- TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

Getting Around Pittsburgh for Bike Bike
by Jay Varner 08 Aug '07

08 Aug '07

If you've never been to Pittsburgh before, you are in for a treat. However, it ain't flat and I am totally prepared to proudly walk my bike up a hill or two. But, Pittsburgh also has a pretty great bus system, and is lucky enough to be on Google Transit (www.google.com/transit). Last time I was there, they were getting more and more bike racks on the buses. It looks like they have a long page about that on their site (I just don't feel like reading it right now) http://www.portauthority.org/PAAC/CustomerInfo/RacknRoll/tabid/267/Default.… Enjoy, Jay

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(no subject)
by troy neiman 06 Aug '07

06 Aug '07

Dear BikeBikers, i will be driving from madison wisconsin on the evening of wed. the 8th for chicago and then straight on to Pittsburgh on the 9th. i will have at least two open seats if anyone out there needs a last min ride. safe travels to everyone, see yall in the pitts. troyneiman(a)myself.com 608-345-1129 phone my be a better contact for me troy -- We've Got Your Name at http://www.mail.com ! Get a FREE E-mail Account Today - Choose From 100+ Domains

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OT: see daft punk with me in nyc right before bikebike
by rachael spiewak 06 Aug '07

06 Aug '07

i'm going to be in nyc right before bikebike to see daft punk, the rapture, kavinsky, and sebastian. it's a long story, but i've got extra tickets.. which i'd especially like to barter for a ride/riding companion to pgh. the show is on aug 9 at keyspan park. i'm sending my bike to pgh with other atl folks, so i don't have to factor in hauling it around. any takers? -rachael

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Last Call Bike 101
by baglady 04 Aug '07

04 Aug '07

Hello Bike Bikers, Can you believe the conference is just days away!! We will soon send out more info on the things that you should bring with you to the conference and some more logistical info. Many people have been writing to ask about the cost of the conference and what the housing accommodations are. We are asking for donations at the conference to cover the cost of food, space rental, print materials etc. And as far as housing is concerned- if you send in a registration form (which everyone coming to the conference needs to do) it asks you what your housing needs are and then we hook you up with a home stay or a camping spot. We have over 25 workshops confirmed which are all gonna be so great. Thanks to all the peops who are making that happen. The only thing we are a little lacking on is workshops for the Bike Bike 101 Day, Friday August 10th. So far we have Cali from the Grease Pit presenting on “?Keeping and Getting a Space” and also the Derailer Bicycle Collective facilitating a discussion about What I Wish I Had (or Had Not) Known When We Opened Shop. We really need people to facilitate other workshops including ***“Acquiring Bicycle Donations and Tools”- how to set up wholesale accounts, where else to get tools from, what tools are essential. Where to get bikes from, universities, the po-po, community bike drives, bike organizations, retail bike shops, Old men who have 60 in their garage, random people etc. ***“Intro to Bike coop programs” holding earn a bike programs for both adults and kids. Different models to get those bikes out of your shop and onto the street. ***“Intro to legal stuff” an overview of fiscal sponsorship, 501 c3, bike coop insurance etc. We are also open to other ideas for workshops that should go on the bike bike 101 day. Especially workshops suggested by those shops that are just starting up since yinz are the ones who we’re holding this day for. If you can facilitate these workshops or any other ones that are applicable to bike bike 101 please write us ASAP or call 412 731 4094- although e-mail is better. Otherwise we’ll see you real soon! And get those registration forms in if you have’t already send them. Thanks, Andalusia and Jessica

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Input on the anti-oppression workshop at BikeBike
by baglady 01 Aug '07

01 Aug '07

Heya BikeBike people I'm helping put together the anti-oppression workshop for BikeBike, and Adele, the facilitator has asked for some conversation topics. Here is the workshop description: Ally-building: Race, Gender, Class and Sexuality in the Biking Community This workshop is designed to increase cross-cultural communication skills and foster "ally-building" as a strategy for building relationships across differences. Participants will address the operations of race, gender, class and sexuality within the biking community through a variety of interactive exercises, including one- on-one and group discussions. The session likewise promotes self- reflection on privileged and oppressed group memberships while focusing on how to be an ally. Here's what I need from you: stories! Incidents that have occurred, problems you have encountered, challenges that have come up, and positive experiences too - around the topics or race, gender, class and sexuality. Stories of being a woman in a man's field, of being neither a woman or a man in a binary world, of working in low-income areas, etc.etc.etc. The more input we get, the better this workshop will be. Adele knows a lot about anti-oppression work, but not so much about what it is like to work in a community bike shop. So share your knowledge so she can share hers! thanks, see yinz in Pittsburgh soon! ~diane~ P.S. please don't justt hit reply to this e-mail because it will go to everyone- instead reply to diba_26(a)hotmail.com

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TODO: Add your Organization to the Directory
by Jonathan Morrison 30 Jul '07

30 Jul '07

If you represent an organization, please register them here: http://www.bikecollectives.org/component/option,com_sobi2/sobi2Task,addNew/ This will save me time so I don't have to enter everything in from the BOOP, and it also gives you the ability to change things later. -- Sincerely, Jonathan Morrison Project Coordinator 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

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getting and holding onto volunteers?
by rachael spiewak 24 Jul '07

24 Jul '07

hiya, folks. something sopo's always struggled with is finding volunteers and convincing them to stay. many people who visit our shop would rather have a hands on demonstration than look up how to do repairs in our manuals. we tried having a few bike maintenance 101 classes to get people feeling like they have the capacity to help others with basic repairs, but that didn't stick. does anyone have ideas or experience in this department? or is it sufficient for us to tell people that reading about repairs in our manuals is part of their process at our shop? i tend to doubt the success rate of the last one. i'm thinking food incentives might be a good idea. love/peace/bicyclegrease, rachael

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Start-up question.
by Andrew Bushaw 20 Jul '07

20 Jul '07

Hello, I'm currently working in a collective to start a community bike shop in Fargo, ND. So far so good, we have a fiscal agent that is very well respected in the community and is very hands off. We have many interested volunteers, an agreement with our favorite LBS to get their old tools and quite possibly their used bike inventory. We have quite a bit of community support and really feel like we can make this work. However, we have had difficulty procuring space. We as a city are currently going through a period of "downtown revitalization" which is gentrifying many possible locations. Downtown is strategically located between two cities and three college campuses, so we would really like to make that our home. Does anyone have any experience partnering with other organizations? Does anyone have any good ways to talk to property owners who are holding out to develop into office or condo space? What are the incentives to rent/donate space to us? Also, we are beginning our grant writing and are wondering if anyone has an approximation as to how much we can reasonably write for, who are friendly foundations, ect. Is there any shop that is funded in some way other than through grants? Thanks, Andrew

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(no subject)
by Free Ride 19 Jul '07

19 Jul '07

Hello Bike Bikers!! So, things are really gelling here with the conference. I just had one quick update, well maybe a question. So, after the conference, a friend and I are helping organize a bike tour, to Bedford, PA to take a tour of the Cannondale factory, and I was wondering if there was any interest out there in Bike Bike World. Basically, the factory is about 100 miles from Pittsburgh, and Cannondale is excited to host us. I haven't taken the tour, but apparently there are some cool machines that test things like frame strength and components. The wheelbuilders are supposed to be a trip! The actual tour only takes an hour, but they even said they'd be willing to give a more in depth type workshop for us, for example, how they weld, or paint, etc. The friend who is helping out works seasonally for them. Some logistics. It's going to be a bit intensive, so a decent bike would be required. I haven't done this ride, but it is Western Pennsylvania (Northern Appalachia) and I imagine it to be very hilly. We were thinking of leaving the morning of Monday August 13 and returning to Pittsburgh on Wed August 15. Day one would be 80 miles (the first 20 or so on rail-trail: flat!), day 2 would be 20 miles to Cannondale, take the tour, then 20 miles back toward PGH, day three would be 80 miles or so back into PGH. This is self supported (ie we aint carrying or providing anything other than good folks), and the overnights would be camping style. Sorry this is so last minute, cause I know many of you have already made travel plans, but we just worked some of this out. If you are interested, please contact me soonish so that i can get an idea on how many folks to expect, tell Cannondale, etc. Also, contact me if there are any questions as well. Please respond to erokore(a)bike-pgh.org if you are interested. Thanks! -erok

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bring photos of your shop!
by rachael spiewak 17 Jul '07

17 Jul '07

Hi, everyone.. Something we're interested in at Sopo is learning about how everyone arranges their spaces.. how you set up your tools, workspaces, components storage, office areas, and whatever else you've got in there. It would be great if everyone could bring some photos to share. Two wheels good, rachael

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