April 2018 - TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

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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"payment" for pop-up repair sessions
by Sue Plummer 01 May '18

01 May '18

HI Folks, I'm part of a start-up effort in an urban neighborhood in Cincinnati. We hope to have our own shop, one day, where we will rebuild and sell bikes, affordably. In the meantime, we have pop-up repair sessions (2 Saturdays/month) planned for the spring/summer, this year. We did a few of these part of last summer, but didn't charge anything. I am not completely comfortable with that, and would like to ask clients to offer something in exchange. i'd love any ideas about this. Thanks! Sue Plummer WheelHouse Cincy

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The Iowa City Bike Library is hiring!
by Cody 30 Apr '18

30 Apr '18

The Bike Library is a fantastic organization in a vibrant midwestern college town. Two positions are available. Executive Director: http://bikelibrary.org/ExecutiveDirector.pdf Shop Manager: http://bikelibrary.org/ShopManager.pdf To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter by May 4th to nathanshepic(a)gmail.com. __________________ Cody Gieselman Executive Director Iowa City Bike Library 700 S Dubuque St www.bikelibrary.org

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The Bike Church is hiring
by Bike Church Santa Cruz 23 Apr '18

23 Apr '18

Job Title: Bicycle Mechanic/Collective member The Bike Church is a collectively run bicycle repair shop and educational space located in downtown Santa Cruz. We are seeking a highly motivated core member to share responsibility in running the shop. This includes both working with the public during our open hours as well as maintaining/running the shop in the off hours, doing repairs, and strategizing for the shop's long term plan. The Bike Church is a cooperative which means you will be working side-by-side with other mechanics on jobs that include but are not limited to: assisting the public in working on bikes, processing incoming donations of used bikes and parts, fixing bikes to sell, office work, cleaning, inventory, as well as one-off projects which vary. You must be a self-motivated, responsible individual who is task-oriented and understands the importance of communication. It is not required but very helpful if applicants have some familiarity with our space and collectively run groups. We would like to strengthen the collective process and also expand the business. Please have some experience with bike repair and the bike industry. Interest in bookkeeping is a plus. Bilingual/multilingual is a plus. Grant writing is a plus. Computer skills are a plus. An important value of the Bike Church is to be a safe space for individuals from our community no matter their race, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, income, or ability. Thus any applicants must also be able to foster, respect and create a safe, fun, space for our community. In addition, the Bike Church is at times a very vibrant, busy space, and staff members must have strong people skills and, importantly, communication about boundaries. Duties: work at least two shifts with the public per week (shifts are 5.5 or 6.5 hours long) attend periodic meetings work with other mechanics on tasks and projects which are chosen and guided by the collective 19 hours total per week (might vary with season or need) $14/hr vacation (unpaid) per year taken at once or intermittent, scheduled collectively with other staff members. at least one year commitment with a performance review after 3 months To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter to: Bike Church 703 Pacific Ave Santa Cruz CA 95060 OR thebikechurch(a)gmail.com Email with any questions -- Come check us out: Monday 1-7 Tuesday 1-7 Wednesday 1-7 Thursday 1-7 Friday CLOSED Saturday 12-5 Womyn, Trans, and Femme Workshop. 1st and 3rd Sunday 12-3 The Bike Church 703 Pacific Avenue Santa Cruz, CA 95060 831/425-BIKE bikechurch(a)santacruzhub.org

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Quill Stem Wedge Angle?
by Jean-François Caron 11 Apr '18

11 Apr '18

Does anyone have information or experience about the typical wedge angle for quill stems? Saint Sheldon doesn't mention a specific angle, but I did find an ISO document of dubious brevity that claims it's supposed to be 36 degrees since 1990. Measuring a stem (early 90s I think) I have with me, I'm getting more like 34 degrees. Jean-François References: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_w.html#wedgebolt <http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_w.html#wedgebolt> https://www.evs.ee/preview/iso-8562-1990-en.pdf <https://www.evs.ee/preview/iso-8562-1990-en.pdf>

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Thethinktank Digest, Vol 138, Issue 12
by Martyn Laxton 10 Apr '18

10 Apr '18

This email address is no longer valid Please delete it from your address book and mail server Please resend the email to info(a)rideoncycling.org and ensure this is added to your email address lists Thanks for your help Regards Martyn Laxton Founder & CEO of Ride On Cycling For All Registered Charity 1174055 www.rideoncycling.org -----Original Message----- From: Thethinktank <thethinktank-bounces(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> On Behalf Of thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org Sent: Saturday, 17 March 2018 20:05 To: thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org Subject: Thethinktank Digest, Vol 138, Issue 12 Send Thethinktank mailing list submissions to thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Flists.bike… or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org You can reach the person managing the list at thethinktank-owner(a)lists.bikecollectives.org When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Thethinktank digest..."

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Thethinktank Digest, Vol 139, Issue 5
by eric clough 08 Apr '18

08 Apr '18

I have been following the replies to my initial message about the Chinese bike share surplus situation. Thanks to all who have replied. I really got a good laugh out of the Slate.com link from (Elese Daniel Lee?). That was a fun and a useful perspective. Still, as with many folks I think, the images of tens of thousands of bikes piled up is shocking. I also very much appreciate the perspective that these bikes represent a resource that may be junk to the initial manufacturers but they may represent a functional and even valuable resource to someone else. I am a new entrant into this world of 'community' bike shops and international bike-aid projects. I am starting to learn that there are financial and logistical challenges to converting an abandoned bike into a usable tool/vehicle for someone who may need it. Front Street Community Bike Works Coos Bay, OR https://www.facebook.com/CoosCommunityBikes/inbox/?selected_item_id=1000001… On Sun, Apr 8, 2018 at 1:04 PM, < thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote: > Send Thethinktank mailing list submissions to > thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank- > bikecollectives.org > > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > thethinktank-owner(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Thethinktank digest..." > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: China Bike Share Surplus? (Ho?i Vi Nguy?n) > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: "Hoài Vi Nguyễn" <holita.vn(a)gmail.com> > To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> > Cc: > Bcc: > Date: Sat, 7 Apr 2018 22:31:49 -0700 > Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] China Bike Share Surplus? > Dockless bikeshare just implemented in San Diego a few months ago and > usual issues have arisen with the use. Bikes are left blocking entryways, > wheelchair ramps, and walkways. Users have thrown them into water bodies, > hung them from trees, thrown them into the numerous canyons. > > Business bros ride them through the downtown district. But more > importantly, houseless people have adopted them. The design considerations > of a shared bike: durability, low maintenance, easy to ride: make them > desirable as a poorer person's bike. The only limitation is minimal > internal gearing isn't enough for many of the hills in the city. Bikes are > often appropriated or stripped for parts. > > As a bike kitchen, the only concern I have is being able to maintain and > repair these bikes as some of their components seem to use non-standard > tools / be non-standard sizes. > > The effect of bikeshare though has been pretty cool. More inexperienced > riders-- riding erratically improperly illegally-- has made biking more > visible. Drivers are more on alert for cyclists. > > Hoai Vi Nguyen > core volunteer > Bikes del Pueblo > > On Wed, Apr 4, 2018 at 11:24 PM, Cyclista Nicholas <cyclista(a)inventati.org > > wrote: > >> Still not as horrifying as the bikes, which are genuinely actually >> abandoned, as opposed to parked. >> >> Speaking for myself and my volunteers and staff, we are entirely >> competent to assess whether components and frames are safe or usable and if >> it came to garbage, recycling, or reuse, we'd be in the position to >> determine which was appropriate. I have no doubt that a great number of >> community bike shops out there have staff similarly capable. >> >> We turn away plenty of bikes due to lack of fitness, but I'd hate people >> not to take them to us at all, thinking in advance that the bikes are >> worthless. Reuse should always be explored. I cannot imagine that the >> majority of those thousands of bikes failed in a fundamental structural >> way. That looked to me like pure foolishness and really poor planning. >> >> cyclista NIcholas >> >> >> >> On 2018-04-05 04:45, Elese Daniel wrote: >> >>> i work in the station-based bikeshare world and i'm privy to much of the >>> conversation/trepidation re dockless bikeshare. >>> in concept, i so totally respect the acquiring in mass of discarded bikes >>> for co-op and community use/resale-- because, yes, get the ppl bikes-- >>> but, >>> in the current dockless bikeshare/for-profit/venture capital world, i >>> share >>> some earlier voiced concerns regarding the safety, condition and >>> rideability of the bikes you'd receive -- which most likely originated as >>> cheap bikes to begin with -- cheap as in weak materials produced at high >>> quantity, low quality. (idk though-- trash... treasure.. sometimes one in >>> the same) >>> >>> on a lighter and truer note: my partner shared this article with me >>> yesterday and i really loved it <3 >>> https://slate.com/business/2018/04/astounding-photos-capture >>> -graveyards-of-unused-dockless-vehicles-in-american-cities.html >>> >>> -lee >>> >>> On Wed, Apr 4, 2018 at 8:11 PM, Cyclista Nicholas < >>> cyclista(a)inventati.org> >>> wrote: >>> >>> China may be weird about bikes in general. I had a friend who lived in a >>>> smaller city in Fujian province for to years, and they lived in an >>>> enormous >>>> apartment building with a very large area for bike parking in the >>>> courtyard. They said there were around a hundred bikes there obviously >>>> long >>>> since abandoned and rotting, but it was very taboo to remove them - you >>>> would get into serious trouble, even though the owners had long since >>>> moved >>>> away. >>>> >>>> Those pictures in the Atlantic turned my stomach. Staggeringly sad. If >>>> they have some huge capacity for metal recycling that will eventually >>>> take >>>> care of that surplus, but if so how long do they wait to melt them down? >>>> They could put a medium-sized country on bicycles with just the quantity >>>> shown in those pictures. >>>> >>>> Thanks for the heads up about this problem, Eric. We're getting a new >>>> bikeshare in our town in a couple of months, and maybe we can get ahead >>>> of >>>> contributing to this problem, at least. >>>> >>>> cyclista Nicholas >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On 2018-04-03 16:15, Gabriel Trainer wrote: >>>> >>>> Those are frightening pictures! One or a few bikes are cool. Thousands >>>>> of >>>>> bikes piled together are no better than a trash heap. >>>>> Gabriel >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, Apr 2, 2018, 3:10 PM Clint Watson <clint(a)bicyclecollective.org >>>>> > >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> I had a meeting with the Director of SLC Greenbike last week regarding >>>>> >>>>>> this. It's a huge and growing problem for many cities in the US. >>>>>> Apparently >>>>>> the business model for these operations is modeled after Uber or other >>>>>> tech >>>>>> startups--don't worry about profits, just get investment money and >>>>>> dominate >>>>>> the market/run other bike share companies out of business by offering >>>>>> the >>>>>> service free of charge to cities. >>>>>> >>>>>> The bikes average $200 each and because of that they are being used >>>>>> as a >>>>>> disposable resource. They're being discarded, damaged, and vandalized >>>>>> at >>>>>> staggering rates in places like Dallas. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> http://money.cnn.com/2018/02/05/technology/dallas-bikeshare- >>>>>> limebike-ofo/index.html >>>>>> >>>>>> And Seattle is now starting to see similar problems. >>>>>> >>>>>> I don't see it as a sustainable solution to transportation: if we're >>>>>> going >>>>>> to start seeing entire landfills full of bikes (i.e. the photos from >>>>>> China), that seems to undercut the argument that bikes are a more >>>>>> sustainable solution than other transportation options. And the bigger >>>>>> danger is that the companies offering this new model (Limebike, for >>>>>> example) have no long term model. They've been operating at a loss >>>>>> since >>>>>> inception and will continue to for the foreseeable future. If they >>>>>> replace >>>>>> more sustainable models, then pull the plug because they lose their >>>>>> investment funding, it will set the whole bike share movement back >>>>>> years. >>>>>> >>>>>> As for just using the discarded bikes in your local co-op, I'm also >>>>>> skeptical. If they're not being used by the bike share company, the >>>>>> assumption is they're damaged. I can't say for certain whether it >>>>>> would >>>>>> be >>>>>> cost effective to repair and repurpose a fleet of bikes that were >>>>>> barely >>>>>> usable in the first place because I haven't had first hand experience >>>>>> with >>>>>> them, but I'm skeptical. >>>>>> >>>>>> Just my two cents >>>>>> >>>>>> Clint Watson >>>>>> Executive Director >>>>>> Bicycle Collective >>>>>> www.bicyclecollective.org >>>>>> clint(a)bicyclecollective.org >>>>>> >>>>>> *The mission of the Bicycle Collective is to promote cycling as an >>>>>> effective and sustainable form of transportation, recreation, and as a >>>>>> cornerstone of a cleaner, healthier, and safer society. The Collective >>>>>> provides refurbished bicycles and educational programs to the >>>>>> community, >>>>>> focusing on children and lower income households.* >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Fri, Mar 30, 2018 at 1:40 PM, Katy Collet <katy(a)cyclonordsud.org> >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> Bonjour, >>>>>> >>>>>>> Prenez note que je serai absente du 20 >>>>>>> <https://maps.google.com/?q=renez+note+que+je+serai+absente+du+20+&entry=gma…>mars >>>>>>> au 2 avril inclusivement. >>>>>>> Pour >>>>>>> toute urgence veuillez contacter François Delwaide à >>>>>>> francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >>>>>>> Merci, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Hi, >>>>>>> I'll be out of the office from March 20th to April 2nd included. In >>>>>>> case of emergency, please contact François Delwaide at >>>>>>> francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >>>>>>> Best, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Saludos, >>>>>>> Estaré afuera de la oficina desde >>>>>>> marzo 20 hasta abril 2 inclusivo. En caso de urgencia, por favor >>>>>>> escribir >>>>>>> a >>>>>>> François Delwaide francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >>>>>>> Gracias, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Katy >>>>>>> Collet >>>>>>> Coordonnatrice projets internationaux >>>>>>> Cyclo Nord-Sud >>>>>>> 8717, 8e Avenue, >>>>>>> Montréal, QC H1Z 2X4 >>>>>>> 514 843-0077 >>>>>>> http://cyclonordsud.org/ >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ____________________________________ >>>>>>> >>>>>>> The ThinkTank mailing List >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Unsubscribe from this list here: >>>>>>> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bi >>>>>>> kecollectives.org >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ____________________________________ >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> The ThinkTank mailing List >>>>>> >>>>>> Unsubscribe from this list here: >>>>>> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bi >>>>>> kecollectives.org >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> ____________________________________ >>>>> >>>>> The ThinkTank mailing List >>>>> >>>>> Unsubscribe from this list here: >>>>> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bi >>>>> kecollectives.org >>>>> >>>>> ____________________________________ >>>> >>>> The ThinkTank mailing List >>>> >>>> Unsubscribe from this list here: http://lists.bikecollectives.o >>>> rg/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> ____________________________________ >>> >>> The ThinkTank mailing List >>> >>> Unsubscribe from this list here: >>> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bi >>> kecollectives.org >>> >> ____________________________________ >> >> The ThinkTank mailing List >> >> Unsubscribe from this list here: http://lists.bikecollectives.o >> rg/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > Thethinktank mailing list > Thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank- > bikecollectives.org > >

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China Bike Share Surplus?
by eric clough 08 Apr '18

08 Apr '18

Hello ThinkTank list serve and fellow community bike shoppers. I have been following messages on this list serve for some time now and it I think it is finally my time to post a message to the group. Is there an organization out there that in some way may be involved or working with the apparently vast surplus of bicycles in China? I just came across this web site for The Atlantic... https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2018/03/bike-share-oversupply-in-china-hu… Good googly-woogly!!! Talk about a bicycle resource!

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Thethinktank Digest, Vol 139, Issue 2
by eric clough 03 Apr '18

03 Apr '18

Thank you for your reply, Clint. I don't have much wisdom to bring to bear on this subject but the wasted resource grates against my native inclination for efficiency, re-use and re-purposing. My instincts tell me you are correct in that the construction style of these "share" bikes does not lend itself to long-life, sustainability or restoration into a more traditional bike - but I just don't know if that is true. I have never even ridden one. Which is why I put the question to this bike collectives list serve. On Tue, Apr 3, 2018 at 1:06 PM, < thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote: > Send Thethinktank mailing list submissions to > thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank- > bikecollectives.org > > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > thethinktank-owner(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Thethinktank digest..." > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: China Bike Share Surplus? (Clint Watson) > 2. Re: China Bike Share Surplus? (Gabriel Trainer) > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Clint Watson <clint(a)bicyclecollective.org> > To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> > Cc: > Bcc: > Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2018 16:10:25 -0600 > Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] China Bike Share Surplus? > I had a meeting with the Director of SLC Greenbike last week regarding > this. It's a huge and growing problem for many cities in the US. Apparently > the business model for these operations is modeled after Uber or other tech > startups--don't worry about profits, just get investment money and dominate > the market/run other bike share companies out of business by offering the > service free of charge to cities. > > The bikes average $200 each and because of that they are being used as a > disposable resource. They're being discarded, damaged, and vandalized at > staggering rates in places like Dallas. > > http://money.cnn.com/2018/02/05/technology/dallas- > bikeshare-limebike-ofo/index.html > > And Seattle is now starting to see similar problems. > > I don't see it as a sustainable solution to transportation: if we're going > to start seeing entire landfills full of bikes (i.e. the photos from > China), that seems to undercut the argument that bikes are a more > sustainable solution than other transportation options. And the bigger > danger is that the companies offering this new model (Limebike, for > example) have no long term model. They've been operating at a loss since > inception and will continue to for the foreseeable future. If they replace > more sustainable models, then pull the plug because they lose their > investment funding, it will set the whole bike share movement back years. > > As for just using the discarded bikes in your local co-op, I'm also > skeptical. If they're not being used by the bike share company, the > assumption is they're damaged. I can't say for certain whether it would be > cost effective to repair and repurpose a fleet of bikes that were barely > usable in the first place because I haven't had first hand experience with > them, but I'm skeptical. > > Just my two cents > > Clint Watson > Executive Director > Bicycle Collective > www.bicyclecollective.org > clint(a)bicyclecollective.org > > *The mission of the Bicycle Collective is to promote cycling as an > effective and sustainable form of transportation, recreation, and as a > cornerstone of a cleaner, healthier, and safer society. The Collective > provides refurbished bicycles and educational programs to the community, > focusing on children and lower income households.* > > On Fri, Mar 30, 2018 at 1:40 PM, Katy Collet <katy(a)cyclonordsud.org> > wrote: > >> Bonjour, >> Prenez note que je serai absente du 20 mars au 2 avril inclusivement. Pour >> toute urgence veuillez contacter François Delwaide à >> francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >> Merci, >> >> Hi, >> I'll be out of the office from March 20th to April 2nd included. In >> case of emergency, please contact François Delwaide at >> francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >> Best, >> >> Saludos, >> Estaré afuera de la oficina desde >> marzo 20 hasta abril 2 inclusivo. En caso de urgencia, por favor escribir >> a >> François Delwaide francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >> Gracias, >> >> Katy >> Collet >> Coordonnatrice projets internationaux >> Cyclo Nord-Sud >> 8717, 8e Avenue, >> Montréal, QC H1Z 2X4 >> 514 843-0077 >> http://cyclonordsud.org/ >> >> >> >> ____________________________________ >> >> The ThinkTank mailing List >> >> Unsubscribe from this list here: http://lists.bikecollectives.o >> rg/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org >> >> > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Gabriel Trainer <getrainer(a)bikefarm.org> > To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> > Cc: > Bcc: > Date: Tue, 03 Apr 2018 16:15:18 +0000 > Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] China Bike Share Surplus? > Those are frightening pictures! One or a few bikes are cool. Thousands of > bikes piled together are no better than a trash heap. > Gabriel > > On Mon, Apr 2, 2018, 3:10 PM Clint Watson <clint(a)bicyclecollective.org> > wrote: > >> I had a meeting with the Director of SLC Greenbike last week regarding >> this. It's a huge and growing problem for many cities in the US. Apparently >> the business model for these operations is modeled after Uber or other tech >> startups--don't worry about profits, just get investment money and dominate >> the market/run other bike share companies out of business by offering the >> service free of charge to cities. >> >> The bikes average $200 each and because of that they are being used as a >> disposable resource. They're being discarded, damaged, and vandalized at >> staggering rates in places like Dallas. >> >> http://money.cnn.com/2018/02/05/technology/dallas- >> bikeshare-limebike-ofo/index.html >> >> And Seattle is now starting to see similar problems. >> >> I don't see it as a sustainable solution to transportation: if we're >> going to start seeing entire landfills full of bikes (i.e. the photos from >> China), that seems to undercut the argument that bikes are a more >> sustainable solution than other transportation options. And the bigger >> danger is that the companies offering this new model (Limebike, for >> example) have no long term model. They've been operating at a loss since >> inception and will continue to for the foreseeable future. If they replace >> more sustainable models, then pull the plug because they lose their >> investment funding, it will set the whole bike share movement back years. >> >> As for just using the discarded bikes in your local co-op, I'm also >> skeptical. If they're not being used by the bike share company, the >> assumption is they're damaged. I can't say for certain whether it would be >> cost effective to repair and repurpose a fleet of bikes that were barely >> usable in the first place because I haven't had first hand experience with >> them, but I'm skeptical. >> >> Just my two cents >> >> Clint Watson >> Executive Director >> Bicycle Collective >> www.bicyclecollective.org >> clint(a)bicyclecollective.org >> >> *The mission of the Bicycle Collective is to promote cycling as an >> effective and sustainable form of transportation, recreation, and as a >> cornerstone of a cleaner, healthier, and safer society. The Collective >> provides refurbished bicycles and educational programs to the community, >> focusing on children and lower income households.* >> >> On Fri, Mar 30, 2018 at 1:40 PM, Katy Collet <katy(a)cyclonordsud.org> >> wrote: >> >>> Bonjour, >>> Prenez note que je serai absente du 20 mars au 2 avril inclusivement. >>> Pour >>> toute urgence veuillez contacter François Delwaide à >>> francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >>> Merci, >>> >>> Hi, >>> I'll be out of the office from March 20th to April 2nd included. In >>> case of emergency, please contact François Delwaide at >>> francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >>> Best, >>> >>> Saludos, >>> Estaré afuera de la oficina desde >>> marzo 20 hasta abril 2 inclusivo. En caso de urgencia, por favor >>> escribir a >>> François Delwaide francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >>> Gracias, >>> >>> Katy >>> Collet >>> Coordonnatrice projets internationaux >>> Cyclo Nord-Sud >>> 8717, 8e Avenue, >>> Montréal, QC H1Z 2X4 >>> 514 843-0077 >>> http://cyclonordsud.org/ >>> >>> >>> >>> ____________________________________ >>> >>> The ThinkTank mailing List >>> >>> Unsubscribe from this list here: http://lists.bikecollectives. >>> org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org >>> >>> >> ____________________________________ >> >> The ThinkTank mailing List >> >> Unsubscribe from this list here: http://lists.bikecollectives. >> org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org >> >> > _______________________________________________ > Thethinktank mailing list > Thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank- > bikecollectives.org > >

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