TheThinkTank May 2022

thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org

10 participants
8 discussions

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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Service Tickets and Bike Tags
by Amanda Chilson 28 Apr '23

28 Apr '23

Good Afternoon, I am wondering if bike collectives and shops could share what they are using for service tickets or slips when a bike is being purchased, when preparing a bike to sell, when people drop off a bike to be fixed/tuned and/or a bike that was donated? Thank you so much for your help! Amanda Chilson Health and Wellness Coordinator Northern Berkshire Community Coalition 61 Main St. Suite 218 North Adams, MA 01247 413-663-7588 Ext. 16 www.nbccoalition.org

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Governance Transitions?
by Thomas Butler 01 Jun '22

01 Jun '22

Austin's Yellow Bike Project is going through a governance transition. We used to be a fairly horizontally organized consensus-run collective of volunteers who did the day-to-day of what happens at the shop, and our size wasn't limited. We are becoming an exclusive board of probably 6-9 people. Some of us are still running shops, but about half are not. We're currently trying to work out (among many other things) how board members are (s)elected and to whom the board is accountable. Or more concretely, how the board is held accountable. We don't have "members," so the questions of "who gets to vote" is among the ones we're trying to answer. If you have thoughts or if your org went through something like this I'm interested to hear about it. In particular what best practices and pitfalls you encountered. The board also has appetite for working through this with a professional. Some of us are less psyched about people who don't have experience with groups that have our consensus- / volunteer-run d.i.y. culture, horizontal organizing history, etc. Many of them have experience only with the more traditional non-profit board model and struggle to wrap their heads around how we used to operate and why. Suggestions are welcome. Feel free to email me privately if you like at thomas.unavailable(a)gmail.com Or you can reply here. Thanks Thomas Butler he | him | his Austin's Yellow Bike Project austinyellowbike.org

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Bike!Bike! CDMX?
by Darin Wick 25 May '22

25 May '22

¡Hola! Creo que un grupo en CDMX planeaba organizar Bike!Bike! este año. Yo y otras personas hablabamos con ellxs despues de Bike!Bike! Dondequiera! para asegurar que ellxs podian editar bikebike.org y ofrecer apoyo, pero no hemos oido nada desde hace algunos meses. Si conocen a alguien de este grupo, ¿puede pasarles este mensaje? Estamos empezando a planear Bike!Bike! Dondequiera! otra vez, pero no queremos pisarnos los talones. Hello! I believe a group in CDMX were planning to host Bike!Bike! this year. I and other people spoke with them after Bike!Bike! Everywhere!, to ensure that they could edit bikebike.org and to offer supprt, but we have not heard anything from them for a few months. If you know anyone from that group, can you pass this message to them? We are beginning to plan Bike!Bike! Everywhere! again, but don't want to step on their toes. ¡Gracias/Thanks! Darin Wick

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Bike!Bike!Everywhere! meeting
by Carla Teixeira 22 May '22

22 May '22

Hello community bike and bike enthusiastic folks! A group of us is looking to get Bike!Bike!Everywhere! (it's like Bike!Bike! but virtual) going again since it was a success last year and a good opportunity for us to connect again. This email is to see if people are interested in getting involved organizing the conference. We have started by going over what was required for last year's B!B!E! and if you'd like to find out what we've been talking about, click here <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bikec…> to take a look at our minutes. If you're wondering what facilitating this will involve, click here <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bikec…> to take a look at volunteer roles. We're really looking forward to having this year's B!B!E! be a success and want you to have a chance to be part of it. If you think you've got the time and flexibility required to help us in organizing please reach out with your interest at bikebikeeverywhere(a)gmail.com <mailto:bikebikeeverywhere@gmail.com>. We're having a meeting next week and would love to meet and chat with you. Thanks! B!B!E! Organizing Commitee --------------------- Hola comunidad, Junto a un grupo del colectivo estamos organizándonos para realizar nuevamente Bike!Bike!Everywhere! (Es la versión virtual de Bike!Bike!) debido al éxito de su primera versión el año pasado y por ser además una excelente ocasión para volver a conectarnos. Con este email buscamos convocar gente que esté interesada en involucrarse en la organización de la conferencia. Ya nos reunimos para revisar que fue necesario para poner en marcha el anterior B!B!E! y que necesitamos para esta versión 2022. Si quieres saber más de estas reuniones, pincha este enlace <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bikec…> para revisar las minutas. Si quieres saber de qué forma puedes involucrarte, revisa esta descripción de roles <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bikec…>. Queremos que este B!B!E! sea un éxito para la comunidad y que tú seas parte de esto. Si tienes el tiempo y la flexibilidad para ayudarnos, haznoslo saber escribiéndonos a bikebikeeverywhere(a)gmail.com <mailto:bikebikeeverywhere@gmail.com>.. Tendremos una nueva reunión la próxima semana y nos encantaría que te unieras para conocerte y contarte más. Gracias! Comité organizador B!B!E!

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Thethinktank Digest, Vol 187, Issue 2
by MARK 08 May '22

08 May '22

Profits for what? Many have Paid staff, so I guess that's where the Profits could go. Our's, Bike New Britain does not. We use the money we make topay our rent, utilities, and buy new parts for repairs, recycling bikes for sale or donations, and sell parts and accessories to the general public, which are usually people of limited means.That said, I continually ask myself whether a totally volunteer org. can survive in the long run.MarkBikeNB.org On Thursday, May 5, 2022, 04:03:33 PM EDT, <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.… 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. Shops operating as for profit Co-ops? (Carlyn Arteaga) 2. Re: Shops operating as for profit Co-ops? (Jean-Fran?ois Caron) 3. Re: Shops operating as for profit Co-ops? (Jim Sheehan) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Wed, 4 May 2022 20:03:21 -0700 From: Carlyn Arteaga <carlyn.arteaga(a)bicas.org> To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> Subject: [TheThinkTank] Shops operating as for profit Co-ops? Message-ID: <CAD7oRbMnqrv+gzJe_phm+SnWEBXVcYUa3J0xm1mn2DQPdG2OYg(a)mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" *Spanish below // espa?ol abajo* Hi all, I am involved with a local mobility justice group here in Tucson called FUGA <https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/bicycle/documents/TTT_Safe_Streets_FUGA_FD.p…> (Familias Unidas Ganando Accesibilidad), which is interested in supporting a bicycle co-op on Tucson's southside, which is our historically under-resourced area. BICAS, where I work, is a nonprofit, so I haven't had a lot of experience on the for profit side. Would any shops out there in ThinkTanklandia which operate as for profit co-ops be open to chatting with the FUGistas about your experiences, operations, challenges, etc? Perhaps even be willing to be part of a group call during which we could do some q & a with you and other co-op folks? If so, please let me know. Thanks for considering. Ride on, ~Carlyn // Buenos d?as a todxs, Estoy involucrado con un grupo local que se trata de las movilidades justas aqu? en Tucson llamado FUGA (Familias Unidas Ganando Accesibilidad), que est? interesado en apoyar una cooperativa de bicicletas en el Southside Tucson, que es nuestra ?rea hist?ricamente con recursos insuficientes. BICAS, donde trabajo ahora, es una organizaci?n sin fines de lucro, por lo que no he tenido mucha experiencia en el lado con fines lucrativos. ?Alguna tienda en ThinkTanklandia que opere como cooperativa con fines de lucro estar?a dispuesta a conversar con las FUGistas sobre sus experiencias, operaciones, desaf?os, etc.? ?Quiz?s incluso estar dispuesto a ser parte de una llamada grupal durante la cual podr?amos hacer algunas preguntas y respuestas con usted y otras cooperativas? Si es as?, por favor h?gamelo saber. Gracias por considerar. Que sigan rodando, ~Carlyn -- *Carlyn Arteaga* *pronouns: they/them/theirs* Youth Program Coordinator *BICAS* 2001 N. 7th Ave. | Tucson, AZ 85701 | Shop: 520-628-7950 carlyn.arteaga(a)bicas.org | www.bicas.org | Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/bicascollective/> | Instagram <http://www.instagram.com/bicastucson/> *Through advocacy and bicycle salvage, our mission is to participate in affordable bicycle transportation, education, and creative recycling with our greater Tucson community.* <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campai…> Virus-free. www.avast.com <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campai…> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>

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Shops operating as for profit Co-ops?
by Carlyn Arteaga 05 May '22

05 May '22

*Spanish below // español abajo* Hi all, I am involved with a local mobility justice group here in Tucson called FUGA <https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/bicycle/documents/TTT_Safe_Streets_FUGA_FD.p…> (Familias Unidas Ganando Accesibilidad), which is interested in supporting a bicycle co-op on Tucson's southside, which is our historically under-resourced area. BICAS, where I work, is a nonprofit, so I haven't had a lot of experience on the for profit side. Would any shops out there in ThinkTanklandia which operate as for profit co-ops be open to chatting with the FUGistas about your experiences, operations, challenges, etc? Perhaps even be willing to be part of a group call during which we could do some q & a with you and other co-op folks? If so, please let me know. Thanks for considering. Ride on, ~Carlyn // Buenos días a todxs, Estoy involucrado con un grupo local que se trata de las movilidades justas aquí en Tucson llamado FUGA (Familias Unidas Ganando Accesibilidad), que está interesado en apoyar una cooperativa de bicicletas en el Southside Tucson, que es nuestra área históricamente con recursos insuficientes. BICAS, donde trabajo ahora, es una organización sin fines de lucro, por lo que no he tenido mucha experiencia en el lado con fines lucrativos. ¿Alguna tienda en ThinkTanklandia que opere como cooperativa con fines de lucro estaría dispuesta a conversar con las FUGistas sobre sus experiencias, operaciones, desafíos, etc.? ¿Quizás incluso estar dispuesto a ser parte de una llamada grupal durante la cual podríamos hacer algunas preguntas y respuestas con usted y otras cooperativas? Si es así, por favor hágamelo saber. Gracias por considerar. Que sigan rodando, ~Carlyn -- *Carlyn Arteaga* *pronouns: they/them/theirs* Youth Program Coordinator *BICAS* 2001 N. 7th Ave. | Tucson, AZ 85701 | Shop: 520-628-7950 carlyn.arteaga(a)bicas.org | www.bicas.org | Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/bicascollective/> | Instagram <http://www.instagram.com/bicastucson/> *Through advocacy and bicycle salvage, our mission is to participate in affordable bicycle transportation, education, and creative recycling with our greater Tucson community.* <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campai…> Virus-free. www.avast.com <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campai…> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>

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Broke Spoke is Looking to Hire a Full-time Shop Director
by Edward Kirkwood 02 May '22

02 May '22

Broke Spoke is a community bike shop in Lexington, KY. We are looking to make our first full-time hire. Attached is the job description. All applicants should email their cover letter and resume to board(a)thebrokespoke.org. Allen Kirkwood

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TheThinkTank May 2022