February 2024 - TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

E-bikes
by Andy Ballentine 01 Dec '25

01 Dec '25

Hi -- How are bike co-ops dealing with e-bikes? We are all-volunteer at the Bicycle Co-Op of Williamsburg (Virginia). We have several very fine mechanics, but none of us is expert in the motors and batteries of e-bikes, and we don't know whether we should accept them as donations or sell them. I'd be interested in others' experience and policies. Thanks -- Andy Ballentine

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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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National Youth Bike Summit coming soon: June 14-16 in the Lehigh Valley, PA!
by Kim Schaffer 25 Feb '24

25 Feb '24

Hi all-I'm writing to let you all know that the national Youth Bike Summit is back, and is coming to the Lehigh Valley, PA, this June 14-16! Details are below. We expect to open registration within the next several days. For updates, you can sign up for the YBS email list at https://linktr.ee/youthbikesummit. It's really shaping up to be a great event--Hope to see you all there! --Kim Schaffer, Community Bike Works, Allentown PA YOUTH BIKE SUMMIT 2024 Community Bike Works is thrilled to announce that we will host the 2024 national Youth Bike Summit, which is scheduled for June 14-16, 2024, at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. We expect the event to bring together 400 youth and their advocates from Earn a Bike and youth cycling programs across the country, with a focus on engaging youth from communities who have historically been excluded from cycling. YBS2024 will be the 10th Youth Bike Summit. Since 2011, YBS has served as a supportive and inclusive space designed to transform our local communities and strengthen our national movement by empowering bicycle leaders. YBS believes in the capacity of youth to lead and in the importance of a diverse, multi-cultural and equitable movement. The theme of YBS2024 is Youth Lead the Way. During YBS2024, youth and their adult advocates will participate in a range of plenary sessions, workshops, and rides designed to help youth grow as leaders through the power of the bicycle, all while showcasing the range of riding opportunities in the Lehigh Valley. Environmental sustainability will be a secondary theme, and a conference track will be devoted to the intersection of youth, bicycles, and sustainability. An exhibit area, including national and local sponsors from the bike industry and beyond, will be open throughout the conference. The draft schedule includes the following activities: FRIDAY: Guests arrive at Muhlenberg College and head out for nearby recreational rides. An evening welcome reception at the Lehigh Valley Velodrome will allow youth to connect while cheering on that night's riders. SATURDAY: An opening plenary session will focus on youth cycling leaders. Then, attendees will choose from riding workshops, including Try the Track at the Velodrome, or a range of classroom workshops. Workshops could include creating safer streets or developing girls' cycling. An evening reception will offer additional networking. SUNDAY: YBS2024 will culminate with a large group ride across the Lehigh Valley, from Muhlenberg College, through downtown Allentown, to the historic Steel Stacks in Bethlehem. A closing visioning session will allow students to reflect on the future of youth cycling. More Information is at: https://communitybikeworks.org/youth-bike-summit-2024 ******************************* Kim Schaffer, Executive Director Community Bike Works www.communitybikeworks.org cell: 484.554.8971 [cid:image001.png@01DA666C.87CB7510]

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person looking for bay area bike co-op/collective
by Matthew Pendergraft 25 Feb '24

25 Feb '24

Bay Area bike co-ops/collectives, Brooklyn Ross ( bross(a)rei.com ; cc attempted ) is looking to get involved. Reach out. Thanks -Matt Bikes del Pueblo Kumeyaay Land (San Diego)

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Seize the time - Bike Month 2024
by Collapsing Biosphere 20 Feb '24

20 Feb '24

Hello think-tankers, *Feed me your Bike Month 2024 ideas!* Here are a few that we're trying out this year. *Tour de Friends -* During open shop days in April we will help riders map a weekend ride to visit their friends around town*. *Riders will have the chance to paint ($19 markers) bicycles, or write pro-bicycle messages on contractors flags ($7 for 50) to place at all the stops. *Tune-in and Tune-up - *Partner with Parks and Recreation, a local DJ, and volunteer mechanics to host a "repair party" along the busiest trail. *Farms and Gardens Bike Around * - Guided or self-guided tours of local gardens and farms. The goal is to deepen everyone's understanding of local food and water issues... and connect these issues to bicycle and pedestrian issues. There are a few more, but I want to hear from you all. -- Plants Armstrong

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