- TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

Re: [TheThinkTank] Test for (volunteer) mechanics?
by Keren Gottfried 04 Jun '13

04 Jun '13

Hm, it sounds like yu are really hoping to get volunteers with a solid knowledge level to make sure you're helping a lot of people well. Is a written test your favourite method and do you think it is accessible to all? In my experience, written tests favour a very particular sort of learning style. What about something less academic/intimidating/formal, like a conversation or hands-on demonstration? We don't test people at Bike Pirates, we basically let anyone start (after they take an orientation) and learn "on the job". New and vet volunteers alike are encouraged to be open and honest with their knowledge levels with participants, to learn by "shadowing", and to ask questions vs. guess. We also explain to participants when they walk in (at least, we try to) that all our volunteers have varied knowledge levels and that we are a DIY work space. So we don't require people have a "base level" of knowledge. If you're just starting out but you've mastered flats, or brakes, or whatever, be the one to help with that issue as often as possible and shadow others on topics you know less about. It's an imperfect system but it allows for people to learn at their own pace, for our program to be welcome and accessible, while still being as efficient as possible. Background --> at Bike Pirates we have a (recently refined) volunteer training program that involves a couple hours on every Wednesday night for 3 weeks. The first week is a general orientation to the space and is the only mandatory week, followed by a mechanical orientation and the third is a walk trough and practice Bike Build night. - Keren, Bike Pirates. Toronto --- On Mon, 6/3/13, Paul Nagel <paul(a)thebicycletree.org> wrote: From: Paul Nagel <paul(a)thebicycletree.org> Subject: [TheThinkTank] Test for (volunteer) mechanics? To: "thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org" <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> Received: Monday, June 3, 2013, 8:58 PM To start off, we've been seeing that nearly everyone (literally 49 out of 50 or even 99 out of 100) that comes to our workshops for do-it-together repair knows very little about bike maintenance (don't know a barrel adjuster from a limit screw). The process of learning is fundamental to these workshops, as it may be for most of the groups on this list. The notion of having a workspace where someone is vaguely supervising while people have at their bikes would not work for us at all. We pretty much need to be one on one with our visitors, we were 3 visitors to one volunteer the other day and it was far from optimal. In this light, it is important that our volunteer mechanics be at least decent mechanics as well as good teachers. We respect the importance of "hands off", but know that people come to our workshops not so much for the tools, but rather for the assistance of someone who knows what they are doing. So, I'm wondering if anyone uses a pretty simple written test (30 - 50 questions) in the process of bringing in new volunteer mechanics. We do not currently, though we do have new volunteers self-evaluate their level of knowledge on a one-page volunteer information form. I'm thinking a test could help quickly and objectively evaluate a person's skill level and help identify opportunities for growth. Any advice regarding problems and pitfalls would be appreciated. Of course any sample tests would be fantastic. This could be the same as an Earn-A-Bike test. Thank you, Paul Nagel The Bicycle Tree P.O. Box 11293 Santa Ana, CA 92711 http://www.thebicycletree.org info(a)thebicycletree.org -----Inline Attachment Follows----- _______________________________________________ Thethinktank mailing list Thethinktank(a)lists.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.…

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Thethinktank Digest, Vol 82, Issue 6
by Jenna Yu 04 Jun '13

04 Jun '13

I use a bikes at work 6' trailer and a 6' surely trailer. I like them both. I built a wooden box on top of the Surly trailer. The hitch attachment is easier and faster with the bikes at work trailer. If you get a couple of their hitches, you can share the BAW trailer with a few different people and even make your own trailer with a simple pin attachment. The Surly trailer hitch requires more adjustments and tweaking in the hitch but if feels really strong. I share the surley trailer with a coordinator at Recycle-A-Bike and he bent the skewer attaching the trailer to the bike improperly in one of the first attempts to use it. They are both great!! On Jun 4, 2013, at 4:17 PM, thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org wrote: > Send Thethinktank mailing list submissions to > thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… > > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > thethinktank-owner(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Thethinktank digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: Experience with Surly Cargo Trailers (Bill or Ted > Trailer)? (Samantha Herr) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2013 14:54:58 -0400 > From: Samantha Herr <samanthazherr(a)gmail.com> > To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> > Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Experience with Surly Cargo Trailers (Bill > or Ted Trailer)? > Message-ID: > <CA+u0Amhr3rD3T=ww8AYBRnPQjQgCA+b30MR6_aH20=Jhmcj_ng(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > Hey there, Andrew, > > Yep, I've used the Ted. Was built really well and had a great hitch system > through the back hub, but the Ted is a bit small. It also has some nice > featured built in for if you want to build the trailer up in any way. It's > pretty bare bones, but leaves lots of possibility. I think it's a great > trailer choice. > > Sam > > > On Tue, May 21, 2013 at 4:10 PM, Andrew Magill <andrew(a)spokesconnect.org>wrote: > >> Has anyone used either of the Surly trailers? We are thinking >> about purchasing the Bill trailer to haul a "mobile shop" as well as >> several complete bicycles. We would also consider a Bikes at Work Trailer >> but we can't get a discount from them. >> >> Any thoughts or stories please share! >> >> Thanks, >> >> Andrew >> >> SPOKES Bike Walk Connect >> >> MInneapolis >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Thethinktank mailing list >> Thethinktank(a)lists.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.… >

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Test for (volunteer) mechanics?
by Paul Nagel 03 Jun '13

03 Jun '13

To start off, we've been seeing that nearly everyone (literally 49 out of 50 or even 99 out of 100) that comes to our workshops for do-it-together repair knows very little about bike maintenance (don't know a barrel adjuster from a limit screw). The process of learning is fundamental to these workshops, as it may be for most of the groups on this list. The notion of having a workspace where someone is vaguely supervising while people have at their bikes would not work for us at all. We pretty much need to be one on one with our visitors, we were 3 visitors to one volunteer the other day and it was far from optimal. In this light, it is important that our volunteer mechanics be at least decent mechanics as well as good teachers. We respect the importance of "hands off", but know that people come to our workshops not so much for the tools, but rather for the assistance of someone who knows what they are doing. So, I'm wondering if anyone uses a pretty simple written test (30 - 50 questions) in the process of bringing in new volunteer mechanics. We do not currently, though we do have new volunteers self-evaluate their level of knowledge on a one-page volunteer information form. I'm thinking a test could help quickly and objectively evaluate a person's skill level and help identify opportunities for growth. Any advice regarding problems and pitfalls would be appreciated. Of course any sample tests would be fantastic. This could be the same as an Earn-A-Bike test. Thank you, Paul Nagel The Bicycle Tree P.O. Box 11293 Santa Ana, CA 92711 http://www.thebicycletree.org info(a)thebicycletree.org

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Experience with Surly Cargo Trailers (Bill or Ted Trailer)?
by christopher＠holisticcycles.com 03 Jun '13

03 Jun '13

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Experience with Surly Cargo Trailers (Bill or Ted Trailer)?
by christopher＠holisticcycles.com 31 May '13

31 May '13

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Need Bike Valet Racks? Has anyone here thought of doing Bike Valet?? Contact SPOKES....
by Brian Drayton 30 May '13

30 May '13

Valet Bike Parking is like a coat check for your bike. Your organizaton can provide safe, free , event parking for many of the outdoor festivals in your area.. It is a fun way to be involved in the festivities of your cities events while promoting bicycling as an everyday means of transportation for everyone, and lowering the carbon foot print of each event , the city, and the planet. It is also an opportunity to work with your community spreading cycle frienly service and encouraging cycle culture . > *"For Brian Drayton, bike parking is not just a convenience; it's a > necessity, a mission, a movement in the making. Richmond Spokes, the > organization he founded in early 2009, provides valet bicycle parking at > about 25 small- to medium-size events throughout the Bay Area each year. > But more impressive than that is his sheer ambition. > "I want people to understand we can use bikes for everything, everyday," > Drayton said. "There should be as many bike-parking facilities as there are > gas stations in the world."* From: East Bay Express http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/a-bike-rack-on-every-corner/Content?o… * * ****SPOKES can also prepare a Bike Valet SUrvival kit with instrucions best practices forms documents and strategies for marketing , deploying and monitizing your Bike Valet movement * *NEW!!! * Spokes New Portable (Moved by Bikes)Racks are durable and compact and available to other community bike orgs through SPOKES. *2013 SPOKES GETS NEW RACKS (Available Now)* * * * [image: 2013]<https://sites.google.com/a/richmondspokes.org/about/programs-1/programs/val…> * *After three years of our basic steel conduit racks , SPOKES has found the rack that rocks for bike Valet. **By this spring SPOKES will have replaced all our old racks with the Moved by bikes portable racks.* * * *SPOKES is also going to be Subsidizing these racks for other community bike organizations and bike coops to encourage the National Bike Movement in each SPOKES city. * * * * * *To make an order inquiry fill out the form at the bottom of this page or click this link<https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dERkRGcxcGxNREh2ejFEem…> * * * * https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dERkRGcxcGxNREh2ejFEem… * *Price List * *Racks are: <https://sites.google.com/a/richmondspokes.org/about/programs-1/programs/val…> * - *$190 Each MSRP for companies and individuals* - *$100-$160 for qualifying community members and community bike organizations & cycling clubs** * * *Please fill out Rack Purchase inquiry below and let us know about your organization. * * * * * * * * * For inquiries email: racks(a)richmondspokes.org or call the Shop at 510-545-2243 <https://sites.google.com/a/richmondspokes.org/about/programs-1/programs/val…> * The community Bike Collective is dedicated to providing technical support and financial assistance to any community serving organization showing the will capacity and audience for Free Bike Valet services within their community. For more information about CBC and how we areplanning to use collective purchasing capitol to create deeper econimic prosperity in the community bike culture. Please join us: *here:https://sites.google.com/a/richmondspokes.org/about/programs-1/cbc* *CBC reserves the right to review applications and make delegations of subsidies and discounts under the strict criteria based on the factors set by our advisory and board of directors to make such delegations of the for mentioned subsidies to organizations contributing to our national Bike Valet Movement. * Bike Rack Order Form Open *Bike Rack Order Form*<https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?authuser=1&hl=en&key=0AoF6wNHB…> Brian Drayton Oakland SPOKES Community Bike Lounge 465 9th Street Oakland, Ca. 94607 510-545-2243 Brian(a)oaklandspokes.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Oakland SPOKES loves it's Popup Home!!! Support us with your words in extending our Popup Lease and moving toward a long term /Permanant lease allowing us capitalize our community comittment. Please lend us yout testimonial of support by filling out this petition of support. (responders recieve a 15% Discount card via email) http://tinyurl.com/oaklandspokes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=JFMWCU…>

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Climate Action
by Vernon Huffman 29 May '13

29 May '13

Please share your thoughts about the role of cyclists in transitioning from a fossil fuel economy. Bike4Peace has organized many cross continental rides to demonstrate the viability of efficient human powered transportation. We're eager to consider ways we can mobilize cyclists to augment the political movement to address climate change. Thanks -Vernon ----------------------------------------------------------+ | __o CONTINENTAL CRITICAL MASS | _`\;,_ come ride with me | (*)/ (*) My Blog | Bike4Peace Across the USA -----------------------------------------------------------+ - Vernon Huffman creator of Change

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Thethinktank Digest, Vol 81, Issue 22
by Carolyn Szczepanski 29 May '13

29 May '13

Hey folks- The League is *just getting started* in developing our equity initiative and pulled together a mini-report on "The New Majority: Pedaling Toward Equity." Would love to hear folks' feedback. Here's the link to the report: http://www.bikeleague.org/news/equity_report.pdf *CAROLYN SZCZEPANSKI*, *Director of Communications, Women Bike* CAROLYN(a)BIKELEAGUE.ORG | 202-621-5452 *THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN BICYCLISTS* WWW.BIKELEAGUE.ORG <http://www.bikeleague.org> TWITTER <https://twitter.com/BikeLeague> | FACEBOOK<http://www.facebook.com/leagueamericanbicyclists> | YOUTUBE <http://www.youtube.com/user/bikeleaguevideo> *May is National Bike Month; Learn more here!<http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikemonth/> * On Wed, May 29, 2013 at 2:43 PM, < thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote: > Send Thethinktank mailing list submissions to > thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… > > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > thethinktank-owner(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Thethinktank digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Need Bike Valet Racks? Has anyone here thought of doing Bike > Valet?? Contact SPOKES.... (Brian Drayton) > 2. Re: Need Bike Valet Racks? Has anyone here thought of doing > Bike Valet?? Contact SPOKES.... (Reno Bikes) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Wed, 29 May 2013 11:12:58 -0700 > From: Brian Drayton <brian(a)oaklandspokes.org> > To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> > Subject: [TheThinkTank] Need Bike Valet Racks? Has anyone here thought > of doing Bike Valet?? Contact SPOKES.... > Message-ID: > <CAL9cosbaVgUT1T3= > yeJJm6Lhce5PcmVOKFo+WrWWBomJa-haAA(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > Valet Bike Parking is like a coat check for your bike. Your organizaton > can provide safe, free , event parking for many of the outdoor festivals > in your area.. > > > It is a fun way to be involved in the festivities of your cities events > while promoting bicycling as an everyday means of transportation for > everyone, and lowering the carbon foot print of each event , the city, and > the planet. It is also an opportunity to work with your community > spreading cycle frienly service and encouraging cycle culture . > > > > *"For Brian Drayton, bike parking is not just a convenience; it's a > > necessity, a mission, a movement in the making. Richmond Spokes, the > > organization he founded in early 2009, provides valet bicycle parking at > > about 25 small- to medium-size events throughout the Bay Area each year. > > But more impressive than that is his sheer ambition. > > "I want people to understand we can use bikes for everything, everyday," > > Drayton said. "There should be as many bike-parking facilities as there > are > > gas stations in the world."* > > > From: East Bay Express > > http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/a-bike-rack-on-every-corner/Content?o… > > * > * > ****SPOKES can also prepare a Bike Valet SUrvival kit with instrucions > best practices forms documents and strategies for marketing , > deploying and monitizing your Bike Valet movement * > > > *NEW!!! * Spokes New Portable (Moved by Bikes)Racks are durable and compact > and available to other community bike orgs through SPOKES. > > *2013 SPOKES GETS NEW RACKS (Available Now)* > * > * > * > [image: 2013]< > https://sites.google.com/a/richmondspokes.org/about/programs-1/programs/val… > > > > * > *After three years of our basic steel conduit racks , SPOKES has found the > rack that rocks for bike Valet. **By this spring SPOKES will have > replaced all our old racks with the Moved by bikes portable racks.* > * > * > *SPOKES is also going to be Subsidizing these racks for other community > bike organizations and bike coops to encourage the National Bike Movement > in each SPOKES city. * > * > * > * > * > *To make an order inquiry fill out the form at the bottom of this page or > click this link< > https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dERkRGcxcGxNREh2ejFEem… > > > * > * > * > * > > https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dERkRGcxcGxNREh2ejFEem… > * > > *Price List * > *Racks are: > < > https://sites.google.com/a/richmondspokes.org/about/programs-1/programs/val… > > > * > > - *$190 Each MSRP for companies and individuals* > - *$100-$160 for qualifying community members and community bike > organizations & cycling clubs** > > * > * > *Please fill out Rack Purchase inquiry below and let us know about your > organization. * > * > * > * > * > * > * > * > * > For inquiries email: racks(a)richmondspokes.org or call the Shop at > 510-545-2243 > > > < > https://sites.google.com/a/richmondspokes.org/about/programs-1/programs/val… > > > * The community Bike Collective is dedicated to providing technical > support and financial assistance to any community serving organization > showing the will capacity and audience for Free Bike Valet services within > their community. > > For more information about CBC and how we areplanning to use collective > purchasing capitol to create deeper econimic prosperity in the community > bike culture. Please join us: > *here:https://sites.google.com/a/richmondspokes.org/about/programs-1/cbc* > > *CBC reserves the right to review applications and make delegations of > subsidies and discounts under the strict criteria based on the factors set > by our advisory and board of directors to make such delegations of the for > mentioned subsidies to organizations contributing to our national Bike > Valet Movement. * > > Bike Rack Order Form > > Open *Bike Rack Order > Form*< > https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?authuser=1&hl=en&key=0AoF6wNHB… > > > > Brian Drayton > Oakland SPOKES Community Bike Lounge > 465 9th Street > Oakland, Ca. 94607 > 510-545-2243 > Brian(a)oaklandspokes.org > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Oakland SPOKES loves it's Popup Home!!! Support us with your words in > extending our Popup Lease and moving toward a long term /Permanant lease > allowing us capitalize our community comittment. > > Please lend us yout testimonial of support by filling out this petition of > support. (responders recieve a 15% Discount card via email) > > http://tinyurl.com/oaklandspokes > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > < > https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=JFMWCU… > > >

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Bike Purchases with Sweat Equity
by Vernon Huffman 28 May '13

28 May '13

We ran into some potential trouble for paying volunteers with bicycles, which could be a violation of labor laws, so we developed a volunteer incentive program. Paraphrasing, it says if you completely overhaul two bicycles, you can keep the one of lesser value. It allows a Shop Manager to accept equivalent volunteer work in lieu of overhauling a bike. If somebody needs a bike and is willing to make an effort, we make sure she gets it, but we don't give them away. Everybody has some talent to offer. Our slogan is "give a little more than you get." ________________________________ From: "thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org" 1. (Edward Kirkwood) An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://lists.bikecollectives.org/pipermail/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org…>

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Bike Purchases with Sweat Equity
by troy neiman 26 May '13

26 May '13

At BICAS, AZ we have a strict policy to do the work before you get the bike. Nor do we hold bikes while sweat equity (we call work-trade program) is being done. It would be great if everyone would come back and do the work but I am actually surprised that even 50% of the people did. You are already providing a really great service for people and its very fair to ask people to do the work first. Troy Neiman ----- Original Message ----- From: Edward Kirkwood Sent: 05/22/13 06:29 AM To: thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org Subject: [TheThinkTank] Bike Purchases with Sweat Equity At Broke Spoke Community Bike Shop in Lexington, KY, our bike purchase policy is: People without the financial means can purchase a bike that is priced < $100 totally on credit that day with the verbal agreement that they return to shop and volunteer enough to pay their debt off. Our sweat equity policy pays folks $8 / hour in shop credit. After a review of our sweat equity accounts that we keep for each customer, we discovered that over 50% of the folks who purchased a 100% sweat equity bike never came back after that initial visit/bike purchase. Our mission is to provide better acccess to better bicycles used for transportation and to enable folks to perform their own maintenance. While our current policy is providing bikes to people, we are questioning whether we are giving folks a handout rather than a hand-up. We would like to hear how some of you handle sweat equity bike purchases. More specifically adult purchases as we do not have a huge kid market. Allen Kirkwood Broke Spoke

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1304 Bikes Needs Your Help!
by 1304bikes 22 May '13

22 May '13

You are receiving this email because at some point in the past you contacted 1304 Bikes, whether it was to donate a bike, inquire about getting a bike, or to help out in any way. We are writing you now to ask for your help in re-opening our doors after 4 years of being closed. We have found a new space in downtown Raleigh, but we need to raise enough money for our first years rent plus some start-up costs. This will give us the time needed to focus on re-establishing our previously successful programs and to create a sustainable fundraising model that will carry us into the future. We have 10 days left in our campaign and still have a ways to go, but if everyone who reads this email gave just $15 we would get there! So please consider donating. We are running a fixed campaign, so if we don't reach our goal, we get nothing and you will get a full refund. You can read below for more information or head to our funding site to see pictures, check out the perks we're offering, and make a donation. Thank you all for your support, past and present, and our apologies if you have already received this or donated (thank you!) *Donation Page:* http://igg.me/at/1304bikes/x/2593075 *More detailed info on 1304bikes and our fundraising campaign:* As Raleigh’s only non-profit bicycle program, past or present, 1304 bikes filled a unique niche in the bicycle community. Established in 2005, it was the only place where Raleigh residents, regardless of income, could earn a bicycle, find spare parts, use community tools, and receive repair instruction. Our parts and tools were provided to residents at no cost, and participants in the Earn-a-Bike program could obtain a free bicycle by volunteering to help at the shop for 1-8 hours. Our other programs included Open Shop where access to tools and used parts are freely accessible to the bicycle community and Kid-a-bike where donated kids bikes are refurbished and distributed at no cost to children. Over the years, the popularity of 1304 bikes grew and the organization became widely loved by the cycling community. 1304 bikes served a wide-spread and diverse cross section of the Raleigh population, including youth, college students, the homeless and cyclists of all walks. The number of shop users and Earn-a-Bike participants grew with each year we remained open, and we were on track in 2009 to have over 300 people complete the Earn-a-Bike program. Our busiest summer months would typically see 25-30 successful Earn-a-Bikers as well as up to 50 shop users during open hours. Our new space will allow us to continue the growth we had, as well as to reach new people and expand the programs and services that we offer. 1304 bikes also provided a valuable outlet for residents wishing to see their old bicycles reused and recycled instead of going to the landfill. We try to minimize as much waste as we can, re-purposing parts and bikes we cannot use into work stands, bike art, jewelry, etc. What we cannot use, we recycle including steel, aluminum, and tires. Unfortunately in 2009, 1304 bikes was forced to cease operations due to improper zoning of the building we operated in. In the last 4 years, little traction was made in finding a new shop space, especially one that was centrally located and affordable for a nonprofit with a meager income. At last though, we have finally found a new space in downtown Raleigh that we are excited about! It is on N. West St. and we will be renting 1,500 square feet of warehouse type space with the potential to expand as we grow. But with little funds in our account and no fundraising mechanisms in place due to our 4 year layoff, we are going to need some help. We are asking for the community’s support helping us to raise our first year's rent up front as well as some start-up money for tools, signage, workbenches, etc. We are running a fixed funding campaign, which means we will only get funded if we reach our goal. We feel that for 1304 bikes to thrive, we need to act now and spend the next several months focusing on reestablishing our previously successful shop programs and rebuilding a member base rather than worrying about fundraising. If we meet our funding goal, it will give us the breathing room we need to get 1304 up and running again; otherwise we will step back from 1304 bikes and hopefully find other ways to be a positive part of the Raleigh community. We initially got involved in this project because we loved riding and fixing bikes as well as the sense of community that came with those things. Please help us get back to sharing what we love and rebuilding that community by donating. -- 1304bikes www.1304bikes.com https://www.facebook.com/1304Bikes

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Bike Purchases with Sweat Equity
by Edward Kirkwood 22 May '13

22 May '13

At Broke Spoke Community Bike Shop in Lexington, KY, our bike purchase policy is: People without the financial means can purchase a bike that is priced < $100 totally on credit that day with the verbal agreement that they return to shop and volunteer enough to pay their debt off. Our sweat equity policy pays folks $8 / hour in shop credit. After a review of our sweat equity accounts that we keep for each customer, we discovered that over 50% of the folks who purchased a 100% sweat equity bike never came back after that initial visit/bike purchase. Our mission is to provide better acccess to better bicycles used for transportation and to enable folks to perform their own maintenance. While our current policy is providing bikes to people, we are questioning whether we are giving folks a handout rather than a hand-up. We would like to hear how some of you handle sweat equity bike purchases. More specifically adult purchases as we do not have a huge kid market. Allen Kirkwood Broke Spoke

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summer season lines and addressing peoples needs
by Andrea Chiotti 21 May '13

21 May '13

Hey, I'm working at the Community Cycling Center in Portland Oregon and we have been trying to brainstorm how to keep track of customers and tool stand users in the melee of the summer season. People come into our shop and line up out the door. Some people have "a quick question" and some need to consult about building their bike. It is hard to maintain a sense of order when one mechanic may be with a patron for 1 hour or more. Has anyone come up with a system to manage customers? We become overwhelmed trying to manage customers making purchases, consulting on repairs that they want to do themselves or have us do, or consulting about bike sizing, test riding, etc. We tried a "take a number" system last season that proved ineffective and just as confusing. We also tried having some people doing customer shuffling while mechanics answered questions, but still we would like to be more efficient. I'd love to hear any suggestions anyone may have or tactics you find work to maintain a steady pace of work and address needs in an organized way! Please feel free to ask me questions if i have been unclear. I am looking forward to hearing different problem solving tactics. Andrea Chiotti

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Squatted bike shop in Detroit.
by Marshall Symons 18 May '13

18 May '13

FIREWEEDUNIVERSECITY.ORG We were squatting a house and running it out of there but this year we are taking over a comercial space that has been abandoned for 15 years. I posted some pics of our progress on our blog. I hope you guys enjoy checking out our progress. <3 MARS PSYENCE fireweed universe city red planet bicycle collective DETROIT HUSTLES HARDER!

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Re: [TheThinkTank] summer season lines and addressing peoples needs
by Rachel Morris 18 May '13

18 May '13

At one point we had the same good problem. When stands were full, we put out a sign-in sheet. The person would write their name, cell number, date and time. When a stand opened, we'd call the person. That way they could be around at a shop, and then come back quickly. We never had as many people as you - so we had more wiggle room. I'm not sure how that would work with a serious line up. Kind Regards, Rachel The HUB Community Bike Shop - Ventura, CA

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We need space
by Garry Zimmerman 16 May '13

16 May '13

I am a volunteer at the Bicycle Resource of Bend in Bend, Oregon. We rent a small office space where we repair donated bicycles and we have five 10'X20' storage units packed with bikes and parts. We sell bikes to cover our $850 a month rent. We are so packed it is hard to turn around. My question is: What have other non-profits done to give them selves the space they needed? Garry BROB

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http://www.bikecollectives.org/ Is DOWN
by director 14 May '13

14 May '13

Anyone know what's going on? http://www.bikecollectives.org/ -- -- Rich Points http://communitycycles.org Executive Director (c)303-589-0597 (w)720-565-6019 Community Cycles is Boulder's only bike shop dedicated to bike commuting. Find us on facebook https://www.facebook.com/CommunityCycles

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Shop data management?
by Andrew Shooner 09 May '13

09 May '13

What kind of data do you record as part of your shop operations? Right now we use a somewhat abused set of spreadsheets to track our pertinent info, but I'm in the process of creating a more task-specific database (a web app) to handle it all better. Here is what we track now: - Volunteer hours (to add volunteer sweat equity credit to volunteers' records) - Sweat equity used (to subtract credit for purchase of bikes, parts, stand time) - Bike sales: Bike ID, how it was paid (cash/equity), how it will be used Our cash & credit sales are tracked independently on a POS/register. Right now that is all done on paper, then later entered into the spreadsheets. It's kind of a cumbersome process, but visitors are comfortable with a paper sign-in sheet, and volunteers are comfortable with a spreadsheet (vs. a database). We don't track overall number of shop visitors (although we do hang on to our paper sign-in sheets), or gross volume of stand time provided. While we have contact info for all visitors on a waiver they fill out the first time they come in the shop, we would probably have a difficult time if we needed to quickly find an emergency contact for someone, since they are all just on paper right now. I'd like to integrate that all together into the database. Since I'm writing this front desk app, I thought I'd ping the community to see if these are common needs, or if there are other common needs that I could consider as I develop it. I'd love for it to be useful enough to offer to the broader community at some point. -Andy Broke Spoke Community Bike Shop Lexington, KY

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Resources for starting a community bike shop
by Emrys Prussin 09 May '13

09 May '13

Hi There, We are starting a community bike shop in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories and wondered if there were any resources out there with tips on starting up and things that others have learned in the process of starting their own community shops. We are in the process of putting together a first order for tools, to allow us to have at least three people working in the shop at once during community classes and for volunteers. Is anyone aware of a tool list that might give us some extra direction? any suggestions would be much appreciated, Oldtown Bike Works Yellowknife, NWT

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Question - Role of Community Bike Shops in Bike Advocacy
by james bledsoe 06 May '13

06 May '13

In Los Angeles, The los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition does the heavy lifting in this department. leaving us at the Bicycle Kitchen to focus on wrenching and empowering more regular folks to just ride their bicycles. This creates a larger pool of potential allies and advocates increasing the chances that the more politically minded among us will meet and the necessary magic will transpire. Like build it and they will come, wrench and they will roll!! jim --- On Sat, 5/4/13, Jason Tanzman <jason.tanzman(a)gmail.com> wrote: From: Jason Tanzman <jason.tanzman(a)gmail.com> Subject: [TheThinkTank] Question - Role of Community Bike Shops in Bike Advocacy To: thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org Date: Saturday, May 4, 2013, 12:37 PM Hey all, I'd love to hear stories of community bike shops explicitly involved in bike advocacy. I interpret "bike advocacy" pretty broadly but am thinking along the lines of fighting for bike lanes, changing bike-negative laws, pushing for complete streets policies, etc. I'm spending some time thinking about the role of community bike shops in the bike advocacy movement. One theme I've been reflecting on - and I welcome people's thoughts, comments, push-back, etc - is this. The bicycle advocacy movement is limited in its potential in part because of the lack of diverse community leadership and participation from traditionally under-represented communities (we/they are a bunch of old white men). Community bike shops have an incredible diversity of experiences and connections to traditionally under-represented communities, but a lack of intentional engagement in policy work limits community bike shops' ability to have a broad-reaching and long-term impact. I'm trying to understand how really grassroots organizations can have a more broad-reaching impact - and where community bike shops have succeeded (or failed) in using our networks to involve people in influencing legislation or government investments. I welcome any stories that in any way touch on the relationship between community bike shops to advocacy initiatives! Jason Tanzman Cycles for Change -- Development and Outreach Director 612-232-2737 (cell) 651-222-2080 (shop) www.cyclesforchange.org The mission of Cycles for Change is to be an open, accessible space to educate and empower people to use bicycles as transportation, helping to build a sustainable environment and community. Volunteer with us to help build a bicycling movement in the Twin Cities! -----Inline Attachment Follows----- _______________________________________________ Thethinktank mailing list Thethinktank(a)lists.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.…

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Question - Role of Community Bike Shops in Bike Advocacy
by Rachel Morris 06 May '13

06 May '13

I totally agree that bike shops are a fantastic forum for bicycle advocacy. It's one of the best ways to reach a broad base of people directly affected by bike legislation and road conditions. You get to meet people, one-on-one, and talk about the issues. The Ventura Bike HUB (our shop) is becoming an important forum for the Ventura Bicycle Union (our advocacy arm). We plan to start holding our political meetings at the HUB, as soon as we nail down the location (we're still building hopping). Depending on how you did your paper-work, most 501(c)(3)s can put up to 20% of their resources into lobbying - as long as it's not partisan or supporting any particular candidate. "Assembly Bill AB1371 is going toward the governor for a third time." I would appreciate some specifics on the most strategic approach to respond to this bill. Is there a point person we should target? What is the status? Are there specific talking points. If there's a good link I can read-up on, that would be helpful. Rachel Morris VCCool Executive Director/ Ventura Bike HUB Director www.vccool.org

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Question - Role of Community Bike Shops in Bike Advocacy
by Jason Tanzman 04 May '13

04 May '13

Hey all, I'd love to hear stories of community bike shops explicitly involved in bike advocacy. I interpret "bike advocacy" pretty broadly but am thinking along the lines of fighting for bike lanes, changing bike-negative laws, pushing for complete streets policies, etc. I'm spending some time thinking about the role of community bike shops in the bike advocacy movement. One theme I've been reflecting on - and I welcome people's thoughts, comments, push-back, etc - is this. The bicycle advocacy movement is limited in its potential in part because of the lack of diverse community leadership and participation from traditionally under-represented communities (we/they are a bunch of old white men). Community bike shops have an incredible diversity of experiences and connections to traditionally under-represented communities, but a lack of intentional engagement in policy work limits community bike shops' ability to have a broad-reaching and long-term impact. I'm trying to understand how really grassroots organizations can have a more broad-reaching impact - and where community bike shops have succeeded (or failed) in using our networks to involve people in influencing legislation or government investments. I welcome any stories that in any way touch on the relationship between community bike shops to advocacy initiatives! Jason Tanzman Cycles for Change -- Development and Outreach Director 612-232-2737 (cell) 651-222-2080 (shop) www.cyclesforchange.org The mission of Cycles for Change is to be an open, accessible space to educate and empower people to use bicycles as transportation, helping to build a sustainable environment and community. Volunteer with us to help build a bicycling movement in the Twin Cities!

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Fwd: What SPOKES is up to... Oakland Spokes Community Bike Lounge
by Brian Drayton 30 Apr '13

30 Apr '13

Help Support SPOKES Community Bike Lounge. 465 9th street Oakland Ca A movement and a space creating a social and community bike space collectively supported by Community Bike Organizations *(CBO)* ** . As a Pop up , our goal is to be a campaign headquarters to highlight the contributions of CBO's in our area. We are currently crowd funding however our development of the fundraising plan needs the seeds of your support. <https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=JFMWCU…> SPOKES has been operating in Richmond, CA for four years and has had Great success unveiling the hidden bike culture in Richmond. SPOKES has been stimulating economy and green mobility in the heart of Richmond’s Downtown renaissance, and creating the resources and space for a city of 259,000 people with no bike shop. SPOKES customers not only buy bikes and repair and maintain their bikes, but also congregate and cultivate a movement of healthy living and mobility. During this time, SPOKES notoriety and work has been recognized and the SPOKES model requested by communities in San Pablo, EL Cerrito, Berkeley, Oakland, San Leandro, Los Angeles, CA, Atlanta, GA, Minneapolis MI, and in Washington DC. ** *Unfortunately the Richmond SPOKESHOP Bike Shop & Lounge will not be able to renew it's lease after May 1, 2013 at Market square Mall. We are beginning a campaign to raise capitol to find another *permanent* home for spokes in Richmond, Ca. * *The Oakland SPOKES Community Bike Lounge is being established to be the * * campaign headquarters of SPOKES National and the focal point of a fund raising ** campaign to relocate and sustain the founding SPOKESHOP in Richmond, and to establish a fund ** for supporting SPOKES affiliated Community bike organizations nationally. * * * *We will be launching an IndieGogo crowd funder in about a week and need support in finishing touches and stock for the new place. It would be awesome to *receive* any amount from you as *colleagues* or from your networks in support. SOKES believes that united we can change the global fight to create peaceful productive mobile green Communities and *more so to* make bikes a reality for all our communities through supporting Community Bike Organizations. * * * *[image: Inline image 1]<https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=JFMWCU…> * > Calling all community and community bike minded businesses and > organizations. > Oakland SPOKES is launching a hyper local/National Community Bike > Organization (CBO) Campaign and is setting up a community bike lounge in > partnership with Pop Up Hood Oakland to host “Bay Built Bikes” by East Bay > Area Community Bike Organizations (CBO) and, local mechanics/builders and > bike art vendors. > This Bike lounge will display and consign Bikes built by Bay Area > mechanics as part of the campaign Headquarters for SPOKES National’s > Community Bike Organization Project. Our goal is to collectively advocate > for earmarked City, State, and Federal Funding of our communities’ CBO > Projects. This lounge will have commuter accessories, and catered café > fixings from Awaken Cafe, Bicycle Coffee, Numi Tea, and Rock the Bike > smoothies in its cool Old > T > own Location > > 465 9th street Oakland > Ca > . We will be having daily opportunities for you as **members to reserve > space to do workshops, and host bike-related social events. > > Our soft opening will be held in conjunction with Oakland’s First Friday > on May 3rd 2013. Following that, our grand opening will take place in the > middle of the Bike to Work After Party and we will be hosting the official > Bike to work “After Party -After Party”. We plan to have DJ music by Abel > Dee and special guests and perhaps some Bike Flix to keep the pedals > turning. > > The lounge will have a map of the East Bay covering an entire wall as > focal accent. This map will have pushpins for all the CBO’s. Bike routes > will be marked out on the map in red and will begin from the SPOKES > Community Bike Org Hub on the map along routes to each site pinned on the > map. This map will serve as a visual guide to patrons of where all our > shops are located in reference to each other the hub and their lives. The > SPOKESHOP community bike lounge will also provide your organization with a > space for exposure in Downtown Oakland where you can showcase your bikes, > bike art, bike jewelry and swag for sale. > > Each member shop or org will need to contribute their high quality logo > and a “Bay Built Bike” or bike product(s) to be part of the for sale > consignment exhibit. We will highlight your logo, branding and location > on a string of *banners in the lounge. Your product or bike will be > mounted on the wall or rack with a short bio of your organization and name > of the builder or artist behind the product. All sales will be tracked as > consignment and you will have the opportunity to refresh your line of > products as it sells. Our goal is to help our businesses or organization > further penetrate the bike movement and bike industry and send business as > well as awareness to the customers in your community. Through crowd funding > and a capital campaign, we intend to raise funds to advocate for bikes as > part of community economic development. > > In order to participate, we require you to be a **member of the Community > Bike Collective. > https://sites.google.com/a/richmondspokes.org/about/programs-1/cbc > > This successful model will serve as a hub of resources for cyclists in > East Bay by providing them with maps and quick commuter tips. > Increase your sales and impact while celebrating green mobility today. > Join us now! > https://sites.google.com/a/richmondspokes.org/about/programs-1/cbc > *To have a banner in the Oakland SPOKESHOP Community Bike Lounge we do > require a $25 fee and consigned product subject to our approval for our > gallery consignment space. > **There is no Membership fee for this inaugural group, as SPOKES wants to > encourage our founding member organizations to jump on the bandwagon and > participate on collective bargaining for funding and resources. > Inaugural members will have links to their business or organization on our > website member page and a placard in the shop. <https://sites.google.com/a/richmondspokes.org/about/programs-1/cbc> We're in the 465 9th street Oakland Ca space... Need to connect to everyone on details of this fantastic collective community bike pop up. Meeting Wednesday May 1 2013 at 7:00. Please Rsvp. > *Swag > / > Bikes > / > Music > / > Food > / > Workshops > / > Rides* - Soft Opening This First Friday. - Grand Opening...... May 9, 2013! *Anyone putting a bike in the gallery should send me a pix of your bike to be consigned: and full bio on your shop , the mechanic that built the bike , make Model and components and estimated sale price.* Looking for art and swag. We will talk about the consignment and collectively create the consignment contract on Wednesday. Bikes: We have Soft confirmations on Roll Up Bikes , Cosmic Cycles , Oakland SPOKES, and Rock the Bike. WHo's next...? Food: We have Soft confirmations on Bicycle Coffee, Numi Tea, Awaken Cafe, and James and the Giant Cupcake as food. NEED Linden BEER ADAM Art: We have Soft confirmations on Red Bike and Green, Zapinc, and Oaklandish on ART. Need some more art dedicated for Last week of May. Music: We have Soft confirmations on Music from Ross Aebldee Robinson Need some resident DJ gear.. and more dj:s for thursday Friday and Saturday Evenings. Workshops: We have Soft confirmations on workshops from Oakland SPokes, Binx Garage, Roll Up We need: proposals for workshops: by Tuesday evening. Come on SPOKELAND, Waterside WOrkshops, Cosmic Cycles, Bikes For Life - Speedy flat repair - Basic lube and tune - Wheel Truing - Deterring Bike Thieves - WHO WANT TO DO BIKE CHURCH: Three workshops in one Sunday mornings. Brian Drayton 510) 545-2243 brian@ <brian(a)richmondspokes.org>O aklandspokes.org http://www. <http://www.richmondspokes.org/>o aklandspokes.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Why re-invent the wheel ...when you can tighten the spokes? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >

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Rome, May 29th–May 31th 2013. Forum of bike recycling and community workshops
by Ciclofficine popolari Roma 30 Apr '13

30 Apr '13

FORUM OF BIKE RECYCLING AND COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS Three days of Bike Kitchen Forum (May 29th – 31st) in Rome We are glad to invite you to a Forum of bike recycling and community workshops which will take place in Rome, May 29th – May 31th 2013. Please confirm your participation at info(a)ciclofficinepopolari.it ------ After ten years of wrenches and ideas, we would like to reflect about the meaning and the evolution of today’s Bike Kitchens and Bike Communities, the sense of the reappropriation of the common spaces and the importance of the knowledge exchange. We feel the need to think about our bike riding direction and about the meaning of our mechanical skills. Starting from these questions we decided to share these thoughts with others Bike Kitchens which have similar experiences and horizons, even though belonging to dissimilar metropolitan environments. Places where, for example, biking is already part of the means of transport and it’s regulated by laws and standard normative, or places in which Bike Kitchens are sponsored by public or private entities, or can be organized as non-profit entities. For all these reasons we thought to create a gathering between the Bike Kitchens and Critical Mass which will take place the preceding week to the 10th Ciemmona (May 29th, 30th, 31st). Therefore we decided to host a Cyclocamp (from the 24th of May 'till the 3rd of June) and a Bike Kitchen Forum, not only for greasing ourselves from head to feet but also for sharing thoughts, ideas, practices and knowledge. We are convinced that putting together all these Bike Kitchens, in their similarities and mainly differences, we will be able to bring a renewed conscience in our global thinking and local acting. In order to promote this discussion we thought that could be useful to concentrate it in the three first days before the Ciemmona (29th , 30th, 31st of May) in which will take place the Forum. The following program is our proposal, is open to possible changes and rearrangements, and it has to be developed together Day 1 – Wed May 29th, 2pm-6pm. THE BIKE KITCHENS AND THEIR PRACTICES. Presentation of our experiences and different battle fields. Recycling, do-it-yourself, convivial technologies. Day 2 – Thu May 30th , 2pm-6pm. PROJECTS AND TERRITORY. Presentations of our differences: bottom-up /institutional initiatives, non-profit/ money-free approach. What do we do besides repair/invent/built up bicycles? Which objects and technologies are more people oriented? Welding, carpentering, sawing, etc. Day 3 – Fri May 31st 2pm-5pm. THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY. The Bike Kitchen reality was born starting from common needs and develops through sharing practices and ideas. Are there any other pathways to share? Does it make sense to organize a European Bike Kitchen Network? Which would be its use and goals? Could we think about a yearly international meeting of the Bike Kitchens? Could we do it during the Ciemmona or the Summer Cyclocamps? Should it be Itinerant? We would like to invite to present your experiences through an English presentation (powerpoint or similar, suggested format pdf) to be delivered to the other Bike Kitchens. Suggested Template for the presentation: Who are you (the speaker)? (1 slide) Which reality do you represent? (1 slide) Your organization: where is located, opening hours, how many activists, ect. Modus operandi and users Past and future projects These presentations, together with a small report of the three Forum days, will constitute a document that we would like to put together in a small publication. For all the participants, the garden of the CSOA eXSnia will be available for your camping tents, your skills, your ideas, etc. The camp site is totally free and you have to collaborate in its organization and management. We are strictly anti-fascist, anti-sexist and anti-racist. Please do not join us if you do not recognize yourself in these fundamental values. Roman people’s Bike Kitchen Network The Cyclocamp: http://ciclofficinepopolari.it/en/iniziative/2013/cyclocamp-roma/ , http://cyclocamp.org The Forum: http://ciclofficinepopolari.it/en/iniziative/2013/forum-delle-ciclofficine/ The 10th Interplanetary Critical Mass (Ciemmona): http://ciemmona.org/en The location: http://exsnia.it/ciclofficina Please confirm your participation and talk a little bit with us about the subject and the structure: info(a)ciclofficinepopolari.it Book a space for your tent sending an email to: accommodation(a)ciemmona.org Do you need a bike? We’ll do what we can! Write to: bikesharing(a)ciemmona.org

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Thoughts on new forum
by christopher＠holisticcycles.com 30 Apr '13

30 Apr '13

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