November 2015 - TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

Webhosting/domains
by Bike City 24 Mar '25

24 Mar '25

Well, I recently threw together some hand-written HTML and slapped it onto a free (and ad-less) webhost. This seemed great at first, regardless of the weird URL. But after lots of other publicity and potential traffic, I've seen it get hacked twice (by a radical Islamic group after the whole host, nothing personal), and lately it's either painfully slow to load or completely down. So, I haven't done this for about a decade and I'm out of the loop. I'm really not willing to suffer any ads, but since our budgeted is obcenely limited for such fluff, does anyone have recommendations? Are there any more reliable ad-free free hosts? (Probably not, for obvious reasons.) Otherwise, how do you guys handle web hosting? How much does it cost? What's a good balance between reliable and affordable? How much is domain registration nowadays? We don't have our 501(c)(3) status yet so we won't get a deal until later this year, by the way. Anyway, please help. It's rough to find time to FTP an update and find the site's down. Thanks, andrea Bike City Recyclery of Fayetteville, Arkansas http://bikecity.uuuq.com/ (hahaha)

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Reusable Repair Checklist Tag
by director 02 May '23

02 May '23

Hey All, We just spent some time and redid the tag we use to track repairs on a bike. I'm sure your shops are similar to ours in that many mechanics of varying skill levels will work on a single bike before it's distributed back to the world for use. This make it challenging to ensure a standard of quality on any given bike leaving the shop. As we fleshed out the tag we realized that it could function loosely as a curriculum. For most mechanics, especially students we suggest starting at the top and working down the list. I've come to realize that no two mechanics will do things in the exact same way, everyone has their own style. We've been suggesting that folks do the first two items in order and then address the rest of the repairs at their discretion. Of course we couldn't put everything on a half page so we had to make compromises. You'll notice as you get closer to the bottom of the tag the categories are a little more broad and don't get into the finer details. We're working on a final check list that will include finer details like checking bearing play, tire wear, fine tune derailleurs and brakes... The final checklist won't hang on the bike but it'll be around the shop and part of our training. Stay tuned for this. We print these double sided, cut them in half and laminate them. We hang them on the handlebars and fill them out with a Sharpie. When the bike is done and gone we clean the Sharpie off with 90% rubbing alcohol and a rag. This allows us to use one tag over and over and over. We've been using these tags for about 2 weeks now and it's been awesome. Communication between mechanics is much clearer and bikes are getting done faster. It's really helped orient Earn-A-Bike students to what needs to be done next on their bike. Anyway if you think it's a good idea feel free to adapt it to your shops needs. -- Ride On! Rich Points http://communitycycles.org Executive Director (c)303-589-0597 (w)720-565-6019 Community Cycles is Boulder's only bike shop dedicated to bike commuting. Find us on facebook https://www.facebook.com/CommunityCycles

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no boys allowed zine from bikebike?
by veganboyjosh＠gmail.com 27 Sep '18

27 Sep '18

hey all, i'm looking to get in touch with the person who wrote/published the "no boys allowed" zine which was passed out at bikebike in san francisco. it was part of one of the oppression and gender identity issues workshops. we're looking to start a women's night here at community cycles, and i'd like to scan my copy as a pdf and email it to potential volunteers, as well as make some copies to have in the shop... if you're on the list, or if you know the person who wrote it (her name escapes me), please get in touch with me off list... thanks! josh. community cycles boulder

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Instruction for Marginalized Communities: Women on Wheels and Multilingual Nights
by Lauren Warbeck 26 Feb '16

26 Feb '16

Oh HEYYYY again... It's a double email kinda day. 1) Multilingual Nights We're hosting our first ever multilingual nights YAYYYYY! We now have a posse of rad mechanics who are fluent in English, Spanish, French, Cantonese, and Mandarin and we are planning to hold a series of multilingual instruction nights. We're about to have our first sub-committee meeting about how we're going to go about the planning of these nights (ie: Do we have a strictly Spanish night, or a Spanish & French night? What is the role of Anglo mechanics in these nights? What are the underlying needs of these communities beyond language instruction?), but first I wanted to find out if any of you have feedback or resource materials about your own experiences hosting multilingual nights. What did you set out to do? Did it work? What did you learn? 2) Women on Wheels We're in the process of reconsidering the reach and name of our women's night, Women on Wheels. This name has been revisited several times by our collective, and again we're feeling the need for change. Those of you who commit energy to thinking about providing services across the gender/sexuality spectrum...I'm looking for your input. The key challenges for us, (and maybe all of us?) I think, are two-fold: First, it's about holding space for those who adhere to identity politics (tangible and named - Woman, Lesbian, Dyke, sometimes Transwoman etc) while also holding space for folks who exist all along the gender and sexuality spectrum (intangible and variably named - Queer, Tomboi, sometimes Transwoman, Genderqueer, etc ). As in, how do we hold safer space for butch grandmas and trans women and gender queer folks all at once? Is it feasible or possible to hold safer space strictly around gender variance? Or is it presumptuous as fuck to try to lump these diverse communities together? Or reductionist to assume gender experience is the key connecting factor between these individuals (and not race, or class, or ....)? Second, it's about negotiating the instances of inclusion and exclusion that emerge as a result of differing levels of awareness and knowledge around these varied philosophies and ways of identifying. This is the crux of why we've called it Women's Night for so long. While in practice our "women's night" is attended by trans-women, cis-women, femmes, masculine-identified genderqueers, tombois, etc etc, we have continued to call it women's night to make sure that people who aren't familiar with the world of post-modern gender identity know they are welcome, and cis-men know easily and clearly that it is not for them. I guess, to make it legible to mainstream communities, while still welcoming to non-mainstream communities. Meanwhile, we've also had interest from femme-identified cis-men and trans men in having services for masculine-presenting folks or folks who are presumed masculine (which again, is on a really broad spectrum). We're in convo with folks about their needs and wants, but it would also be great to have input from other shops. Where I'm really seeking is input about how your shops are drawing the lines around participation in nights for marginalized communities (including communities bonded around race, ethnicity, ability, etc) and/or how to meld diverse communities in appropriate and supportive ways. I know that Plan B has Ladies, Trans, and Sissies Night, and BICAS has Women, Trans, and Femme night. Where are folks at with their organizing process around this? What are other shops doing? You are all so great. Lauren

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Safe Routes to School experience with 2nd grade groups?
by Jim Sheehan 04 Feb '16

04 Feb '16

Folks, We have done some presentations and rodeos for 4th graders, but after the news that D.C. schools are teaching bike riding to all 2nd graders, our district is interested in reaching this younger cohort. While we have had a bit of experience with this age, any lessons learned from working with schools (especially in Phys Ed) would be appreciated. Thanks, Jim Sheehan Director, Ohio City Bicycle Co-op 1840 Columbus Rd Cleveland, Ohio 44113 216 830 2667 OhioCityCycles.org jim(a)ohiocitycycles.org

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Care Package Ideas
by Edward Kirkwood 05 Dec '15

05 Dec '15

Our shop has a lot of customers that are homeless or very close to it. We would like to put together a small care package that we would give out to some of our less fortunate customers. Internet searches turn up a lot of good ideas such as toiletries, socks, gloves, etc. Does anyone have any good ideas that are more bike specific? Thanks,AllenBroke Spoke Community Bike ShopLexington, KY

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Giving Tuesday
by Yvonne Rucker 22 Nov '15

22 Nov '15

Good morning, Giving Tuesday, December 1st, is fast approaching. Giving Tuesday is a global day dedicated to giving to charitable organizations. Please remember BikeVON. Contribute your weekly coffee budget and make that donation to our GoFundMe <https://www.gofundme.com/bikevon> account. BikeVON is raising money to buy transportation. We need your help. Forward this email to your friends and family. Please view our story at Detroit Youth Cycling at the International Velodrome at Bloomer Park <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3UsJAs-O50&feature=youtu.be>. Track cycling <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_cycling> is the Olympic cycling sport. A special build track, a velodrome <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velodrome> is used for the sport. The bends at International Velodrome are at a 45 degree angle and the straights are at a 15 degree angle. The riders feet are secured to the pedals. The bike does not have brakes and only one gear. If the rider stops pedaling he will fall. Only 2 African Americans have receive recognition in the sport. Major Talyor <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3UsJAs-O50&feature=youtu.be> in 1899 won the one mile track cycling championship. From a total of 168 races, he won first place in 117 and second place in 32. In 1984,Nelson Vails <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Vails> won the Olympic sliver medal and in 2009 was inducted in the cycling hall of fame. Your donation can help our youth to be the next champions. BikeVON is a 501c(3) non-profit. All donations are tax deductible. Use the links below to check out our Facebook and web page. -- *Yvonne Rucker* *Executive Director/Founder * *248.225.0601 <248.225.0601>* *bikevon14(a)gmail.com* <bikevon14(a)gmail.com> *Educate, Advocate, and Motivate Through Cycling * Website: www.bikevon.org "LIKE" <https://www.facebook.com/bikevon> us on Facebook Donate: paypal bikevon14(a)gmail.com *Oakland Press Article* LINK: Detroit organization training young cyclist at Velodrome in Rochester Hills <http://www.theoaklandpress.com/general-news/20150819/detroit-organization-t…> Youtube <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoxdYlQN3wwwB4WgIAkgW_A> *Mission: To increase cycling awareness, accessibility, affordability for the youth of color in Metro Detroit ages 11 – 18. To expose the youth to the elite sport of cycling while teaching them the core values of diversity and inclusion, a healthy lifestyle, and community service.* This electronic message and all attachments contain information from the BikeVON of Metropolitan Detroit and its related programs. The message and attachments may contain privileged, confidential information or otherwise be protected from disclosure. The information is intended to be for the addressee(s) only. If you are not the intended addressee(s), any disclosure, copy, distribution or use of the contents of this message is prohibited unless authorized by the BikeVON or the intended addressee.

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BikeBike 2016
by Kevin Dwyer 20 Nov '15

20 Nov '15

Something to get you excited about Detroit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTlebiO3GuM -- Kevin Dwyer The Bicycle Collective SLC, UT IMPORTANT: This communication is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed. It may contain information that is confidential and/or protected by the attorney-client or other applicable privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, or if you are not responsible for delivering this communication to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that the disclosure of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify me immediately by telephone at (801) 647-0797, and return the original message to me at the above address via email. Thank you.

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Daily Shop Report
by Tom Bilcze 19 Nov '15

19 Nov '15

All, Summit Cycling Center in Akron, Ohio is looking to capture information about our daily shop activities and visitors. One idea that is being discussed is a daily shop report. This would capture things like the number of members and visitors using the facility, what took place in terms of services, sales, volunteers working the shop, and comments. Has anyone created a simple one page document like this? If so, could you share? If not, what items would you like to see on a list like this? What would help the cooperative do a better job and understand the community and member needs? We will share our finished document when we are done. Thanks, Tom Bilcze, Secretary, Summit Cycling Center

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Park tool grants
by Tom Martin 12 Nov '15

12 Nov '15

You may be interested in this. http://www.parktool.com/blog/news/park-tool-launches-community-tool-grant-p… Happy vets day. Tom Martin ASPCC bike program coordinator Cascade Sent on the go. Please excuse brevity and typos.

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