September 2025 - TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

Volunteer Retention
by Geoff Smart 02 Feb '26

02 Feb '26

Hi All, In some but not all of our sessions we have an issue with volunteer retention. After surveying our volunteers and people who left after 3-4 sessions the consensus is that our 1 hour induction is not enough and that we need a more structured training and onboarding over multiple sessions for the cohort that for various reasons need more training and more interaction with staff and volunteers. Has anyone had any luck with increasing retention using a more structured approach. If you have, we would appreciate any content or information you can share with us, and any other tips you may have to increase retention Regards *Geoff Smart* Chair Back2Bikes M : 0419 345 440 525 Williamstown Rd Port Melbourne 3207 back2bikes.org.au

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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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Bike commuter survey
by Sam Tracy 28 Sep '25

28 Sep '25

Greetings all, I'm writing a new book on bike commuting, and I'm looking for input. Have thoughts to share on the topic? I'd love to hear from you! Basic bike commuting advice is easy to find online, and we're lucky for it, yet the few recent books on the topic tend to be academic, or first-person accounts. So I'm hoping to broaden the aperture; to include a range of perspectives on this topic. The goal is to create an engaging and credible reference for readers who might not have immediate access to bike culture; for those who may be thinking about riding to work, but may not know anyone nearby to ask about it. This will be an invitation to join us! The approach here mirrors what I did with my last book, Riding More With Less: A Future for Bike Repair (see https://pmpress.org/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1543), which surveyed community bike shops to gather ideas on resourceful approaches to bike repair. So this new book also begins with a survey, which is available as a Google form: https://forms.gle/Jxh8dmF9BRosoMA46 The same survey is also accessible via Survey Planet, for the Google-averse: https://s.surveyplanet.com/f451kkqy The survey opens with additional detail on the rationale for this project, for any curious to know more. Thanks in advance for returning the survey, should you be so inclined. And please feel free to share! Best, Sam Tracy

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Alley Cat/ Bike Scavenger Hunt
by julytenenbaum＠proton.me 25 Sep '25

25 Sep '25

Hey all, if you're in the bay area we're hosting a bicycle scavenger hunt that's fundraising for scraper bikes. It's Nov 2nd at Snow Park in Lake Merritt Oakland, CA. Hope to see you there! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/scaredy-cat-oaklands-halloween-alleycat-bike-r…

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entry door(s)
by weogo＠liveedge.net 01 Sep '25

01 Sep '25

Hi Folks, Our new bike shop, Pigeon River Bikes, in Haywood County, North Carolina, is moving in to an old building that’s being renovated. The owners will install a new entry door for us, and it can be double doors or a single, wide door. I’m thinking one, big door will be a good choice. Bigger is better, up to the point where it’s hard to deal with. If you had your choice, would you prefer a 36”, 40” or other size door width? Thanks and good health, Weogo

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