- TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

Community Cycles on Facebook
by Rich Points 08 Dec '10

08 Dec '10

How are you using your facebook page? http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/CommunityCycles -- Rich Points Community Cycles Executive Director http://CommunityCycles.org Rich(a)CommunityCycles.org 720-565-6019 (W) 303-589-0597 (C) Donate your old car to Community Cycles http://communitycycles.org/get-involved/donatecar.html Volunteer orientations are held 6p.m. on the 4th Wednesday of each month.

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your elevator speech?
by veganboyjosh＠gmail.com 08 Dec '10

08 Dec '10

We all have them. The 15 second schpiel you give when someone comes up to a table, or a friend says "what's that bike thing you work at?" They become such an exercise in repetition that I know I often stop thinking about it and revising it once it gets ingrained enough. I would love to hear everyone's, just for a fresh take. Thanks! josh.

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maintaining bike fleet
by Liza Mattana 08 Dec '10

08 Dec '10

Hey, Does anyone have experience maintaining a fleet of bikes? Our city council members are acquiring 10 bikes, all mtn bikes in fair to good condition, and they would like to contract with our org to maintain those bikes. I'd imagine that their would be more upfront work getting the bikes safe and rideable and that the time spent after that would be less. What do you charge? Flat fee plus parts, supplies? Charge for services performed or just that flat fee? Contract looked over by the agency your working for and your lawyer? Maintenance sheet for each numbered bike to write in what work is needed I'm sure there are many more details! Please let me know if you have any experience with this type of work arrangement--thanks! Liza -- Liza Mattana president www.pedals2people.org Spokane, WA

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New America reCycled Post
by America reCycled 07 Dec '10

07 Dec '10

Hey everyone, We made a post on here awhile back about this project. We're crossing the country on bicycles we built at a bike cooperative in Asheville, making short films about sustainable and autonomous lifestyles. Well, we have our first road post up exploring bike touring itself, playing with ideas about voluntary homelessness and life on the road: http://www.americarecycled.org/?p=618 We'd love to hear feedback from other like-minded individuals about how we're presenting the lifestyle to the world. If you have 5 or 10 minutes to spare, have a watch and give us some feedback. And we're still figuring out how to get this project out to the right people. If you like the post, we'd be so grateful if you'd send it to some friends and link to it if you have a blog or website. Thanks a lot everyone, Noah and Tim

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Youth Bike Summit 2011
by Pasqualina Azzarello 07 Dec '10

07 Dec '10

> > Dear Friends and Colleagues, > > I am pleased to announce the Youth Bike Summit! Inspired by the League of > American Bicyclist's National Bike Summit that takes place each year in > Washington DC, the Youth Bike Summit will address youth, cycling, education, > and advocacy. We are currently seeking speakers, workshop leaders, and > moderators for the three day conference. Please feel free to share and > distribute this information as you see fit. If you'd like to speak or lead a > workshop, please visit Recycle-A-Bicycle's website<http://www.recycleabicycle.org/node/441>. > And be sure to save the date! > > *WHEN: *Friday January 14 - Sunday January 16, 2011 > *WHERE:* The New School in New York, NY > > *DESCRIPTION:* The Youth Bike Summit is a three day gathering geared > toward students, educators, and advocates in New York City and in the > Northeast United States. The conference aims to bring people from > different educational disciplines together to explore, network, and learn > how bicycling can be a legitimate and safe form of transportation for > today's youth. With this mission in mind, the Youth Bike Summit will offer > educational workshops and panel discussions on subjects ranging from how to > advocate for bike lanes to basic bike maintenance. It will also provide > tools and information on fundraising and best practices for schools that > wish to incorporate bikes into the physical fabric of the learning > environment.* > * > *PROGRAM SCHEDULE: ** > * > > - *Friday (6pm-9pm):* Welcome + Registration > > > - *Saturday (9am-6pm):** *The full-day program will consist of > Breakfast, Workshop Sessions, a Keynote Lunch, a "Speed Learning" Session, > and a Tabling Area for Schools, Organizations, Community Groups, Bike Shops, > Sponsors, etc. > > *Workshop Categories:* Environment, Education, Policy, Management, and DIY > (Do-It-Yourself) > * > Workshop Topics May Include:* How to plan a bike-friendly neighborhood,How to get rid of traffic congestion, Cycling > infrastructure, Bicycles as a form of sustainable transportation, Pedal > Power and Carbon Footprint/Impact, How is foreign oil and wars related to > youth and bicycling?, How to start an Earn-A-Bike program, How to start a > Ride Club, How to conduct a Learn to Ride program, Bike Drivers Education, > Bike Maintenance 101, Safe Routes to School, Map making as an organizing > tool, Social Media, Fundraising, Directors Panel/Best Practices, Youth > Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship, Student Organizing, etc. > > - *Sunday (10am-1pm): *Interactive brunch with moderated breakout > sessions that explore a) cycling issues that youth feel are most important > and b) specific ways to be proactive in addressing these issues. > > *ADMISSION: *$10.00 per person for the three-day event > > *HISTORY: *In March 2010, Recycle-A-Bicycle attended the National Bike > Summit with two high school interns who had completed a comprehensive job > training and Earn-A-Bike program at RAB. Both participants learned they > loved bicycles and expressed an interest in learning more about how > bicycling fits into policy, the environment, social entrepreneurship, and > community-building. Traveling to Washington DC for the first time, the 17 > year old participants explored the nation's capital on an 8 mile bike tour > led by a representative of WABA (Washington Area Bicyclist Association) and > met with elected officials. Needless to say, we learned a lot. As we > debriefed on the bus ride home, we discussed the importance of engaging > youth in the national dialogue of cycling and cycling education. As a > result, the idea of the Youth Bike Summit came into being. Both young > advocates have been active participants in the planning of the conference > thus far. Photos of our trip to DC can be seen here: > http://www.facebook.com/pages/Recycle-A-Bicycle/62453932286?v=photos&ref=ts…<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Recycle-A-Bicycle/62453932286?v=photos&ref=ts…>and in this video by Streetfilms: > http://www.streetfilms.org/voices-from-the-national-bike-summit/ > > *FOR MORE INFORMATION:* More information can be found on Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=168859553137603&num_event_invites=0#%…>and Recycle-A-Bicycle's > Website <http://www.recycleabicycle.org/node/441> > > Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and thank you for all the wonderful > work you do! I look forward to hearing your ideas! > > Best regards, > Pasqualina > -- Pasqualina Azzarello Executive Director Recycle-A-Bicycle Ph: 718-858-2972 Fax: 718-858-6201 http://www.recycleabicycle.org

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Youth Bike Summit - Call for Workshops
by Pasqualina Azzarello 07 Dec '10

07 Dec '10

Dear Friends and Colleagues, It has been great to speak with some of you about your ideas for presentations at the Youth Bike Summit. Thank you for sharing your ideas and for spreading the word about the conference. I wanted to remind everyone that the deadline to submit topics for workshops is approaching. Please fill out the Call for Workshops form (included below) by *Friday December 10*. All necessary information is included in the form. Please note that if you have an idea for a topic but are not currently working with youth, please let us know. Recycle-A-Bicycle is available to help facilitate some connections. Best regards, Pasqualina Dear Friends and Colleagues, > > I am pleased to announce the Youth Bike Summit! Inspired by the National > Bike Summit that takes place each year in Washington DC, the Youth Bike > Summit will address youth, cycling, education, and advocacy. We are > currently seeking speakers, workshop leaders, and moderators for the three > day conference. Please see the outline and forms below and feel free to > share and distribute as you see fit. And don't forget to save the date! > > *WHEN: *Friday January 14 - Sunday January 16, 2011 > *WHERE:* The New School in New York, NY > > *DESCRIPTION:* The Youth Bike Summit is a three day gathering geared > toward students, educators, and advocates in New York City and in the > Northeast United States. The conference aims to bring people from > different educational disciplines together to explore, network, and learn > how bicycling can be a legitimate and safe form of transportation for > today's youth. With this mission in mind, the Youth Bike Summit will offer > educational workshops and panel discussions on subjects ranging from how to > advocate for bike lanes to basic bike maintenance. It will also provide > tools and information on fundraising and best practices for schools that > wish to incorporate bikes into the physical fabric of the learning > environment.* > * > *PROGRAM SCHEDULE: ** > * > > - *Friday (6pm-9pm):* Welcome + Registration > > > - *Saturday (9am-6pm):** *The full-day program will consist of > Breakfast, Workshop Sessions, a Keynote Lunch, a "Speed Learning" Session, > and a Tabling Area for Schools, Organizations, Community Groups, Bike Shops, > Sponsors, etc. > > *Workshop Categories:* Environment, Education, Policy, Management, and DIY > (Do-It-Yourself) > * > Workshop Topics May Include:* How to plan a bike-friendly neighborhood,How to get rid of traffic congestion, Cycling > infrastructure, Bicycles as a form of sustainable transportation, Pedal > Power and Carbon Footprint/Impact, How is foreign oil and wars related to > youth and bicycling?, How to start an Earn-A-Bike program, How to start a > Ride Club, How to conduct a Learn to Ride program, Bike Drivers Education, > Bike Maintenance 101, Safe Routes to School, Map making as an organizing > tool, Social Media, Fundraising, Directors Panel/Best Practices, Youth > Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship, Student Organizing, etc. > > - *Sunday (10am-1pm): *Interactive brunch with moderated breakout > sessions that explore a) cycling issues that youth feel are most important > and b) specific ways to be proactive in addressing these issues. > > *ADMISSION: *$10.00 per person for the three-day event > > *HISTORY: *In March 2010, Recycle-A-Bicycle attended the National Bike > Summit with two high school interns who had completed a comprehensive job > training and Earn-A-Bike program at RAB. Both participants learned they > loved bicycles and expressed an interest in learning more about how > bicycling fits into policy, the environment, social entrepreneurship, and > community-building. Traveling to Washington DC for the first time, the 17 > year old participants explored the nation's capital on an 8 mile bike tour > led by a representative of WABA (Washington Area Bicyclist Association) and > met with elected officials. Needless to say, we learned a lot. As we > debriefed on the bus ride home, we discussed the importance of engaging > youth in the national dialogue of cycling and cycling education. As a > result, the idea of the Youth Bike Summit came into being. Both young > advocates have been active participants in the planning of the conference > thus far. Photos of our trip to DC can be seen here: > http://www.facebook.com/pages/Recycle-A-Bicycle/62453932286?v=photos&ref=ts…<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Recycle-A-Bicycle/62453932286?v=photos&ref=ts…>and in this video by Streetfilms: > http://www.streetfilms.org/voices-from-the-national-bike-summit/ > > *FOR MORE INFORMATION:* More information can be found on Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=168859553137603&num_event_invites=0#%…>and Recycle-A-Bicycle's > Website <http://www.recycleabicycle.org/node/441> > > Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and thank you for all the wonderful > work you do! I look forward to hearing your ideas! > > Best regards, > Pasqualina > > -- > Pasqualina Azzarello > Executive Director > Recycle-A-Bicycle > Ph: 718-858-2972 > Fax: 718-858-6201 > http://www.recycleabicycle.org > -- Pasqualina Azzarello Executive Director Recycle-A-Bicycle Ph: 718-858-2972 Fax: 718-858-6201 http://www.recycleabicycle.org -- Pasqualina Azzarello Executive Director Recycle-A-Bicycle Ph: 718-858-2972 Fax: 718-858-6201 http://www.recycleabicycle.org

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Cycling Charter of Rights and Freedoms
by Geoffrey B 07 Dec '10

07 Dec '10

Does anyone have any information of a charter being written up in your community that would resemble a charter of rights and freedoms for cyclists. Im trying to get politicians to sign off on making cycling a better place for cyclists so that when people vote, they know where there politician stands on cycling. -- Geoffrey B

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Volunteer Accountability
by Angel York 07 Dec '10

07 Dec '10

Sometimes the fact that we're an all-volunteer bike shop means that there's no incentive for people not to wait 'til the last minute to realize that they're going to be late for a shift or flake entirely. The only fix I can think of is social cohesion. positive feedback and respect from other volunteers for being awesome when you are and such. but that doesn't seem to stop people from flaking. What positive methods have y'all found that do work? Angel York Speaking of positive feedback: Darin, Jason, Jonathan, Robbie, Sarah: I know you're on this listserv. YOU'RE AWESOME. thanks for keepin' our lil' shop a-runnin'. And thanks to all y'all think tankers for making other places awesome, too.

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automated response
by jay 06 Dec '10

06 Dec '10

I'm currently out of the office. Back Tuesday 12/7. I'll get back to you when I return. Best, Jay Ferm

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Goodle Apps for Bike Coops
by Justin Morse 06 Dec '10

06 Dec '10

We use the email and the calendar. We have a separate account for our calendar and share the password among our shop coordinators. At our monthly meeting we go around and sign up shifts by creating events with our name. Before the sign-up it looks like our regular open shop calendar, then folks create events on the same day as open shops, only with their name. So a given day will say Open Shop 6-9pm, Justin M, Reda A. Its a free way to organize our coordinator calendar online. We don't really use the documents app much. Justin Morse Third Hand Bicycle Co-op

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