- TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

Bike Collective Link Pages on our sites - Revisited
by Rich Points 14 May '08

14 May '08

Hey All, About six months ago I wrote to this list about having a links page to all the collectives in the U.S. and Canada. Since then a bunch of collectives have posted this link list on their sites. I wanted to revisit this and encourage more collectives to post this link list to their sites. It shows that we are part of an international effort to get people on bikes. And it's a great resource for people traveling or moving. http://www.communitycycles.org/links.html Please contact me if you have updates or revisions. Peace -- Rich Points Community Cycles Director http://CommunityCycles.org Rich(a)CommunityCycles.org 720-565-6019

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Re: [TheThinkTank] A wikiHow article on How to Start a Not For Profit Organization in Ontario, Canada
by Tom Emm 14 May '08

14 May '08

tom48236(a)yahoo.com wrote: ---------------- Your friend just sent you the following article from wikiHow.com: How to Start a Not For Profit Organization in Ontario, Canada Incorporating a not-for-profit in the province of Ontario, Canada? Heres how... You can view the rest of this page at: http://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Not-For-Profit-Organization-in-Ontario%2C-Ca… wikiHow is a collaborative writing project aiming to build the world's largest how-to manual. Our mission is to provide free and useful instructions to help people solve the problems of everyday life. wikiHow is a wiki, which is a website that anyone can write or edit. You can help us, by editing any page on wikiHow which needs improvement. http://www.wikiHow.com - The How-to manual that anyone can write or edit

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honoring earn-a-bike hours from other co-ops / collectives?
by Durham Bike Co-op 13 May '08

13 May '08

Hey all, Maybe there's been another thread on this in the past, but I'll go ahead anyways. Fairly regularly we get e-mails from people who are moving to / staying in town for a while about getting a bike, and I had the thought that sometimes a nice way to deal with this would be to honor earn-a-bike volunteer hours worked at the other programs out there, particularly as transporation is definately a first priority when moving some place new, and in our program (being volunteer run and only open 1-2 days a week) it can take a couple weeks to complete the earn-a-bike. What do other peeps think about this? A good idea, or too much work dropping other programs a line to say what's what? peace, Colin - shop coordinator, DBC. -- Durham Bike Co-op 723 N. Mangum St. Durham, NC 27701 www.durhambikecoop.org

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how do you know when too many is too many?
by veganboyjosh＠gmail.com 13 May '08

13 May '08

i know community cycles is not the only shop on this list that has space issues, nor shortness of volunteer hours.... i'm wondering if any shops out there have some kind of "we're all filled up, we can't take any more bikes" policy. we've got connections with our local police department, so when they sweep through the public bike racks and clean up abandoned bikes, we get them. this brings us several loads of 100-300 bikes per year. we've also got a similar hookup with the university of colorado at boulder, which is 30,000 students strong. this yeilds about the same number of bikes, but in fewer loads. these are in addition to all our other donated bikes from individuals, smaller groups, etc. we're already using cheaper, department store bikes, or those who are beyond repair specifically as stripper bikes, for parts, or for lessons. we don't have a problem getting bikes to use/turnaround, as i'm guessing most of you also don't have this problem. my question is, when do we say "sorry, we're all filled up, we can't take your bike right now"? do any of you have some creative ways that you've solved the "we've got too many bikes and not enough space to keep them while they're waiting for a home"? we have done some work with a couple of different groups that have sent bikes abroad, but we don't want to make this a regular part of our program, for various reasons. to date, we don't have a set policy, but we tend to only participate in those kinds of programs when we're busting at the seams, and getting rid of 300-500 bikes would help tremendously. we've gotten in touch with our local recycling yard, who pretty much takes everything that can be recycled. i personally know that they see several bikes per week in their dumpsters, but they don't have any way to pull those out once they're in, once people dump washing machines, fridges, etc, on top of them. i'd like to see a seperate "bike dumpster" for people to drop them off, and we go and reuse them. the problem is we're gonna need some better way to sort them and keep them until someone can get to them... thanks for reading this far. josh.

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Community Cycles Web Forms - Joomla and RSForm
by Rich Points 13 May '08

13 May '08

Hey All, I've been wanting to write this email for some time now and I'm finally getting around to it on this rainy day. Over the winter we moved CommunityCycles.org over to a Joomla <http://www.joomla.org/>set up. Joomla is cool for many reasons but one of the most useful for us is an inexpensive component called RSForm <http://www.rsjoomla.com/index.php/Buy-RSform-Form-Management-Component.html>. RSForm allows you to create custom web forms with minimal html/php/mysql knowledge although it's good to have a strong background in these technologies. I do have this background and have knocked out large complex forms in record time. I'm using these forms to collect all kinds of data. The result has streamlined a lot of administrative tasks. RSForm functionality is easily explained. When a form is submitted an email is sent to email addresses of your choosing. This email can be in a custom html format. The data is also stored in an online database, this database can be downloaded as a csv file. And one of the coolest things is I can share the forms with others. So if your collective wanted to use our volunteer form, or a part of it, you would need to have RSForm installed on your Joomla site. I can pass you the form files for you to upload and that's it. I've read in the support forums that there are some bugs with this but it seems to work for the most part. If you'd like to give this a try let me know. Anyway have a look at the following, any feedback you may have is appreciated. *Public Forms* * Contact <http://communitycycles.org/contact.html> - The results of this are sent to the core group * Volunteer <http://communitycycles.org/get-involved/volunteer.html> - I set this up about 2 months ago and it has been very effective in finding and plugging in new volunteers. * Bike Month Volunteer <http://www.communitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_forme&fid=23> - This will be used to help plug in people to our bike month activities. * Thursday Youth EAB Sign Up <http://www.communitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_forme&fid=4> - Sign up form for Thursday Youth EAB * Lennard Zinn Workshop Sign Up <http://www.communitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_forme&fid=7> - Sign up for Lennard Zinn Workshop * Bikers Ed Workshop Sign Up <http://www.communitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_forme&fid=9> - Sign up for bikers ed workshops * Membership <http://communitycycles.org/donate.php>- This is an old hand coded form from our old site. I haven't figured out how to integrate PayPal yet. *Data Entry* * EAB Tracking <http://www.communitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_forme&fid=1> - We use this to enter completed EABers. The EABer will get an email with their photo and info. * Bike/Parts Donor <http://www.communitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_forme&fid=5> - This is how we input donations and the people who donated them. *Program Tracking* * EAB Follow up Questionnaire <http://www.communitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_forme&fid=21> - We'll start using this in June and will track how EABers use their bikes after the program. *Bike Fleet Maintenance* * City Bike Feet Maintenance <http://www.communitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_forme&fid=10> - The results of this form go directly to our fleet maintenance guy * UCAR Blue Bike Maintenance <http://www.communitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_forme&fid=13> - The results of this form go directly to our fleet maintenance guy *Online Sales* * Craigs html generator <http://www.communitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_forme&fid=14> - I created this form because we had various people posting to Craigslist. The result was all kinds of various formatting and information. When you fill out this form you get an email with the html code to paste into a new Craigs posting. The form helps streamline the posting process while maintaining a clean format. I plan on creating two versions of this, one for detailed posts and another for more general listings. -- Rich Points Community Cycles Director http://CommunityCycles.org Rich(a)CommunityCycles.org 720-565-6019

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bicycle valet
by james thompson 13 May '08

13 May '08

Riders, New to the list and wanted to share a super fun event we did at a local music venue here in Denton, TX: bicycle valet. Our community bike shop volunteers exchanged tickets for bicycles and placed everyone's ride in a safe place to be retrieved by us at their liesure. No locks or dark alleyway telephone poles required for safety, no fumbling for the right angle on that off-brand U-lock. The parking lot was pleasantly unfull until a late hour. We canvassed at our valet table. Event promoters supported the fewer-cars evening by offering free cover and beverages. The college-age crowd was quite fond of the idea, and I can fairly say we had a blast. Show up earlier than you would for a normal music venue (bar staff graciously helped our solo volunteer through the first rough half hour). Folks, this is fun, but it was work. We valeted seventy bicycles, dozens more locked up themselves, and this at a venue of probably no more than two hundred people. You need at least four people to do this: one ticketeer, one valet, and one security gaurd for the bikes, and one to keep the security gaurd company. Make sure the venue (bar or not) restricts access to the parking area. Make a "map" with ticket numbers and bike locations, no bike without a ticket or license, and ask each picker-uper to describe their bike in detail. And your valet needs to be comfortable on kamikazes (fixies w/no brakes). Remember to turn people's lights off, and take tips for your organization. Bring a good bicycle pump with presta/schraeder capabilities and a gauge. Something we didn't anticipate, the two a. m. crowd produces wobbly folk. It was frankly discussed that some of the less experienced riders might have fared better driving home. Rather than have this devil's argument, make sure you're at a venue of a size you can manage (we were) and that you can get everyone home safely (we did, but I fretted a bit near the end). I'll leave it to my colleagues to add anything else, or make corrections. In Solidarity, James Thompson Shop Manager Querencia Community Bicycle Shop Denton, TX

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Re: [TheThinkTank] KRGV News Story
by tom emm 12 May '08

12 May '08

> > <div> > > > <b>$4-a-gallon gas boosting bicycle sales, repairs</b> > > > <a href="http://www.krgv.com/Video/News/991153.wvx">Watch Video</a> > > BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Across the country, high gas prices are > > kicking bicycle sales into high gear. <P> > > Bike dealers say they're seeing customers dusting off their old > > two-wheelers -- or buying new ones -- to cope with rising fuel > > prices. <P> > > A spokesman for the Washington. D.C.-based League of American > > Bicyclists says there's a definite increase in people riding bikes. <P> > > He says, "it's due to a mixture of things but escalating gas > > prices is one of them." <P> > > About 18 million bicycles have been sold annually in the U.S. > > over the past few years. The National Bicycle Dealers Association > > says that adds up to about six billion dollars in annual sales. A > > spokesman says bike shops across the country are reporting strong > > sales so far this year. And more people are bringing in bikes that > > have been idling at home. <P> > > A Bismarck, North Dakota, man who opened a shop in April says he > > sold more than 50 bikes in the first month -- double his > > projections. He says everyone who walks in the store is talking > > about gas prices. <P> > > (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) <P> > > Comments: > ------------------------------------------ > > </div> >

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Yahoo! News Story - Gas prices knock bicycle sales, repairs into higher gear - Yahoo! News
by biker 11 May '08

11 May '08

biker (biker(a)nomail.com) has sent you a news article. (Email address has not been verified.) ------------------------------------------------------------ Personal message: Gas prices knock bicycle sales, repairs into higher gear - Yahoo! News http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080511/ap_on_bi_ge/work_bikes_3 ============================================================ Yahoo! News http://news.yahoo.com/

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Soliciting donations
by dragonfly＠mac.hush.com 11 May '08

11 May '08

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Hi, Rafael. These are awesome ideas. Sasha On Sun, 11 May 2008 08:01:51 -0400 bike against <bikeagainst(a)gmail.com> wrote: >Words of wisdom from Gary; we should listen and figure something >out. > >In similar matters, lately i've been thinking quite a bit about >brainstorming / negotiating / launching a Bike Collectives / Tool >manufacturers sponsorship / marketing campaign to get some really >good >deals on tools and other shop supplies by running ads on all >possible >bicycle publications and related websites with " if we don't >break it, no >one will... " type captions; WE as in Us, Community Bike Projects >of the >U.S. > >WHY ? > >NO local bike shop uses their freewheel removing tools 10,15,20 >times in a >day; we do. > >No LBS cuts as many cables or as many yards of housing in a >regular shop day >like we do. > >No LBS uses their chaintools 25+ times in a day... etc,etc. > >In general, not a single tool is used at any LBS as many times per >day as >tools are used and abused at community bike projects. > >Where floor pumps are used, nowhere they get used 50+ times in a >day... > >( i know i can't speak from all the Bike Projects out there,but to > get the >point across i must generalize, you get the idea ) > > > - WE ARE THE ULTIMATE TESTERS - > >Sure, companies have their testing departments / procedures / >staff... but >when Bike Collectives,etc look into any of these companies >products to try' >em out, that's it, that's the real deal. > >We know more than the average wrench which products work AND are >durable and >which aren't... > >I believe this ads could be very appealing to home mechanics >trying to get >the most for their money, hell, maybe even pro/race/team mechanics >looking >for the most bombproof /race-tour worthy equipment could be >interested in >hearing what we have to say about such and such products... > >The ads could feature some of the largest, busiest Co-ops and such >out >there; a different one every month or so, while at the same time >these ads >will help promote our organizations and perhaps also help younger >community >shops to get more recognition and respect from their communities >for their >efforts. > >Mix in a few good facts about the featured organization complete >with >numbers and all and you have a state of the art marketing tool: > >Number of bikes recycled in 2007: 483 > >Number of bikes sent as aid to countries with limited or no access >to bikes: >1500 > >Number of bikes donated to charity: 300 > >Number of bikes relocated into the community through Earn-A-Bike >program: >224 > >Total number of bikes diverted from the Landfill in 2007... > >ETC, ETC... (maybe also things like: years in operation: # number >of >volunteers: # etc. or even some fun facts like what's the weirdest >thing >you've found inside a bike you worked on or something... ( in my >case, i >once found a mummified mouse in the BB and someone else found a >love letter >in a seat post ) > >This will show the general public and the companies WHAT we do >with THESE >tools... > >I realize there's a lot more to it, but this is the main concept. >Thoughts >? > >On the topic of department store bikes, i wanna make stickers that >say " >Friends don't let friends ride Walt-Mart bicycles"... >perhaps we could come up with a shared design that we can all use >and just >add your Project's Name / Logo on it, that way is the same >sticker nation wide and BAM !! we start the Dept, store bike >awareness >campaign... who knows, if done neatly, it could catch some major >mainstream >media attention ( not only indymedia ! ) who wants to join ? > >Sorry this mail was sooo long. > >Wear the grease under your nails with pride. > >Cheers to all, see you in Sunny Cali. > >-R > > >-- >Rafael Cletero >Project Coordinator >Fort Collins Bicycle Co-op >ph (970) 484 38 04 >www.fcbikecoop.org -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Note: This signature can be verified at https://www.hushtools.com/verify Charset: UTF8 Version: Hush 3.0 wkYEARECAAYFAkgm/tsACgkQ5O7ahKJmrRn/tACeKss57AHvVJRCzAtH6A6raSMmtG4A oK+yLeF5mFRBFeT+jGgXt6z81YfA =lpch -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Insurance/Liability
by Jason Tanzman 09 May '08

09 May '08

I'm new to this list but it seems like an awesome community of shared knowledge! Here is another question that our shop is dealing with - insurance and liability questions. We have recently expanded to a substantially larger space; in the past we operated out of a large garage/warehouse area, with very low rent, one paid staff member (hired as independent contractor), and no insurance. We are growing substantially and we want to make sure we protect all of our customers/volunteers/clients from issues if someone was hurt on one of our bikes or at our shop. But - it seems really expensive, how do community bike shops pay for it? How much do you pay per month for liability insurance? Do you have volunteer lawyers giving legal advice? Do you pay workman's comp for your staff, or do you hire staff as independent contractors? We want to make sure we do this right and protect our people, but it's expensive and hard. Any information is helpful!! -Jason

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