- TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

World Bike Forum
by Tegan Moss 29 Jan '15

29 Jan '15

Hi All, In four weeks I will be at the World Bike Forum in Medellin Colombia presenting on a panel about "Bike Organizing". Are my co-presenters on this list serve? Who else is headed down? I would love to meet up with some other community bikes shop folks while visiting Colombia! Please feel free to reach me directly at tegan(a)communitybikeshop.org or 705-775-7227 if you are headed that way and would like to connect. Cheers, Tegan -- -- B!KE: The Peterborough Community Bike Shop 336 Rubidge St, Peterborough ON (705) 775-7227 communitybikeshop.org ____________________________________ The ThinkTank mailing List <a href="http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o…">Unsubscribe from this list</a>

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Troy Bike Rescue
by Josh Bisker 28 Jan '15

28 Jan '15

Who are my Troy Bike Rescue folks? Email me off-thread please. Actual important thing. Josh ____________________________________ The ThinkTank mailing List <a href="http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o…">Unsubscribe from this list</a>

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Portable Bike Co-op
by Justin Smith 24 Jan '15

24 Jan '15

We like the idea of having some sort of trailer, wagon or otherwise that we can take throughout the city to different neighborhoods, events and otherwise to help make bike repairs. We'd love your suggestions for what type of trailer to use, how to organize, actual plans and costs, your sources of funding, and all other advice and input you care to share. Thanks! -- Justin Smith Bike Erie www.bikeerie.org [1] (814) 580-9108 Follow us on Facebook [2] & Twitter [3]! Links: ------ [1] http://www.bikeerie.org/ [2] http://box809.bluehost.com/facebook.com/BikeErie [3] http://box809.bluehost.com/twitter.com/BikeErie ____________________________________ The ThinkTank mailing List <a href="http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o…">Unsubscribe from this list</a>

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Fwd: The Community Spoke! is looking for new leadership or to donate our resources
by The Community Spoke! 22 Jan '15

22 Jan '15

Hey Everyone, It's been over a year since our last event and it is with mixed emotions that we announce that the core group that makes up The Community Spoke! is moving on to new things. We're looking for a new group to take and reinvent the Spoke and provide a much needed service to the Boston area. We have a full workshop of tools, supplies and parts and a reserve of cash dedicated to the project that we would like to pass on. This is essentially a "bike co-op in a box." Ideally, we'll connect with a new group of volunteers that would continue to use the Spoke's name and legacy and function in a similar way to the old group. If this is not possible we'd like to find an existing group or groups to give our resources to. To remind you of our mission, we are an all volunteer bike shop that provides free bike repair. We've always tried to focus on cycling communities underserviced by the bike industry and are committed to being a safer space. Our safer space policy is integral to our operations and our most important policy. We are also looking for a new home for H.E.L.L. <https://thecommunityspoke.wordpress.com/h-e-l-l/>, a free helmet program. H.E.L.L. and The Community Spoke! have been partners for some time. Included are dozens of high quality helmets and funds earmarked for helmet distribution. If you or anyone you know is interested in operating a free bike repair organization or absorbing its resources to your current organization please let us know! Familiarize yourself with our mission and points of unity at www.thecommunityspoke.org and fill out our application. Help us continue to provide the Boston area with free resources and promote cycling. Please spread this message to anyone who may be interested. The application can be submitted at http://goo.gl/forms/haIWLCmPi4 Thanks, Dora, Dustin, and Alex - core volunteer group of The Community Spoke! ____________________________________ The ThinkTank mailing List <a href="http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o…">Unsubscribe from this list</a>

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Bike Tracking Tags
by David Eyer Davis 22 Jan '15

22 Jan '15

Hi Bayley, It's a good question. Long story short, don't put beginners in key decision making roles. Killing a bike is highly subjective: we kill most department store full suspension 24" bikes, for example, even if they're largely ridable but have 1-2 key needs, but would save even the grossest road bike from total destruction because they're so sought after. Try and have a core volunteer or staff member make the calls, then the beginner volunteer do the task at hand. Our mechanics use the first section of this checklist to determine whether or not to kill a bike: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mvJGn6drZsb5L_kXiEFJUpHHAbmWGwZQzJqo7Yk… On top of that, we get so many adult-sized department store bikes that if the bike has 2 of the following issues, it dies: seized cables/broken housing, broken shifters, unsalvagable rear wheel, play in rear swingarm, missing components. We train people up similarly to you: start 'em with killing bikes, move on to patching tubes/fixing flats, then tuning kids bikes (without gyros/gears) kids bikes with gears/gyros, 24" bikes, finally 26" huffys, then everything else. Cheers, Davey On Wed, Jan 21, 2015 at 4:29 PM, Bayley Vanderpoel < bayley.vanderpoel(a)velocitycoop.org> wrote: > Davey, > Do you have a method of sorting the bikes after they're triaged, such as > sorting them by particular issue? > > I ask because our organization gets a lot of beginners. We decided to > train them by triaging all the bikes we get, then having them focus on > particular components each time they come in. > > The first day a volunteer might replace 8 bad tires on bikes, the next > time they might true a dozen wheels, then the next time they adjust a dozen > brakes. > > I'm struggling to wrap my head around a method which allows volunteers to > quickly find bikes with the component that needs work. I'd like bikes to be > fixed in a sequence but can't figure out the best way to sort. Anyways I'm > interested in hearing your thoughts. Thanks! > > Bayley > Velocity Bicycle Cooperative > Alexandria VA > > On Wednesday, January 21, 2015, David Eyer Davis < > davey(a)bicyclecollective.org> wrote: > >> Hi Johnny, All, >> Thanks Jonathan for the big picture perspective. It's helped a lot in >> Salt Lake, we delivered 2427 refurbished bikes to our community last year >> from that location alone, out of 2837 donated. >> >> Specifically, we've been using the Walking Bird inventory control tag >> <http://walkingbird.com/> to good effect, but haven't been attaching it >> to the bike upon donation. Our kids bikes and kill bikes (around 1200 bikes >> last year) duck that system, once a bike is donated it is triaged, sorted >> to be killed by volunteers, tuned by more skilled volunteers, or fixed by >> paid mechanics. Only the bikes fixed by paid mechanics get a walking bird >> tag. At this point you can integrate the system into your POS, since each >> walking bird tag has a unique number. We use the tags to track the bike's >> progress from mechanic to sales floor to client/customer, keeping the tag >> on file after the bike has left the shop. So if a huffy comes in, gets two >> hours spent on it, new tires and tubes and a brake cable, then is given >> away a week later, the director of operations sees that bike coming and >> going. We haven't integrated the system into our POS yet, rather we just >> keep the tags, the director of operations goes through them to reconcile >> consumables inventory and log mechanic efficiency, and keeps the paper on >> file in case there's an issue with the bike down the road. We will >> integrate with our POS as soon as we spend the time stepping it up to a >> functional computer based, rather than partial paper, inventory. I'll >> report back then. >> >> I believe they're available through QBP, possibly J&B. >> >> Thanks, >> Davey >> -- >> >> David Eyer Davis >> Executive Director >> Bicycle Collective >> c: 801-230-6308 >> www.bicyclecollective.org >> >> The mission of the Bicycle Collective is to promote cycling as an >> effective and sustainable form of transportation and as a cornerstone of a >> cleaner, healthier, and safer society. The Collective provides refurbished >> bicycles and educational programs to the community, focusing on children >> and lower income households. >> >> On Wed, Jan 21, 2015 at 10:54 AM, Jonathan Morrison < >> jonathan.morrison(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> In my personal experience there is nothing new about what community bike >>> shops do. All those "ah-ha!" moments are usually when someone has >>> (un)intentionally applied an existing concept from another >>> application/industry to their community bike shop. So save yourself the >>> trouble and time of reinventing the wheel by actively trying to identify >>> those concepts in the first place. >>> >>> Our current Executive Director (Davey Davis) hit it on nose when he >>> claimed that *"this isn't a shop, it is a factory"* at least in terms >>> of operations management ( >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operations_management). >>> >>> While I spent years in that shop, I failed to see it. Davey is a >>> genius. But the fact is, broken bicycles are the raw material that we >>> refine (in mass quantity) into a consumable product that is >>> sold/re-donated. The more successful Community Bike Shops (that help the >>> most people) are the ones that make that refurbishing process as efficient >>> as possible. >>> >>> Efficiency happens when you increase the number of bicycles that go >>> through the shop, while decreasing waste and the time it takes to for the >>> average bike to go in and out the shop's door. *A sign that you have >>> an efficiency problem are excess storage. *Especially if they are >>> stored for more than one "busy season". Given that some shops are in >>> seasonal weather, obviously things might stack up in the winter. >>> Accordingly, each shop will have a different averages and goals. >>> >>> So, what the hell am I rambling on about? >>> >>> *If you don't track the bikes (dates, times and stages), it is hard to >>> know how to improve.* >>> >>> If you are looking for a quick / fun / easy / socratic / fictional tale >>> to get inspired on how operations management might help your shop achieve >>> its mission, consider reading the, "The Goal." >>> >>> >>> http://www.homeworkforyou.com/static/uploadedfiles/User_569117112014E_M_Gol… >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Sincerely, >>> >>> Jonathan Morrison >>> c: 801-688-0183 >>> >>> On Wed, Jan 21, 2015 at 7:45 AM, Nathan Wilkes <nwilkes2(a)gmail.com> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> I was thinking a simple numbered ID. >>>> >>>> Nathan >>>> >>>> On Tue, Jan 20, 2015 at 3:42 PM, Jonathan Morrison < >>>> jonathan.morrison(a)gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> What kind of solution are you looking into? >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Sincerely, >>>>> >>>>> Jonathan Morrison >>>>> c: 801-688-0183 >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, Jan 19, 2015 at 3:33 PM, jonny b <jonny(a)goodlifebikes.ca> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Hi Friends, >>>>>> >>>>>> Do any shops have examples of tags that they use to track who >>>>>> donated bikes, who's worked on the bikes, bike's state of repair, etc? >>>>>> We're working on creating something simple and effective to facilitate >>>>>> donor recognition as well as getting bikes effectively prepared and sorted >>>>>> for our youth programs. >>>>>> >>>>>> Thanks! >>>>>> Jonny >>>>>> >>>>>> John Barrett >>>>>> The Good Life Community Bicycle Shop / Two Wheel View / Barrett's >>>>>> Organic Berries >>>>>> www.goodlifebikes.ca / www.twowheelview.org / >>>>>> www.facebook.com/localorganicbarrettsberries >>>>>> jonny(a)goodlifebikes.ca >>>>>> 403.619.2648 >>>>>> >>>>>> ____________________________________ >>>>>> >>>>>> The ThinkTank mailing List >>>>>> <a href=" >>>>>> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o…">Unsubscribe >>>>>> from this list</a> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>> >> >> >> >> >> -- David Eyer Davis Executive Director Bicycle Collective c: 801-230-6308 www.bicyclecollective.org The mission of the Bicycle Collective is to promote cycling as an effective and sustainable form of transportation and as a cornerstone of a cleaner, healthier, and safer society. The Collective provides refurbished bicycles and educational programs to the community, focusing on children and lower income households. ____________________________________ The ThinkTank mailing List <a href="http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o…">Unsubscribe from this list</a>

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Bike Tracking Tags
by Paul Nagel 21 Jan '15

21 Jan '15

Jonny, Attached is the tag that we use. It was modified from the tag found in the appendices of Recycle-a-Bicycle's Tools for Life: https://www.transalt.org/sites/default/files/resources/toolsforlife/26netwo… I've also attached a tag we use for wheels and other items. We might seek to change the bike tag a bit so the tag slides inside a plastic sleeve, because even printing on more expensive cardstock, the tags can rip off the ties. - Paul The Bicycle Tree shop: (714) 760-4681811 N. Main St.Santa Ana, CA 92701info@thebicycletree.orghttp://thebicycletree.orgon facebook / on instagram / on tumblr / on twitter / on meetup Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 15:33:43 -0700 From: jonny(a)goodlifebikes.ca To: thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org Subject: [TheThinkTank] Bike Tracking Tags Hi Friends, Do any shops have examples of tags that they use to track who donated bikes, who's worked on the bikes, bike's state of repair, etc? We're working on creating something simple and effective to facilitate donor recognition as well as getting bikes effectively prepared and sorted for our youth programs. Thanks! Jonny John Barrett The Good Life Community Bicycle Shop / Two Wheel View / Barrett's Organic Berries www.goodlifebikes.ca / www.twowheelview.org / www.facebook.com/localorganicbarrettsberries jonny(a)goodlifebikes.ca 403.619.2648 ____________________________________ The ThinkTank mailing List Unsubscribe from this list ____________________________________ The ThinkTank mailing List <a href="http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o…">Unsubscribe from this list</a>

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Bike Tracking Tags
by Jonathan Morrison 21 Jan '15

21 Jan '15

In my personal experience there is nothing new about what community bike shops do. All those "ah-ha!" moments are usually when someone has (un)intentionally applied an existing concept from another application/industry to their community bike shop. So save yourself the trouble and time of reinventing the wheel by actively trying to identify those concepts in the first place. Our current Executive Director (Davey Davis) hit it on nose when he claimed that *"this isn't a shop, it is a factory"* at least in terms of operations management (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operations_management). While I spent years in that shop, I failed to see it. Davey is a genius. But the fact is, broken bicycles are the raw material that we refine (in mass quantity) into a consumable product that is sold/re-donated. The more successful Community Bike Shops (that help the most people) are the ones that make that refurbishing process as efficient as possible. Efficiency happens when you increase the number of bicycles that go through the shop, while decreasing waste and the time it takes to for the average bike to go in and out the shop's door. *A sign that you have an efficiency problem are excess storage. *Especially if they are stored for more than one "busy season". Given that some shops are in seasonal weather, obviously things might stack up in the winter. Accordingly, each shop will have a different averages and goals. So, what the hell am I rambling on about? *If you don't track the bikes (dates, times and stages), it is hard to know how to improve.* If you are looking for a quick / fun / easy / socratic / fictional tale to get inspired on how operations management might help your shop achieve its mission, consider reading the, "The Goal." http://www.homeworkforyou.com/static/uploadedfiles/User_569117112014E_M_Gol… Sincerely, Jonathan Morrison c: 801-688-0183 On Wed, Jan 21, 2015 at 7:45 AM, Nathan Wilkes <nwilkes2(a)gmail.com> wrote: > I was thinking a simple numbered ID. > > Nathan > > On Tue, Jan 20, 2015 at 3:42 PM, Jonathan Morrison < > jonathan.morrison(a)gmail.com> wrote: > >> What kind of solution are you looking into? >> >> >> Sincerely, >> >> Jonathan Morrison >> c: 801-688-0183 >> >> On Mon, Jan 19, 2015 at 3:33 PM, jonny b <jonny(a)goodlifebikes.ca> wrote: >> >>> Hi Friends, >>> >>> Do any shops have examples of tags that they use to track who donated >>> bikes, who's worked on the bikes, bike's state of repair, etc? We're >>> working on creating something simple and effective to facilitate donor >>> recognition as well as getting bikes effectively prepared and sorted for >>> our youth programs. >>> >>> Thanks! >>> Jonny >>> >>> John Barrett >>> The Good Life Community Bicycle Shop / Two Wheel View / Barrett's >>> Organic Berries >>> www.goodlifebikes.ca / www.twowheelview.org / >>> www.facebook.com/localorganicbarrettsberries >>> jonny(a)goodlifebikes.ca >>> 403.619.2648 >>> >>> ____________________________________ >>> >>> The ThinkTank mailing List >>> <a href=" >>> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o…">Unsubscribe >>> from this list</a> >>> >>> >>> >> > ____________________________________ The ThinkTank mailing List <a href="http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o…">Unsubscribe from this list</a>

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Bike Tracking Tags
by Justin Smith 20 Jan '15

20 Jan '15

We're interested as well. --- Justin Smith Bike Erie www.bikeerie.org [5] (814) 580-9108 Follow us on Facebook [6] & Twitter [7]! On 01/19/2015 3:33 pm, jonny b wrote: > Hi Friends, > > Do any shops have examples of tags that they use to track who donated bikes, who's worked on the bikes, bike's state of repair, etc? We're working on creating something simple and effective to facilitate donor recognition as well as getting bikes effectively prepared and sorted for our youth programs. > > Thanks! Jonny > > John Barrett > The Good Life Community Bicycle Shop / Two Wheel View / Barrett's Organic Berries > www.goodlifebikes.ca [2] / www.twowheelview.org [3] / www.facebook.com/localorganicbarrettsberries [4] > jonny(a)goodlifebikes.ca > 403.619.2648 > > ____________________________________ > > The ThinkTank mailing List > <a href="http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o… [1]">Unsubscribe from this list</a> Links: ------ [1] http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o… [2] http://www.goodlifebikes.ca [3] http://www.twowheelview.org [4] http://www.facebook.com/localorganicbarrettsberries [5] http://www.bikeerie.org/ [6] http://box809.bluehost.com/facebook.com/BikeErie [7] http://box809.bluehost.com/twitter.com/BikeErie ____________________________________ The ThinkTank mailing List <a href="http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o…">Unsubscribe from this list</a>

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Bike Tracking Tags
by Karen Overton 20 Jan '15

20 Jan '15

HI Jonny, Here's the repair tag we use, by stapling to the handlebar. They are color coded, based on destination: reserved for shop sales or reserved for school programs/earn-a-bike. We keep an inventory in Google spreadsheet that lists the data on the tag. At the end of the year, it becomes easy to sort the column and count what bikes were sold, what bikes were sent to schools, or donated to other causes and # de-manufactured. Theoretically, you could keep the hard copies and count, but some always end up lost - so it's not a great system unless there are fewer people involved who are equally committed to the inventory system. We start the new year's inventory with all the bikes that had no destination in the prior year. In our two stores, we use Light Speed, which tracks and prints out the repairs done. Karen On Mon, Jan 19, 2015 at 5:33 PM, jonny b <jonny(a)goodlifebikes.ca> wrote: > Hi Friends, > > Do any shops have examples of tags that they use to track who donated > bikes, who's worked on the bikes, bike's state of repair, etc? We're > working on creating something simple and effective to facilitate donor > recognition as well as getting bikes effectively prepared and sorted for > our youth programs. > > Thanks! > Jonny > > John Barrett > The Good Life Community Bicycle Shop / Two Wheel View / Barrett's Organic > Berries > www.goodlifebikes.ca / www.twowheelview.org / > www.facebook.com/localorganicbarrettsberries > jonny(a)goodlifebikes.ca > 403.619.2648 > > ____________________________________ > > The ThinkTank mailing List > <a href=" > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o…">Unsubscribe > from this list</a> > > > ____________________________________ The ThinkTank mailing List <a href="http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o…">Unsubscribe from this list</a>

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Bike Tracking Tags
by Bayley Vanderpoel 20 Jan '15

20 Jan '15

Hey Jonny, This bicycle repair checklist doesn’t contain info about who donated but it’s the checklist that we use to determine the bikes state. First we triage the bike to determine what’s the matter with it. We circle every box which needs work. We’ll put the checklist in a clear plastic sheet, remove the pedals and zip tie them to the bikes handlebars (which we’ll turn to the side) to save space. When a volunteer is learning bicycle mechanics, we encourage them to focus on one component at a time, i.e. properly adjust 8 brakes one day, rather than trying to true a wheel, then brakes, adjust the derailleurs, and bearings. We believe they become proficient faster that way. They can look at the checklists to determine specific components which need work. Bayley Velocity Bicycle Cooperative Alexandria, VA *From:* Bayley Vanderpoel [mailto:bayley.vanderpoel@velocitycoop.org <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','bayley.vanderpoel(a)velocitycoop.org');>] *Sent:* Tuesday, January 20, 2015 4:39 PM *To:* Vanderpoel, Bayley *Subject:* Re: [TheThinkTank] Bike Tracking Tags On Monday, January 19, 2015, jonny b <jonny(a)goodlifebikes.ca <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','jonny(a)goodlifebikes.ca');>> wrote: Hi Friends, Do any shops have examples of tags that they use to track who donated bikes, who's worked on the bikes, bike's state of repair, etc? We're working on creating something simple and effective to facilitate donor recognition as well as getting bikes effectively prepared and sorted for our youth programs. Thanks! Jonny John Barrett The Good Life Community Bicycle Shop / Two Wheel View / Barrett's Organic Berries www.goodlifebikes.ca / www.twowheelview.org / www.facebook.com/localorganicbarrettsberries jonny(a)goodlifebikes.ca 403.619.2648 ____________________________________ The ThinkTank mailing List <a href="http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o…">Unsubscribe from this list</a>

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