- TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

The Wheelix
by andrew lynn 07 Dec '08

07 Dec '08

hi thinktank, thought i would share our latest wheel hanging invention, the wheelix: http://flickr.com/photos/breathingplanet/3089068657/in/photostream/ http://flickr.com/photos/breathingplanet/3089068077/in/photostream/ http://flickr.com/photos/breathingplanet/3089071115/ andrew Troy Bike Rescue Troy, NY -- andrew lynn | media worker | troy, ny http://www.breathingplanet.net http://www.troybikerescue.org http://www.mediasanctuary.org http://flickr.com/photos/breathingplanet

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Locking Toolboard
by Clifford McCarten 05 Dec '08

05 Dec '08

Hello, happy bike world -- As things slow down in the winter, out (newish) shop is looking to build some additional work areas in anticipation for the next season. I'm hoping to crowd-source some of the creative genius here... The problem: the tool boards have to be able to be covered & locked up, as a number of other groups use our space (a church basement) for access and storage, often forgetting to lock the door that leads into our bikey dungeon. Bear with me, if you will: we currently have one main workstation, with a 4x8 toolboard (with a 2x4 frame built out around it) covered by a 4x8 hinged plywood sheet that swings up to the ceiling. The sheet has small slots in it that match up with heavy metal U-shaped hooks in the 2x4 frame, which we then lock with our old Yellow Bike locks. This works pretty well, but creates an annoying problem where we can't put anything tall (i.e., a truing stand) on the table in front of the tools because the swinging board won't close. We want to build two additional workstations that: a) will only have a basic allen key / metric wrench set on the board, and will therefore be a lot smaller (a 48"x18" toolboard, perhaps?) c) will preferably be on four legs & not have to screw into a wall for support (i.e., reasonably mobile) and most importantly: d) will have some sort of cheap, simple, and easily opened locking solution to cover the tool board. (I'm think something that would slide maybe?) Ideas? Need clarification? Let me know. Thanks! Clifford McCarten Director, B!ke: The Peterborough Community Bike Shop 400 Wolfe St Peterborough, Ontario (705) 745-2103 http://www.communitybikeshop.org

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Owning your space
by Graham 27 Nov '08

27 Nov '08

Are there any groups out there who own their own building or rent a space in a building owned by a closely integrated org. 1. How did you finance it? Traditional bank or credit union, Ethical Fund or similar agency, or private loans/donations. 2. Do you rent space to any other groups to help pay the bills? 3. Who manages the building - the bike collective directly or a seperate committee of people? 4. What conflicts or problems do you think a group thinking of buying a building should look out for?

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Bike Collectives Links Page Update FINAL - Time to post on your sites
by Rich Points 21 Nov '08

21 Nov '08

Hey All, Thanks to everyone who helped me update the bike collectives links page, we now have close to 150 collectives listed in North America. I will update this list again next fall. Until then I'd like to encourage you all to post these links on your sites. This way we can collectively support each others work. Please pass this on to your webmasters. Three ways to post these links on your site 1. Go to http://CommunityCycles.org/links.html, look at the code and copy and paste the links 2. Visit http://CommunityCycles.org/links_html.html and copy the html and paste into your site 3. Subscribe to the RSS feed http://www.communitycycles.org/index.php?option=com_bca-rss-syndicator&feed…, if anyone knows how to get this RSS to render as html on other sites please contact me. Ride On -- Rich Points Community Cycles Director http://CommunityCycles.org Rich(a)CommunityCycles.org 720-565-6019 Donate your old car to Community Cycles

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Membership at your community bike shops
by Cycles of Change APC 19 Nov '08

19 Nov '08

Hi everyone, I'm writing from the Cycles of Change APC Bike Shop in Alameda, California (near Oakland, CA). Cycles of Change APC is a *not-for-profit community bicycle shop* which opened in July 2006. It is a collaboration between Cycles of Change, a 10 year old East Bay youth bike education non-profit, and Alameda Point Collaborative (APC), a non-profit which manages housing and services for a 200 unit residential community comprised of 500 formerly homeless adults and families. Our website is: www.apcollaborative.org/cyclesbikes.htm We are thinking about how to generate additional revenue for the shop. Currently we're selling and repairing bikes to bring in revenue. We're also partially supported by grants. One idea that we had was to create a membership program which would enable people to use our community repair shop, get discounts at our shop, and provide discounts to other bike shops in the area as well. I'd especially like to hear from other programs with membership programs you've started. How much does it cost? What does it provide? Does any other group have experience with providing discounts to other shops? How big has your membership grown? How do you promote it? Thank you, Evan Lovett-Harris Cycles of Change APC 510-898-7830 -- Cycles of Change APC All People. All Bikes. One Community.

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Discounts for Co-ops
by GetGern＠gmail.com 19 Nov '08

19 Nov '08

Hello Bike Friends, Does anyone have solid advice on the legality/Restrictions regarding discounts given to member/volunteers? We are a California regestered incorperated Member owned Co-operative, not a Non-Profit(501c3). We want to give a discount, but I heard it may not be legal. I hope that it is illegal referring to 501c3's.

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bikebike workshop past facilitators
by joshua 16 Nov '08

16 Nov '08

Hey Y'all. I'm new to this website/wiki but excited to be here! I am currently working with Neighborhood Bike Works in Philadelphia I am specifically searching for anyone who has done a past workshop at bike! bike! to post an outline of their workshop for public use/ reference, basically an online or pdf version of the workshop's goals and/or methods. In addition to this virtual workshop, I was hoping for some sort of exit interview or reflection on how the workshop went, what could have made it better, were your goals accomplished, etc. If you or anyone you know did a workshop at a previous bike! bike! conference can you email me (joshua) at 000joshua(a)gmail.com (or fwd this to someone you know who did a workshop) and we can go from there! Sincerely, Joshua

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Trip to SF... any ideas?!
by Boson Au 13 Nov '08

13 Nov '08

first of all, apologies if this is annoying. but yeah, I'm going to be visiting SF next week (for work related stuff). I'm planning on going on a short tour down to santa cruz (basically like the one folks did at the end of bikebike...) I was wondering if the route for that tour is avail anywhere and if anyone has any suggestion on hostels/etc. for me to check out @ santa cruz. I really want to check out the church but beyond that I kind of just want an awesome ride that's not on the east coast... is there anywhere cool inbetween? I'm pretty sure I can get to SC in one day. I'm not really trying to camp out but I can regardless. I'm gonna be in SF from this sunday on... thinking of leavin' the following thurs to ride down to santa cruz, coming back saturday. any tips/hints appreciated. -Boson Velocipede Bike Project Baltimore, MD

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reading list/online resources for bike mechanics?
by veganboyjosh＠gmail.com 13 Nov '08

13 Nov '08

hey all. while working on putting together a list of websites, online tutorials, books, etc, that are helpful for budding/experienced mechanics, it occurred to me that a lot of people on this list would be helpful in gathering such a list, and could probably benefit from it also. i started a page on the wiki for just such a list, it's located here.<http://www.bikecollectives.org/wiki/index.php?title=Mechanic> please do add to it. thanks! josh. community cycles, boulder

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Bike Collective Links Page Updated - Please verify you site is listed
by Rich Points 11 Nov '08

11 Nov '08

OK, so I heard back from a lot of you with links to you sites. I also added links found here http://www.ibike.org/encouragement/freebike/directory/index.htm as well as links from the Bike Collective Directory. I didn't include groups who don't have a website. After this update there are 144 links to coops and collectives in the US and Canada. Please verify that your coop is listed and if not to let me know. http://communitycycles.org/links.html I'll send out the final html and encourage you all to include this links list on all of your sites. This will show our site visitors we are part of a much larger movement while collectively driving traffic to all of our sites. I'll also set this up as a RSS feed. Peace -- Rich Points Community Cycles Director http://CommunityCycles.org Rich(a)CommunityCycles.org 720-565-6019 Donate your old car to Community Cycles

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