- TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

Key woes and solutions!
by Jonathan Morrison 08 Feb '08

08 Feb '08

I don't know if your organization has issues with volunteers, "lost" or M.I.A. keys, or just not knowing who left the shop a mess after hours. We did, but after looking into all the options ( http://www.bikecollectives.org/wiki/index.php?title=Keyless_Entry) we were able to get a smart card (RFID) reader donated for our shop door. This has worked out really well so far. * A log is kept of who uses the shop and when for accountabilities sake. * Smart cards (http://www.hidcorp.com/technology.php?tech_cat=1&subcat_id=9) can be purchased at any locksmith for the same cost of getting a traditional key cut, but they don't work until they are "registered" with software that controls the door. * Smart cards cannot be copied. * If a card is lost or there is a problem with a volunteer that can't be resolved in a civil manner -- the card can be denied future access. Luckily we haven't had that anything besides "lost" keys. * Access to the shop can be limited to the hour, so if we wanted to we could incubate a volunteer by only giving them access to the shop at certain times. * A magnetic contact on the door gives us a count of roughly how many people use our shop. We realize that some people hold the door for others and some go in and out more than once -- while those might cancel each other out, it is a rough estimate. * We installed the smart card reader at "butt" level. So if it is in your wallet you can open the door without taking your hands off a bike with the "butt swipe." * No personal information is stored on the smart (RFID) card, there is just a pre-programmed number that has to be an inch away for a card reader to detect. -- Sincerely, Jonathan Morrison Executive Director Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective 2312 S. West Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84115 w: 801-328-2453 c: 801-688-0183 f: 801-466-3856 www.slcbikecollective.org Get Addicted to Crank! http://www.slcbikecollective.org/crank/

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Volunteering time
by Jessica McPherson 07 Feb '08

07 Feb '08

Also, can I point out that there is a big difference between characterizing a statement or action as racist, and calling a person a racist? I think it's really important to be able to talk frankly about racism, and that is hard when bringing up the word at all is automatically interpreted as calling people racists. We all do or say racist things sometimes. It doesn't mean we're evil, horrible people. It means there's a situation when people could benefit from honest discussion and an opportunity to learn from others' perspectives. So can we try to be open to that without being offensive/taking offense? And make an extra effort to be clear when this loaded word does get put out there? Race, gender, and class all definitely fit into this issue of accessibility, so it's great we're talking about it those terms. And it's complicated; we can probably all learn something from other peoples' experience. -Jessica ----- Original Message ---- From: Erik Ryberg <ryberg(a)seanet.com> To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org> Sent: Thursday, February 7, 2008 2:29:22 PM Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Volunteering time When I went to college I was a poor white kid from rural Oregon on a scholarship to a fancy East Coast private university. Everybody I met there had more money than I did. During the summers they all went off to unpaid internships in NY or LA. I had similar offers, but there was just no way I could afford to do that, move to NYC for three months with no pay. When my friends graduated they got jobs at these places and I ended up working at a bakery. That's what Kyle was talking about. And as an aside he made the leap, perhaps disputed by some here, that people who are not white are more often among those who don't have a lot of money. Maybe you don't agree, but all he was saying is that if you pay people, then you will be more likely to find class and probably race diversity on your staffs. True? False? Maybe? I don't know, but it makes logical sense, and it seems possible to agree with him or disagree with him without being a racist. Erik Ryberg ien wrote: > I see Kyle's point as tunnel vision. Look at other areas reliant on > volunteers and you will see many females, in some cases overwhelmingly. > Case in point: the local chapter of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters > organization reported their volunteers by gender composition is 75% > female, 25% male. That should shoot the theory of white boys being > privileged and in positions to volunteer. It is the bike business in > general that attracts males to the sport. Don't believe me then take a > look at the staff at any bike shop for your random sample. Females are a > breath of fresh air to the sport of cycling and bike riding in general. > But look also to the junior ranks of any state cycling organization and > you will find many more males than females. Credit to those that > volunteer and here is wishing more would join us, especially females. > bikedad > > */Andy Dyson <andy(a)neighborhoodbikeworks.org>/* wrote: > > BovineOaks(a)aol.com wrote: > > Being white gives us privileges that might make it easier to > 'donate' a > > lot of time to a project you love. Nice racist statement. > > > > Some great points in your post, Christopher, but it's the first line I > have a problem with. I think that if you're going to call someone a > racist you should do so in a more direct and clear way, for all of our > benefit. > > Perhaps I'm just not smart, but sarcasm like the above leaves me > wondering exactly what about Kyle's post you thought was racist and > why. > There are various interpretations I could think of, but why people in > our community are calling each other racists is not an area where I > want > to jump to any conclusions. I do actually want to know what you think, > because I don't think that Kyle was denying that people of all > backgrounds volunteer, rather that privilege exists and it makes things > easier for young, white males. > > I think that the whole point of Kyle's post is to draw attention to the > existence of privilege, something that, in my experience, is not > obvious > to all of us. > > Peace, > > Andy > > -- > Andrew C. Dyson > Executive Director Neighborhood Bike Works > Increasing opportunities for youth through bicycling > > > Check our Web Site: > http://www.neighborhoodbikeworks.org > > > Neighborhood Bike Works > 3916 Locust Walk, > Philadelphia, PA 19104 > > > Office: (215) 386-0316 > Cell: (215) 873-6695 > FAX: (215) 386-7288 > _______________________________________________ > Thethinktank mailing list > Thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… > > > Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. > <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs> > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Thethinktank mailing list > Thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… -- Erik B. Ryberg Attorney at Law 445 West Simpson Street Tucson, AZ 85701 (520) 622-3333 _______________________________________________ Thethinktank mailing list Thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping

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Cheap Helmets!
by AndaLaLucha 05 Feb '08

05 Feb '08

Hello Think Tankers, I was wondering where people get their kids bike helmets from. Has anyone had sucess getting some donated? Are their websites/companies people can recommend. So far we have found www.prorider.com $3 for basic kinda crappy helmets www.*helmets*rus.net/*nonprofit*/ $5 and $6 for nicer helmet with modern adjusting features that are much safer Any other ideas? Andalusia P.S R.I.P. Sheldon Brown : ( PPS If i get a chance I may also try later to explain how free ride's volunteer/comission/contracting staff system works.

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Re: [TheThinkTank] [SLC Bike Collective] Sheldon Brown passed away...
by Bacus, Tom (KLC) 05 Feb '08

05 Feb '08

Sad news indeed. I never met him, but he helped me set up my first single speed via phone calls and email. The bike community has lost one of the great ones. -------------------------- Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld ----- Original Message ----- From: community-bounces(a)slcbikecollective.org <community-bounces(a)slcbikecollective.org> To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org>; SLC Bicycle Collective <community(a)slcbikecollective.org>; SLC Critical Mass <community(a)slccriticalmass.org> Sent: Mon Feb 04 13:17:03 2008 Subject: [SLC Bike Collective] Sheldon Brown passed away... http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/index.html -- Sincerely, Jonathan Morrison Executive Director Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective 2312 S. West Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84115 w: 801-328-2453 c: 801-688-0183 f: 801-466-3856 www.slcbikecollective.org Get Addicted to Crank! http://www.slcbikecollective.org/crank/

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alternative payment/stipend structures
by Erik Stockmeier 04 Feb '08

04 Feb '08

Hello, comrades, At BB last year I heard a number of different takes on the issue of payment to core/committed/etc members of the shop. This is obviously something that many of us have struggled with--a small stipend can enable someone to spend much more time in the shop and increase productivity, etc, but it also can have pitfalls: shifting emphasis toward making money & away from service/community/etc goals. Not to be nosey, but I'm wondering how different shops have approached this, both through payrolls and alternate routes. I'm also wondering what kind of decision-making and account-taking goes on in regards to taking care of each others' needs so that neither individuals nor the organisation as an organism is exploited. There are also questions of seasonable labor, the threat of a paid, empowered elite vs the volunteer masses... I'm just thinking out loud. Sorry this question is so broad and filled with etc's. If any kind of discussion comes out of it I will be happy to elaborate on my own experiences (can't speak for all of The Recyclery) but for now I'm curious about what else is out there and how well it has worked. I'm interested to hear from all-volunteer groups as well, of course. Thanks- Erik Stockmeier The Recyclery www.therecyclery.org

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Collective members/ordering from QBP
by Jessica McPherson 04 Feb '08

04 Feb '08

Something to add is that we require people to give 24 hours volunteer time every three months in order to join the collective council. The qbp privilege is a bonus for that commitment. And, it is consistent with QBP's policy, in that the people who can make personal orders are essentially the "employees" of the shop. -Jessica ----- Original Message ---- From: Stuart O Anderson <soa(a)ri.cmu.edu> To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org> Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 4:17:43 PM Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Collective members/ordering from QBP I can't find the policy on the QBP dealer site, you might want to call your account rep to check. I believe the deal is that it's OK for shop employees to make personal orders for personal use, possibly with some total dollar cap on how much can be ordered for this use in a year? We let collective members add items to our orders for personal use with the understanding that the stuff they order isn't going to be given away/resold. If someone wants more than $500 worth of stuff it goes through collective review. Stuart On Jan 30, 2008 2:14 PM, <plan_9(a)riseup.net> wrote: > I was wondering if anyone has any policy in place that allows or > dis-allows collective members from ordering new parts, frame/forks, or > even complete bikes from QBP. Shops that do allow ordering, what > restrictions from QBP apply? > Thanks, Andrew > FMCBW > > > _______________________________________________ > Thethinktank mailing list > Thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… > > _______________________________________________ Thethinktank mailing list Thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ

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Forums for Website
by Sarah 04 Feb '08

04 Feb '08

Hey, y'all! Anyone have an amazing free forum program you run on your website? Or, what have folks used on BikeBike websites in the past? Are there free forums you suggest, or some you don't like at all? Any input is greatly appreciated! Thanks, ~ Sarahtops thebestsarah(a)gmail.com Madison, Wisconsin FreeWheel Community Bike Shop - www.freewheelbikes.org Neverwood Collective - www.pnc2rnc.org

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Collective members/ordering from QBP
by plan_9＠riseup.net 31 Jan '08

31 Jan '08

I was wondering if anyone has any policy in place that allows or dis-allows collective members from ordering new parts, frame/forks, or even complete bikes from QBP. Shops that do allow ordering, what restrictions from QBP apply? Thanks, Andrew FMCBW

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Grant Seeking and Collective Foundation Center Subscription?
by rachael spiewak 29 Jan '08

29 Jan '08

Hi, everyone! People have been asking us lately about how we do our grant seeking. We're not experts (at bike maintenance either), but we've scored a little bit of support in the last few months. What helps the most is the Foundation Center, and we're lucky enough to have a physical location in Atlanta. However, there are tons of free resources on their website, and I just learned about a bunch at a workshop there recently. They also publish books, and I'm thinking about getting their Guides to Proposal Writing<http://foundationcenter.org/marketplace/catalog/product_monograph.jhtml?id=…> . *The FAQ has tons of technical info, and links pretty heavily to samples of things. I used the Letter of Inquiry<http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/faqs/html/letter.html>entry recently, and it was massively helpful. I put a sample letter that I wrote on the BCN Wiki<http://www.bikecollectives.org/wiki/index.php?title=Grant_Writing>(but I can't figure out the formatting). *There are free online tutorials<http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/learnabout/foundations.html>at the bottom of this page. *As for process.. *I would like to suggest that we buy a collective subscription<https://fcsecure.fdncenter.org/fdo_signup_prof/register.php?setplan=start>so everyone can access the database regardless of location. When you access a record in the database, it returns critical info, like areas of interest, contact info, initial contact method, etc.. all the things you need to know so you can zero in on the foundations that are likely to help you and start building a relationship with them. What we're going for are as non-corporate as possible Atlanta-specific foundations that provide operational support to community development organizations. Most of these are interested in education and/or the environment, so we fit right in. It gets that specific. *To get started on thinking through what your organization does, what you need money for, and whom to ask: **Create a logic model<http://www.managementhelp.org/np_progs/np_mod/org_frm.htm>. This helps you name and quantify measurable things. *Create a budget. We have a spreadsheet broken down by month, things quantified by quarter, and a projected annual budget. I did this in Open Office spreadsheet, but maybe some folks have found more user friendly software. Anyway, included are major developments so we can relate those things with changes in income and expenses. It's easy then to prove how shop activity and income generated increased when we expanded shop hours. And that makes it easy to describe how operational support for a Shop Manager salary will provide the necessary means to support said explosion in shop awesomeness. *Create a companion timeline. *Have a compelling and concise argument, and make sure everything relates back to your mission statement. *Start early. Grant seeking is not just filling out an application and turning it in on the deadline. It's a process of getting to know people. *Realize that Operation Support can include personnel. You may be organizing a community bike shop that could benefit from having some paid staff. *For folks wondering how we're pitching ourselves: *Sopo is a community development organization. We use bicycle repair education as a way to empower people while we work together to create affordable transportation. Our core program is the Shop. The Shop is open to the public four days a week, and it is accessed by 100 people per week, including drop in visitors, volunteers, donors, community leaders, kids, etc. All participants access the shop in order to share resources and knowledge. The organization has paid director, and our next staffing goal is to hire a project manager for our core program (Shop Manager). If you need more info on the community development piece: Creating affordable housing and food security is considered community development activity. Like housing and food, transportation is a major household expense (see: the Census), and taken together we've got our big three producers of pollution and consumers of energy. Transportation is the neglected component when it comes to organizations creating affordable access (A lack of vocabulary indicates social invisibility [I think of gender expression and pronouns here]. How many organizations are addressing rampant "transportationlessness" in our communities?). Community bike shops not only address an economic gap. We also address the social and environmental components (which means we're doing sustainable development work). I have a diagram that goes along with this. And a flowchart. Nerd alert. Anyway, I hope this helps. : ) -- Rachael Spiewak, MSW Executive Director Sopo Bicycle Cooperative www.sopobikes.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Hours of operation: Tues/Thurs 7 pm - 10 pm Sat/Sun 2 pm - 5 pm Important Dates: Monday, January 28, 6 pm - Volunteer Orientation at Sopo Wednesday, January 30, 7 pm - Craft Night at 858-C DeKalb Ave

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GrassRoutes [Bicycle] Caravan August!
by Sarah 26 Jan '08

26 Jan '08

Hey, bike enthusiasts! I wanted to give y'all a heads-up about a bicycle caravan taking place in August 2008. The Neverwood Collective in Madison, Wisconsin is organizing a bike ride to St. Paul, Minnesota, arriving a few days ahead of the Republican National Convention protests! We're calling the ride the GrassRoutes Caravan, as we'll be hooking up with various grassroots organizations along our route, doing volunteer work and learning about regional struggles. Madison is holding a counter-convention to the Republican and Democrat National Conventions. It's called the People's Networking Convention (PNC), and it's going down August 15-17th. The GrassRoutes Caravan will link the PNC to the RNC. Check out more about the PNC and the Caravan at: www.infopnc.org -- People's Networking Convention www.pnc2rnc.org -- GrassRoutes Caravan We're super-excited about the GrassRoutes Caravan! It's sort of a mix between the Democracy Uprising DNC2RNC march in 2004, work done by the SuperHeroes collective, cycle circuses everywhere, a mobile version of Burning Man, and everything in-between! We just published a zine about our vision -- find it to download online. We welcome any input, advice, or bike travel hints you may have. I invite y'all, and yer bikes, to the Midwest this August for our mobile village of resistance! I hope to hear from you soon! Sincerely, ~ Sarahtops of the Neverwood Collective Madison, Wisconsin PS: Many thanks if you spread this message far and wide!

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