- TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

Job Opening for Bikes Not Bombs in Boston
by matt coe 04 Oct '07

04 Oct '07

Service Manager Bikes Not Bombs is looking to hire a full time service manager. The ideal candidate would have several years of bicycle shop experience, mechanical expertise, and managerial experience. Experience working with youth a plus, and a fondness for older bicycles and their parts is required. Responsibilities include Managing youth and adult mechanics Inventory and Ordering Checking in repairs/estimates Quality Control Competitive Benefits (health care, vacation, etc) $13-16/per hour, pay commensurate with experience The BNB Retail shop and training center is an exciting and rewarding place to work. Women applicants are especially encouraged. http://www.bikesnotbombs.org shop(a)bikesnotbombs.org -- Bikes Not Bombs Retail Shop and Training Center 18 Bartlett Sq./Jamaica Plain, Ma/02130 Near the Green St T-Stop on the Orange Line www.bikesnotbombs.org Call us at (617)522-0226 We are Open Tuesday 10:30-7pm Wednesday 2-9pm Thursday 10:30-7pm Friday 10:30-7pm Saturday 10:30-6pm Sunday 12-5pm

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selling bikes, making bikes for yourself?
by Paul Park 04 Oct '07

04 Oct '07

Hi all, At the Mount Rainier Bike Coop in Mount Rainier, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, DC, we are working how to sell our bikes that we refurbish. We really don't have any fixed or regular costs; the city gives us the space (a garage), so we just use our money on spare parts and tools. We have an earn-a-bike program so youth can build up bikes for us, learning mechanic skills, and then after fifteen hours of voluteering, the youths can build a bike for themselves. Volunteers who have already put in 15 hours of work can basically just keep refurbishing bikes. No one gets paid anything at this point. Generally, at this point, we just sell our refurbished bikes in one way or another. Do other shops do this? Also, presumably, volunteers could, after working fifteen hours, refurbish bikes for themselves, and then sell them on craigslist or something. Do other coops have a policy with regards to refurbishing bikes for yourself, one after the other, and then selling them for your own profit? Or perhaps a system where you refurbish a bike and then you have to give a certain percentage of the sale to the coop? -- PJ Park http://www.biketobrazil.blogspot.com http://www.imagestation.com/members/pjpark http://picasaweb.google.com/PaulJosephPark

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Minors in the shop and general shop rules
by omar 04 Oct '07

04 Oct '07

we have minors at all of our projects. usually there's no special consideration, but for formal programs (earn a bike, after school, etc.) we get them and the 'rents to fill out a medical info/consent/waiver thing. never had to use one, but the lawyer in me and the bod feels better if we cover our butts the way everyone else does, our insurance guy appreciates it and a couple of funders have asked about it. i could post a copy of what we use to the wiki but its pretty standard fair. as to your second point, there's a list of "10 commandments" at the shop that can be pointed to with an "oy!" when a custy gets out of line (again, standard stuff like "let us know beforehand if you're broke", "respect the staff, other customers and tools", and "if you have a question about how we work, ask us"). at the workshop where i work, we get participants to come up with a list of rules and guidelines at the begining of each earn a bike class that they all agree to abide by, and stick it up on the wall for the duration of the class. they rarely miss anything important, and if someone gets rowdy it seems less authoritative when you can remind them that they agreed to the rule they're breaking. -- omar bhimji project manager pedal bike depot p. 604.708.4992

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Minors in the shop and general shop rules
by Urban Bike Project of Wilmington, Inc. 02 Oct '07

02 Oct '07

Hey from Delaware! Just a couple questions for those with established shops....we will soon be moving out of my living room and are trying to learn from all your hard earned experience (the wiki has been great too). 1. How do you deal with minors in the shop? Do you have permission slips they need to get signed or require a parent/guardian to come with them before a bike can be worked on? These are currently our main "customers" and there is no way i'd turn away a kid with broken brakes because he didn't have a slip signed. I just want to make sure we keep everything kosher here. 2. Could you share your general shop rules so we have a starting point? Stuff like no profane language, be respectful, no tools outside....that sort of thing. Thanks err'body! Brian Urban Bike Project of Wilmington -- Visit us online at http://urbanbikeproject.org

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how do you track shop activity?
by rachael spiewak 01 Oct '07

01 Oct '07

Hello, friends. We've created a shop sign in sheet, which is great for capturing some numbers, like how many people come through the shop during a particular session, how many were volunteers, how many were kids, etc. What I'm having trouble tracking is the number of unique people accessing the shop over a period of time. In other words, I don't know how to factor out repeat participants when I start adding up numbers from session to session. Has anyone developed a good system for tracking shop activity? What kind of information do you ask for on your sign in sheet? Do you have another system, like tagging the bikes and having tags collected when people complete their projects? Thanks! rachael

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Fundraising Ideas - Films? Demonstrations?
by Colin Dixon, Phoenix Bikes 01 Oct '07

01 Oct '07

We are hosting a fundraising/"friend"raising event as a way to connect to more of the bike community and to thank those who have already supported us. We plan to have some food and auction or raffle, but need something interesting to get people there! Would love to do a bike art show, but no time. Was wondering if anyone had other entertainment ideas? Any especially attractive interactive workshop ideas or demonstrations? Any bike-related short films that would of interest to a multi-generational, urban & suburban audience? Thanks for all! - Colin On 9/24/07, rachael spiewak <rachael(a)sopobikes.org> wrote: > > one idea we've toyed with, but haven't implemented yet, is an art bike > auction. you can get local artists (and kids!) to paint frames, and then > you can auction them off. the people who win them can then come to your > shop and build them up into ridable pieces of art! > > -rachael > > On 9/24/07, Bruce Lien <bikedadlien(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > RAFFLES: In Colorado I believe you are required to have a special > > permit to do so. I bet this applies to other states as well. Check with > > your local government before you do a raffle, or your local government will > > be checking with you (and possibly checking you in). Careful and good > > luck. Bruce > > > > *Kim Jensen <kimonabike(a)gmail.com>* wrote: > > > > HI JAKE, > > > > I suggest a bike raffle or two or three- build up some bikes that > > represent the aesthetic and types of bike you guys roll and raffle- > > not a dollar- like $10 and maybe a super duper bike for $20 tickets > > and include a complimentary membership with the bike. > > > > Maybe you could sell bike horns and people could use them at the > > game..? I don't know but raffles are my vote. > > > > Ride on! > > Kimchi > > > > The BICYCLE KITCHEN L.A. > > 323 NO CARRO > > www.bicyclekitchen.com > > > > On 9/20/07, Jake Liefer wrote: > > > Myself and several students from the local college are starting up a > > > bike co-op in our town and are looking to raise funds to buy tools and > > > acquire space. The college's homecoming event is next week and we were > > > able to get a vendor booth for free. While we primarly want to get the > > > > > word out about what we're doing and get some bikes, this seems like an > > > excellent opportunity to raise some funds. There will be several other > > > vendors there selling coffee, drinks, and food. Do you guys have any > > > ideas about what we can sell that will set us apart from the others? > > > We are not limited to food, so if you have any non-food ideas that > > > would be great too! > > > > > > Thanks, > > > Jake > > > The Hub - Beaver Falls, PA > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Thethinktank mailing list > > > Thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > > > > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… > > > > > > > > > -- > > Kim Jensen > > > > Studio > > la (213) 482 76 62 > > www.fleurstudio.com > > _______________________________________________ > > Thethinktank mailing list > > Thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… > > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Building a website is a piece of cake. > > Yahoo! Small Business gives you all the tools to get online.<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48251/*http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/webhosting…> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Thethinktank mailing list > > Thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Thethinktank mailing list > Thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… > >

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*5th Annual Bike Arts Show*- To Benefit Neighborhood Bike Works
by Neighborhood Bike Works 27 Sep '07

27 Sep '07

Plain text version, since the pretty postcard wouldn't go through..... *5th Annual Bike Arts Show*- To Benefit Neighborhood Bike Works Weekend Extravaganza & Auction @ *The Power Plant*: on 2nd between Race an Vine *October 5~7 ART SHOW AND AUCTION *on Friday, October 5 at 5pm. Live music by local musicians Cowmuddy and MKMS during members of Philly Slick, delicious food and drink, raffle prizes, and more...all for a good cause! *OPEN GALLERY AND BICYCLE REPAIR WORKSHOPS* on Saturday, October 6. Open gallery starts at 11 am. workshops start at 2 pm. Featuring graduates from the Neighborhood Bike Works Earn-A-Bike Program and technicians from Bicycle Therapy. *OPEN GALLERY AND SOCIAL ACTION FORUMS* on Sunday, October 7. Last chance to buy arts, hear more about SpokesPeople and participate in a Speak Out! at 2 pm. For details about the extravaganza or other artist opportunities, visit WWW.BEASPOKESPERSON.ORG

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my e-mail is steelzebra@gmail.com- un sub scription....
by julie merrill 27 Sep '07

27 Sep '07

i wanted to unsubscribe to the thinktank bike e-mail list... i tried the other way and nothing happened... it is just too many extra e-mails to receive. i appreciate it though... julie lu

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Bike train to Cali!
by Paul Park 26 Sep '07

26 Sep '07

I am going to bike from DC to Central Cali for next year's conference! My first time to Cali, finally. and finally a cross the country trip for me. yeah...and I'll stop at the co-ops along the way, picking up anyone who wants to bike there! The bike train to Cali--coming through your town, Oct. 2008. Anyone want to jump on the train or start another train? PJ -- PJ Park http://www.biketobrazil.blogspot.com http://www.imagestation.com/members/pjpark http://picasaweb.google.com/PaulJosephPark

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kids' earn a bike + structure, less is more?
by veganboyjosh＠gmail.com 26 Sep '07

26 Sep '07

hi fellow bike geeks. josh from community cycles in boulder, co. i'm one of the directors of our kids' earnabike (EAB) program, and we're interested in making it better. to date, we've just kind of run it like open shop with kids in the shop instead of grownups. i would like to incorporate more structure, a little more consistancy from EAB'er to EAB'er. i heard someone at bike bike say that he had the kids list 27 parts of a bicycle as a sort of "final exam", to show that they'd been paying attention, etc. i've taken this on, but i sort of adapt it to each kid. (i realize that we all learn differently, at different levels/speeds/etc, and want to be sensitive to that. the way i tailor the listing bike parts quiz is to adjust the number of parts, as well as how free-flowing and specific i am with hints ("you sit on this part," vs "it's what screws onto the end of a spoke..."). i really like this activity, since it challenges the kids, they seem to thrive on it, struggling to remember, and usually there's other kids in the shop who are watching, but not taking the "test", so they have to keep quiet, even though they KNOW the lister is leaving out the pedals, etc...it makes for some lively shop activity, and there are usually some laughs going on, as well. anyway, i'm interested in hearing about some other programs that deal with kids specifically. our kids' EAB progam is for 10-16 yrs old, and we've had all of them. we try to keep the EAB'er:facilitator ratio to 2:1 at the most, to keep their attention focused, and to not bore them while they wait for a question/tool help. do you do sit down lesson/lecture type stuff? i've come up with a few visual demonstrations with parts from our parts bins, to help show how a derailleur works, the headset, etc...and i'd like to incorporate more of this kind of thing into our grown-up workshops, like (i think) i saw bicas does in tucson, from the film shown at bikebike...have a bunch of bottom brackets cut off of bikes, with the spindles and cranks and chainrings in place, and have the each take it apart, sort of classroom style. of course, with kids, we'd have to limit this sort of lesson to once or twice per night (3-4 hour nights...) to keep from boring them to tears. but sometimes i think having all the cables and wheels and spinning shiny things on a complete/almost complete bike is too distracting... any ideas or solutions you guys have would be awesome and much appreciated. by us and the kids we struggle to keep engaged. thanks. josh.

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