August 2015 - TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

Webhosting/domains
by Bike City 25 Mar '25

25 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 03 May '23

03 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 28 Sep '18

28 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 27 Feb '16

27 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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members and sign up database software
by Jesse Cooper 23 Sep '15

23 Sep '15

Hey Folks! So at Our Community Bikes in Vancouver, we're thinking it's time to set up a proper sign in / sign out system, combined with a membership and volunteer database. Ideally we would like to know what software is out there that can track people coming in and using our space, a simple laptop or desktop kiosk where folks can type in info, and it would enter our database. Also to serve as a database that members can register into, and again wherein volunteers can sign up, and log their hours, and tasks accomplished. sooo.. any ideas? Jesse Cooper

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Comprehensive Database for community bike center-- any expereinces
by sheldon mains 03 Sep '15

03 Sep '15

We're (Cycles for Change in St. Paul, MN ---www.CyclesForChange.org) is starting a search for a comprehensive database for all of our programs and activities. We want something that: Tracks participants, donors and volunteers over all programs (Earn-a-Bike, Community Partners Bike Libary, Learn-to-Ride, Open Shop, Youth Apprenticeship, Volunteer Night, Community Rides, Equity Council, Infrastructure Advocacy) Automates event sign-up for classes and events Manages multiple email newsletters Tracks participation levels (e.g. how often someone comes to open shop or if they attended all 4 classes in a four week course) Tracks all communications with all participants, volunteers and donors Comprehensive demographic information Customizable reports Anyone with any suggestions? We're looking at something that is on the web (we have three locations). We are looking for something that does not require a techie to manage. Specifically, we've heard there is a community bike center that has created a bike center implementation of SalesForce thanks much sheldon .............. Sheldon Mains Cycles for Change www.SpokesConnect.org www.CyclesForChange.org Minneapolis, MN 612/618-7149 Three ways to donate to SPOKES: 1. Volunteer. 2. Donate repairable used bikes. 3. Financial donations always welcome. Check www.SpokesConnect.org for details.

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bicyclist accident report cards
by Angel York 01 Sep '15

01 Sep '15

Just learned about this, thought it might interest some of y'all. context: http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679076/what-to-do-when-youre-doored-fill-out-a-… 5000 copies for $140 plus shipping (plus you get your bike collective's name on the card!) http://bikesafeboston.com/post/14691991745/to-all-the-people-who-have-conta… -Angel

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open position for Active Transportation Coordinator
by Roedl, James M 28 Aug '15

28 Aug '15

Hello, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is looking for an Active Transportation Coordinator. This is the evolution of our previous Bike Coordinator position. The job pertains to encouraging active transportation; mostly biking, but other modes as well. The Active Transportation Coordinator would work for the University focusing on the campus, but also within the community and bike community as a whole. Particularly with the Campus Bike Center the second location of The Bike Project of Urbana-Champaign. There is a link to a detail description of the position below. http://www.fs.illinois.edu/about-us/job-opportunities/2015/08/27/default-ca… Sustainability is human powered, James Roedl Manager Campus Bike Center Volunteer The Bike Project Urbana-Champaign Volunteer LIFECykle

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Bike Apprenticeship?
by johan c 20 Aug '15

20 Aug '15

Hello all- I am a recent High School graduate undertaking a Gap Year this coming year. This summer I interned at a local non-profit community bike shop. If possible I would love to attend classes at UBI or Barnett's in order to form a solid understanding of bike mechanics. After taking the class, however I would want to apply my new skills in a bike shop so I wouldn't immediately forget them. My question is this: Would any of you know a place I could work at and learn about bikes in exchange for room and board? I wouldn't need pay, just a place to stay- maybe a housing exchange or something of that sort. Ideally my "apprenticeship" would last for about a month. Please contact me with any ideas! - Johan Cavert caver015(a)umn.edu

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Bike Giveaway?
by jeffrey＠jeffreytong.com 15 Aug '15

15 Aug '15

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