- TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

Bicycle Retail story on community shops
by rkeener＠outsideinc.com 18 Jan '24

18 Jan '24

Hi I'm Ray Keener, Retail Editor of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News magazine, former President (2013-16) and current Industry Liaison with Community Cycles here in Boulder. I wrote a BRAIN story about community bike shops back in 2016. I'd be glad to share the story if there a way to attach a .pdf? It's time to do this story again. Last time, someone at bike!bike! provided us with with a list of community shops to which I sent the Survey Monkey. Seeings how this benefits you at bike!bike! and all community shops by providing information, and the industry overall by promoting understanding of what y'all do... Might you be willing to either provide the list, or send out a link to the survey to your list, please? I'm glad to hear back from anyone on here if you can point me in the right direction! Cheers and Happy New Year, Ray (303) 525-5489

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Tracking data
by Director Lincoln Bike Kitchen 17 Jan '24

17 Jan '24

The Lincoln Bike Kitchen, based in Lincoln, Nebraska, is growing and looking for a better way to track our programs. We have funders who want more accurate data and we want to make life easier for our volunteers. Currently, we have Cognito forms on our website for requests and a backend Microsoft Azure database that together meet some of our needs but are time-consuming and difficult to maintain. We would like to track bikes (coming in, repairs, who repaired, where the bike went, bike sales), as well as volunteers, donors, and bike requests all in one system that doesn't require specialized training to maintain. What technology are you using to track data? I couldn't find any recent posts on the list about this. I'll make sure to report back with a summary of the responses I receive. Thanks! Ingrid -- Ingrid Kirst Interim Executive Director Lincoln Bike Kitchen<http://lincolnbikekitchen.org/>

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Job Posting: Shop Lead in Manchester, New Hampshire
by Abby Easterly 16 Jan '24

16 Jan '24

Queen City Bicycle Collective - Shop Lead Our Shop Lead ensures that the bikes which are repaired, sold, and delivered by QC Bike are safe, functional, and reliable. The bikes donated to QC Bike all need work. The Shop Lead will bring the enthusiasm needed to fix these bikes, directly, and by supporting volunteers in the development of their skills and confidence as mechanics. With ample support and training, your day-to-day would include: + Building bicycles. You'll build and make repairs to bicycles that will be sold or otherwise delivered by QC Bike. You'll make use of our large supply of used parts to get bicycles up and running. You'll work with the Executive Director to prioritize building bicycles that will be sold to the public, as well as those that support our ongoing voucher programs. Your efforts will dovetail seamlessly with the work of other paid staff and our volunteer mechanics. + Performing safety checks. You'll ensure bicycles finished by others are in good working order and safe. This includes checking that components are adjusted correctly and are in good condition, checking shifting and limit screws, ensuring all bolts are tightened, checking for play in bearings, making sure the wheels are true, etc. You'll either be fixing these problems yourself, or will be cataloging and delegating the necessary repairs to volunteers to complete. + Helping to manage orders and inventory. You'll communicate with the Executive Director to ensure that all necessary parts and tools are available at the Collective. You'll assist with managing orders from QBP and J+B. + Orienting new volunteers and shop users. From the outset, you'll be able to make volunteers and members of the public feel welcome in the workshop, showing our bicycle repair workflow, where tools and consumables are kept, etc. + Leading Closed Shop sessions that empower volunteers to become better mechanics. You'll be ready and willing to pass on your skills and passion to our volunteer mechanics, to help us grow our Collective's capacity. With the shop closed to the public, you'll help provide increased production while also providing nurturing, hands-on educational experiences that develop and strengthen our mechanical volunteers. + Diagnosing and repairing bikes during Open Shop Hours. With time and training you'll be able to independently diagnose problems, and help lead community members in making appropriate repairs to their bikes. You will also provide support and oversight to volunteer mechanics in the space. About You + You love all bikes, not only high-end and modern bikes. Most of our donated bikes are 10-70 years old, ranging from bike-boom and department store bikes to middle-of-the-road 90's rigid-fork mountain bikes, with the rare higher-end bike mixed in + You have reason to think of yourself as a bike mechanic, and are willing to share what you do, and work on learning what you don't already know. Maybe you have a couple of years of bike shop experience, or maybe something equivalent. Either way, you're able to diagnose and fix many of the most common issues in bike repair. You're comfortable researching, trying out, and asking for help with what you don't know. + You are a good leader and teacher. You're someone volunteers and staff will look to for support, particularly when fixing bikes gets tricky. You're able to facilitate positive, supportive learning experiences, and will apply that to your work at QC Bike. + You're able to creatively solve problems. Sometimes we don't have the perfect substitution; you're able to cobble together a work-around that is almost as good as or better than the original. + You're an effective multitasker. During shop hours you'll be repairing bikes, while maintaining awareness of the whole shop - is someone stuck on a bottom bracket, frustrated setting up cantilever brakes, or does someone have a load of bikes to donate? You'll be able to step in to offer assistance. You also wouldn't mind being pulled away from your task to answer a question or provide a demonstration. + You want to help fill the world with bike mechanics and nurture everyone's love for bicycling. From your one-on-one interactions, to your part in helping us craft a safe and welcoming space for all of our community, you make sure that folks in the shop feel welcomed and empowered to learn the art of turning a wrench on a bike! We are looking for candidates who are passionate (about bikes, our Do-It-Yourself/Do-It-Together ethos, community development, & education), and who have real enthusiasm for the hands-on skill building our work offers. We recognize that passion and enthusiasm are paramount to our success, and are, therefore, willing to provide the ideal candidate with ample training, in any and all areas necessary for them to succeed in this role. As such, potential applicants who have interest, passion, and enthusiasm, but who feel they may lack the technical know-how, are very much encouraged to apply. We are committed to building a welcoming work environment that treats everyone with fairness and respect. We do not discriminate in practices or employment opportunities on the basis of an individual's race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local regulations. Rate: $20 - $24 per hour Hours: 30 - 40 per week Modest but flexible benefit package included Please send an expression of interest to Tyler Glodt, Executive Director at tyler(a)qcbike.org. We plan to fill this position as soon as we find the right candidate. More about the Queen City Bicycle Collective Queen City Bicycle Collective (QC Bike), is a Manchester, New Hampshire-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to get - and keep - the Manchester community riding bicycles safely and affordably. Our vision is a Manchester full of bike riders who can depend on their bicycle for transportation, recreation, and exercise, because of the educational and affordable services we provide. We encourage you to visit our website www.qcbike.org [1] and our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC21sRDyDMQ5zGFVdE4EHKKg/channels [2] and ask any questions you may have about QC Bike. Abby Easterly QC Bike Collective 35 Elm Street, Manchester, NH 03101 603.493.1720 - shop phone 603-315-2656 - Abby phone www.qcbike.org [1] Links: ------ [1] http://www.qcbike.org [2] https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC21sRDyDMQ5zGFVdE4EHKKg/channels

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Mozilla search plugin for the ThinkTank archives
by cyclista＠inventati.org 12 Jan '24

12 Jan '24

Hey all, I got tried of repeatedly needing to check the archive but then having to go and dig around in my browser or a search engine just to get there and do a search. I know BOOKMARKING ISN'T HARD, but even that doesn't make it as easy as, for instance, a search plugin. So I went over to the mycroft project and made one. Here is the link to the search plugin, tested working on Firefox. It may or may not work on other browsers: https://mycroftproject.com/install.html?id=120475&basename=bc_thinktank_arc… Hopefully this will simplify things for at least a good amount of folks! IMO, the ThinkTank archive ranks up there with Sheldon Brown as an amazing information resource for the bicycle community/cooperative/collective shop worlds. Get In The Street and Ride Safe, cyclistas! ~cyclista Nicholas

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Please help orient me
by DEL HOLLAND 11 Jan '24

11 Jan '24

It would be really helpful to me, and I would bet others, if we all took as a protocol to always list our shop affiliation and geographic location. Del Holland Board member, Iowa City Bike Library, Iowa City, Iowa

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Job Posting : Mechanic Educator
by apuri＠intercitytransit.com 11 Jan '24

11 Jan '24

Hello, this is a job for an educator with our transit agency based educational bike shop. Experience in a community bike shop is especially applicable to this position. Bicycle Mechanic Educator-Walk N Roll Program Representative Intercity Transit’s Walk N Roll education program improves transportation access, increases independence, and inspires a healthy lifestyle through activities that encourage Thurston County residents to walk, bike, roll and ride public transit for transportation. We are currently recruiting a Bicycle Mechanic Educator to serve as a Walk N Roll Program Representative. They will oversee the operations of the Walk N Roll educational bike shop, provide bike mechanic education, and oversee the repair and maintenance of bicycles that support Walk N Roll’s bike education programs. Do you have: • Ability to lead and educate others. • Ability to create a welcoming community space for people of all races, ages, genders, abilities, and backgrounds. • Basic skills in bicycle mechanics. (will provide training) • Proven ability to manage competing priorities effectively and work independently. • High level of personal accountability for the quality, safety, and impact of your work. • Proven ability to work in a collaborative environment and complete projects within a team. Learn more and apply here: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/intercitytransit/

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Link to the 2016 CBO story in BRAIN
by rkeener＠outsideinc.com 09 Jan '24

09 Jan '24

Not sure if this will work... fingers crossed... file:///Users/raykeener/PeopleForBikes%20Dropbox/Ray%20Keener/for%20Ray/CBOs%20story%20for%20Ray.pdf

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Participants needed for research project!
by Aaron Shaw 07 Jan '24

07 Jan '24

Hello Bike Collectives Network! Some friends and I are entering a project design competition and we need as much feedback as we can get in the next week or so. The idea involves improving the financial sustainability of community bike projects. Would you be willing to take a few minutes to fill out this form <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfB5Qc1YTiqsFZ-4aZ3YkFlwvGEQay9Mmi…> to help us with the project? Thank you! We also are looking to set up a few 20-30 min interviews to ask questions and understand the needs of your organization. Sign-up to give us an interview using the form. Thanks ya'll! Aaron

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Next Bike!Bike! ?
by Bayley Vanderpoel 04 Jan '24

04 Jan '24

Does anyone know when the next Bike!Bike! is? Bayley Velocity Bicycle Coop in Alexandria & Arlington , VA. Bayley Vanderpoel Volunteer, Spokesperson, & Board Member Vélocity Bicycle Cooperative http://velocitycoop.org/ | http://www.meetup.com/VeloCity-Bicycle-Cooperative/ | https://www.facebook.com/V%C3%A9loCity-Bicycle-Cooperative-361337181517/tim… | https://twitter.com/velocitycoop | http://www.instagram.com/velocitycoop Phone: tel:7035491108 Del Ray Shop Address: https://goo.gl/maps/h7zenNZ2Ksu9XrVu8?coh=178573&entry=tt Hours: Tues, Thurs, Fri 10-4pm | Wed 10-8pm | Sat 10-4pm Clarendon Shop Address: https://goo.gl/maps/urc4V3Ytn9dc54sPA?coh=178573&entry=tt Hours: Tues, Wed Thurs, Fri, Sat 10-4pm

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Volunteer Call to Action 2024 BBE!
by cardenas.angela＠gmail.com 08 Dec '23

08 Dec '23

Hi everybody, My name is Angie Libertad, an organizer for Bike!Bike! Everywhere! earlier this week I shared this call for volunteers on social media. The call for volunteers hopefully answers some questions about BBE! which I joined last year as a facilitator and this year as an organizer. Planning for this event will only happen with your help as volunteers (like myself) and we´d like to start planning early in 2024 by signing up folks on committees. If you´d like to join the steering committee or a task committee, please send an email to bikebikeverywhere(a)gmail.com. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FORMAL CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS Hello fellow Biketivists, bike culture promoters, and community bike project organizers! We are planning another Bike!Bike!Everywhere! gathering and to make it happen in 2024 we´re seeking volunteers to help in the steering committee in task/role specific committees (eg. communications and outreach, translating and interpretation, and tech support). Please send us an email to bikebikeeverywhere(a)gmail.com if you´d like to join the steering committee volunteer team or if you´d like to join a specific task committee. To join the steering committee, you should know some Spanish, be able to join a weekly/bimonthly group call and devote at least 3 hours work per week two months leading up to the event. Specific roles and responsibilities in the task committees where we need your help are listed at the end. But first…. What is the Bike!Bike! Everywhere! gathering? Bike!Bike! Everywhere! is an online, international, annual gathering organized by and for community bike projects. The conference is an online space for participants from bike collectives and related advocacy groups to meet over a weekend period to foster and strengthen bike communities, share experiences and resources via workshops. As an extension of the in person Bike!Bike! that's been held since 2004, the first Bike!Bike! Everywhere! was held in 2021 during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. An online gathering ensured a covid risk free event that would also be economically accessible for more participants from wider geographical distances to join, and as an additional benefit eliminated long distance travel related carbon emissions. Just as B!B!E! isn't a replacement for B!B!, B!B! is not a replacement for B!B!E!. B!B! is not meant to replace B!B!E! because there will always be people who don't want to meet because of the ongoing pandemic, people who can't afford to travel, people who don't have the time to travel, and people who don't want to meet in person because of the ongoing climate crisis. B!B!E! fills an ongoing need that was unmet with the beloved in-person B!B! How B!BE! happens and what it is like in the future is up to y'all and the wants and needs of the community, but it was made clear to us in the past B!B!E! that B!BE! fills a previously unaddressed need by people who were left out of in person B!B! events. In between gatherings, Bike!Bike! Everywhere! has taken on the role of friends of the Bike! Bike! community at large which has included website maintenance, financial admin, engaging with bike community networks through social media and listservs, and holding language exchanges alongside language justice efforts. What do we hope to accomplish with a 2024 Bike!Bike! Everywhere! gathering? More diversity in bike project workshops, more space for socializing. Attendees voiced an interest in a wider variety of bike projects to hold workshops/talks. Given that there are far fewer community bike workshops in Latin America than the US and Canada, we would like to invite collectives and individuals leading unique or innovative bike initiatives and projects to join and share their work at the gathering. In the past two B!B!E!s, some attendees said there wasn't enough time set aside for socializing. This will be more of a focus in the next gathering. 2024 B!B!E! will also be a good opportunity to have a conversation about the future of an in-person Bike!Bike! Online discussion about a future B!B! started during the drafting of this call for volunteers. It's available here: https://lists.bikecollectives.org/hyperkitty/list/thethinktank@lists.bikeco… More information about Bike!Bike! and Bike!Bike!Everywhere! can be found here: https://www.bikecollectives.org/es-index.html https://www.bikecollectives.org/acerca-de-colectivos-bici.html Recordings from past gatherings: https://archive.org/details/@bikebikeeverywhere Write to us at bikebikeeverywhere(a)gmail.com if you´d like to join the steering committee team or if you´d like to join a specific committee. Steering Committee (just a few tasks listed ) • Inviting speakers and planning event schedule • Coordinating workshops • Calling for and preparing facilitators • Works alongside task committees Task Committees and Stand Alone Roles Fundraising and Outreach • Send out direct outreach requests to orgs/collectives • Organize in person or online campaigns Communications and Outreach • Email (incl. listserv) management • Social media outreach and management • Graphic design for bikebike.org and social media • Discord channel moderating during event Language justice • Interpreting (stipend available) • Translating docs Tech • Updating bikebike.org and bikecollectives.org • Tech support during workshops • Maintain digital archiving during the gathering Ombuds/Mediator

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