- TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

Check out my Facebook profile
by Cycles Apc 11 Dec '08

11 Dec '08

Hi thethinktank, I set up a Facebook profile where I can post my pictures, videos and events and I want to add you as a friend so you can see it. First, you need to join Facebook! Once you join, you can also create your own profile. Thanks, Cycles To sign up for Facebook, follow the link below: http://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=1594973725&k=53126XS53Y3M5F1CSB2XP4&r

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Check out my Facebook profile
by Cycles Apc 11 Dec '08

11 Dec '08

Hi thethinktank, I set up a Facebook profile where I can post my pictures, videos and events and I want to add you as a friend so you can see it. First, you need to join Facebook! Once you join, you can also create your own profile. Thanks, Cycles To sign up for Facebook, follow the link below: http://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=1594973725&k=Z6F3Z454PZ2CUC1DR16XUUX&r

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Scrapper Bikes
by Jonathan Morrison 11 Dec '08

11 Dec '08

A volunteer of ours sent this to me. I just love it! http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94318161 http://features.csmonitor.com/backstory/2008/12/08/teens-in-oakland-calif-f… http://www.myspace.com/scrapperbikes Sincerely, Jonathan Morrison Executive Director 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 Get Addicted to Crank! http://www.slcbikecollective.org/crank/ The mission of the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective is to promote cycling as an effective and sustainable form of transportation and as a cornerstone of a cleaner, healthier, and safer society. The Bicycle Collective provides refurbished bicycles and educational programs to the community, focusing on children and lower income households.

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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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Bar Mitts - Keeping hands warm in winter
by Rich Points 10 Nov '08

10 Nov '08

Hey All, I saw these at VeloSwap but didn't buy any because I don't ride a road bike. Looks like they'd work well but I wonder what it'd be like to crash with them. http://www.barmitts.com/install.php -- 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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Bike Church in Davis is being evicted!
by Jason Moore 09 Nov '08

09 Nov '08

http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/1380958.html We are having some trouble keeping our space on the university and are going to need all the support we can get. For some reason our 4 year old community resource has now been called a nuisance by the university administration. Jason Moore Davis Bike Church

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phoenix az collective!
by nathan leach 08 Nov '08

08 Nov '08

pnoenix is getting something started thanks to the help of everyone at bie saviours!!!! we are just in the begining stages and if anyone has any wise old man or woman advise it would be awesome!

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lease agreements
by allison karow 06 Nov '08

06 Nov '08

hi friends does anyone's shop rent from a private landlord (not the city, a friend or relative, etc.) and have a copy of your lease agreement? we are trying to work one out over at bike saviours (in tempe az) and want to see if there is a standard! thanks allison

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Bike Education/Clinic curriculum?
by Boson Au 03 Nov '08

03 Nov '08

Hi everyone, Boson from Baltimore, MD's Velocipede Bike Project... First of all, @ bike!bike! the education-related workshops were the one that inspired/interested me the most. We got back and the first thing I want to kick-start was our clinic program which had be suspended due to a multitude of reasons... anyways... so we're about to reinstate our bike clinic series (previously we had one person do ALL the teaching and she's about to leave out of town for 3 months so we've decided that we're going to try to have a group of educators rotate classes) and I'm interested in any organizations that hold regular classes... This isn't exactly a youth program but more like a general public thing. We do have a curriculum, but I'm kind of interested in other project's solutions. If any project has their own curriculum set up and want to trade/compare notes that'd be so awesome.

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Bike Education/Clinic curriculum?
by dragonfly＠mac.hush.com 31 Oct '08

31 Oct '08

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Hello, Everyone. I hope you are all doing well, financial meltdown notwithstanding. I'd like to vote for BOTH keeping the education and curriculum thread as part of the list serv AND for having it all together, accessible by wiki. Also, does anyone know how to create productive bike sensitivity trainings for police departments and city governments? I've done a couple with mixed-to-positive results, but changing the culture here in the Motor city area is a ongoing project, and good tips and techniques are always welcome. Has anyone found a way to reach into driver's ed programs to improve their bike-friendliness? Sasha On Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:10:11 -0400 Christina Illarmo <christina(a)bikesnotbombs.org> wrote: >Hello Think Tank, > >It's great to see so many people and organizations across the >country >communicating to make our work stronger and more >meaningful.Greetings to you >all. > >For those who haven't seen it, our Earn-A-Bike Instructor Training >Manual >which we use in our youth programs is available to download off of >our >website. We also sell these for $7 but please feel free to >download the >manual and see if it is useful in your own programming. > >http://www.bikesnotbombs.org/EarnABike > >We also have a youth made bike safety training video about 45 >minutes long >which discusses general bike & helmet fit, bike safety checks, >rules of the >road, bike path etiquette, preparing for a ride, and general tips >(how to >prep for a ride, crossing train tracks, hand signals right and >left >turns...). Please contact me directly if you are interested in >purchasing >this video for $35. All proceeds will go towards supporting our >work at >Bikes Not Bombs. > >peace, >Christina > >-- >Christina Illarmo >Girls' Programming & Bike Safety Coordinator >Bikes Not Bombs >284 Amory St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 >(617) 522-0222 x102 > >http://www.bikesnotbombs.org -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Note: This signature can be verified at https://www.hushtools.com/verify Charset: UTF8 Version: Hush 3.0 wkYEARECAAYFAkjuPsAACgkQ5O7ahKJmrRnPXwCeLpJuZf1V/Q9myR8Oh/4I86TV3iUA oIFmY9eZ+qE4RjR5kdUSL9BoF+HM =zoy3 -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Bike Education/Clinic curriculum?
by BovineOaks＠aol.com 31 Oct '08

31 Oct '08

I have written bicycle education material for academic class rooms, youth programs, adult programs, community programs, city government. Each time I try to make the lesson apply to the current lives of the precipitant, but more importantly Make It FUN. After all we do not ride because it sucks, we ride because it is fun. Bicycle Education should be fun too. **************New MapQuest Local shows what's happening at your destination. Dining, Movies, Events, News & more. Try it out! (http://local.mapquest.com/?ncid=emlcntnew00000001)

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Tough Times for Non-Profits?
by Jonathan Morrison 29 Oct '08

29 Oct '08

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Economy/story?id=6123902&page=1 Here are my cliff notes: 1) Rely on volunteers as opposed to employees during the economic crunch, ironically lay offs will increase the volunteer pool. 2) Shift a larger percentage of your non-profit activities to for-profit activities, aka "sell" more bikes as the demand for cheaper transportation increases. 3) Grants are becoming increasingly competitive, so go after them now as opposed to later. 4) Larger organizations [with endowments] may have enough in the bank to ride it out, the smaller ones, like most of us, are going to have more trouble. -- Sincerely, Jonathan Morrison Executive Director 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 Get Addicted to Crank! http://www.slcbikecollective.org/crank/ The mission of the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective is to promote cycling as an effective and sustainable form of transportation and as a cornerstone of a cleaner, healthier, and safer society. The Bicycle Collective provides refurbished bicycles and educational programs to the community, focusing on children and lower income households.

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Ideal Space for a Workstation?
by dragonfly＠mac.hush.com 27 Oct '08

27 Oct '08

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Hi, All. Please remember to consider handedness when designing workspaces. It is tough to use spaces designed without awareness that some of us are left handed. Depending on the type of work to be done, this can be more or less of a problem. It tends to be a bigger issue if you are postiioning a lathe or some kinds of metal shop equipment than for a straighforward bike repair set-up. Ideally, though, at least one or two of your workspaces should be comfortable for lefties. (Also, when working with kids, handedness is something to consider along with whether they need glasses or a hearing test when evaluating why they are having trouble learning a physical skill.) Speaking of lefties, that makes me think of politics... I want to wish all the American people out there in bicycleland the best of luck as you vote for your new President and for all the other offices that are in play. Everyone is pulling for the America we love to rise up and kick the stuffing out of the America that scares the pants off us. Good Luck, beloved Americans. Sasha On Mon, 27 Oct 2008 12:46:18 -0400 David Kuch <david(a)communitycyclingcenter.org> wrote: >Pretty close. We have work stations with double arm Park stands >that measure >about 11X9. If you add on another foot or two for room to mov e >around, your >125 sqft measurement is about right. Our stations have a workbench >with 21' >depth. Deeper means more clutter and harder to reach the tool >board above. >The tool benches all have standardized layouts. I'm sure you can >make a list >of the tools you most frequently use, and lay them out on a >template that >you can use to mark hooks or hangers for each bench. Where you put >the tools >so that both mechanics can access them with the least extra reach >is up to >you. some will invariably be further from one mechanic than the >other. Good >luck! > >On Sun, Oct 26, 2008 at 5:18 PM, Rich Points <rich(a)richpoints.com> >wrote: > >> Hey All, >> Community Cycles is looking into the possibility of getting more >space. >> One of the things we need to figure out for our floor plan is >how much >> space a workstation requires. >> Right now we can have as many as six stands working in a 500sqft >space and >> all the tools are located on one bench. What I envision is >workstations >> that include a stand, bench and a set of basic tools and enough >room for two >> people to work comfortably. I'm guessing that each work station >would be >> 100 - 125sqft? >> >> Has anyone out there thought of what size and tools make a >perfect work >> station? >> >> Thanks >> >> -- >> Rich Points >> Community Cycles Director >> http://CommunityCycles.org <http://communitycycles.org/> >> Rich(a)CommunityCycles.org >> 720-565-6019 >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Thethinktank mailing list >> Thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org >> To unsubscribe, send a blank email to >> TheThinkTank-leave(a)bikecollectives.org >> To manage your subscription, plase visit: >> >> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank- >bikecollectives.org >> > > > >-- >David Kuch >Shop Production Manager >Community Cycling Center > >Office >3934 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. >Suite 202 >Portland, OR 97212 >Office: 503 288-8864 >Fax: 503 288-1812 > >Bike Shop >1700 NE Alberta St. >Portland, OR 97211 >Hours: 10 AM-6PM Tues through Sat >Shop: 503 287-8786 > >www.CommunityCyclingCenter.org > >The bicycle is a tool for empowerment and a vehicle for social >change -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Note: This signature can be verified at https://www.hushtools.com/verify Charset: UTF8 Version: Hush 3.0 wkYEARECAAYFAkkF/IMACgkQ5O7ahKJmrRny6wCcD0uTv+pnEbNl18hiowpo7p4dT14A n3ItbeOv7c5RQ2NelQvRHolKUUlL =TOm5 -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Ideal Space for a Workstation?
by Rich Points 27 Oct '08

27 Oct '08

Hey All, Community Cycles is looking into the possibility of getting more space. One of the things we need to figure out for our floor plan is how much space a workstation requires. Right now we can have as many as six stands working in a 500sqft space and all the tools are located on one bench. What I envision is workstations that include a stand, bench and a set of basic tools and enough room for two people to work comfortably. I'm guessing that each work station would be 100 - 125sqft? Has anyone out there thought of what size and tools make a perfect work station? Thanks -- Rich Points Community Cycles Director http://CommunityCycles.org Rich(a)CommunityCycles.org 720-565-6019

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Bike Bike '09 = Minneapolis
by tibs＠riseup.net 24 Oct '08

24 Oct '08

This is Tibs from the Grease Pit in Mpls. We got back to Mpls okay (thanks to everyone who snagged a zine or patch to help us out), and the collective consensed to host Bike!Bike! '09 in Minneapolis. I'm not on the Think Tank bulk mail list, but if you want to contact me personally with any questions, suggestions or the like, please feel free.

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Fwd: A Little Help Please!
by bike against 20 Oct '08

20 Oct '08

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Mark H Hendricks <mhendri961(a)gmail.com> Date: Mon, Oct 20, 2008 at 10:17 AM Subject: A Little Help Please! To: coordinator(a)fcbikecoop.org Dear Friends: It's time to start a cooperative here in The Quad Cities (border of Iowa and Illinois). Please tell me what I am up against and the pitfalls you might help me avoid. I am 52 and very experienced at helping businesses market and sell. I used to run the largest independent Raleigh distributorship (ancient days) and have over twenty years of winter cylecommuting experience. Any advice you might offer would be greatly appreciated. -- Best Regards Mark H. Hendricks Mhendri961(a)gmail.com 1-309-762-3252 (direct) -- Rafael Cletero Project Coordinator Fort Collins Bicycle Co-op ph (970) 484 38 04 www.fcbikecoop.org

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