.mail.com

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A catchy name for "women's night"?
by Alex Rosenblatt 06 Oct '08

06 Oct '08

Hey all, Alex here from Recycle Ithaca's Bicycles in Ithaca, NY. We're currently reorganizing and overhauling shop logistics and we're looking for a catchy name for our "women's night." We want to stray away from that name because the night is not exclusively women but instead a place where women and transpeople are the active shop leaders. Any names catchy or appropriate names that you use or come to mind? Thanks, Alex

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TheThinkTank October 2008