- TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

Teaching Riding Skills
by Rich Points 30 Jan '13

30 Jan '13

Hey All, Our EAB program is almost 7 years old. Over the years we've gotten pretty good at teaching bike mechanics to our EABers but we fall short when it comes to teaching riding skills. One of my goals for this year is to institute a riding component to the program. Are any of you teaching riding skills as part of your EAB or Build a Bike programs? If so we'd love to hear how you do it. Ride On! -- -- 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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Working with Churches and other Religious Orgs to Collect Bikes
by Rich Points 30 Jan '13

30 Jan '13

Hey All, We're going to try something different this year by reaching out to local churches and religious organizations to collect bikes. Last year we had an unsolicited young man collect bikes for us as part of his confirmation. This was awesome and he collected about 40 bikes for us. I'm drafting a letter to send out to religious orgs in the county asking them to collect bikes for us. My goal is to find out what service projects the institutions already have in place, like confirmation, and see if we can piggy back those projects with bike collections. Have any of you worked with religious orgs to collect bikes? Please share any words of wisdom you might have. Thx Ride On! -- -- 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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Bike Share Advice
by Lyndy 30 Jan '13

30 Jan '13

Hello, I am a student mechanic for a campus bike shop in Pittsburgh. We are starting a new bike share program to rent bikes by the semester/year to our students. We have a lot of interest gaining for this endeavor, from short-term international students, from commuters, from activists, environmentalists, poor students and out-of-state students (who left their bike at home). We are purchasing bikes from a bike recycle program which I am helping to fix up and make road worthy. The school is paying for 10 bikes, $50 per bike, to start up the program. The school is also paying for U-locks, front and back lights, small tool repair kits, and helmets (S/M/L). We have a bike shop with all the tools to take a bike part and repair minor pieces, like inner tubes and brake/shifter cables, and will outfit it with more consumer items as popularity grows (seat covers etc.). The idea is to give a bike to a student, as well as a lock and lights (purchase of a tool kit and helmet from us is optional, however a helmet with receipt is required), sign them up to the bike registry (to help with theft and bike identity), and orient them with the local bike trails, safe commuting routes, and local community. The whole idea it to encourage a bike community within the campus. I will have bikes to fix, cyclists to teach, and less students will be driving or using local transit. The only issue is we don't know what to charge for renting bikes. It will cost us (the campus) $150 to outfit a person with a bike and all the materials at first, but afterwards only about $50-75 per new person (same bike, new helmet, maybe new lights). What prices should we be charging students to rent a bike for? How much should cover the cost, and how much should be for a deposit (incentive to bring the bike back with minimal damage)? As a bike share program we want to be competitive. It costs about $200-300 for a brand new bike, or $100 or a crappy Wal-Mart bike, but we also want to cover the costs of the program. I was thinking of $50 deposit, $50 cover charge per semester, or $50 deposit, $100 charge per year (and less if returning customer). However, the sustainability director thinks we should charge more. Any ideas? ~Lyndy

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Insurance_for_youth_welding_prog rams_thr ough bikes
by summitcyclingcenter＠yahoo.com 29 Jan '13

29 Jan '13

Thanks for the hitch input Sent from my HTC EVO Design™ 4G from Boost Mobile ----- Reply message ----- From: christopher(a)holisticcycles.com To: "The Think Tank" <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> Subject: [TheThinkTank] Insurance_for_youth_welding_prog rams_thr ough bikes Date: Sun, Jan 27, 2013 19:51 There are three trailer hitches I have used. For the larger loads I like to use the dual sided BOB trailer hitch, On some lighter trailers I like one sided hitches that have clamps on the rear triangle, only lightweight trailers should have one sided axle mounts. Christopher WallaceHolistic Cycles140 Harrison StOak Park, IL. 60304 -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Insurance_for_youth_welding_programs_thr ough bikes From: "summitcyclingcenter(a)yahoo.com" <summitcyclingcenter(a)yahoo.com> Date: Sat, January 26, 2013 5:44 pm To: "The Think Tank" <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> I've built a couple of simple bike trailers. Thanks for the photos. I really like your design. I would like to see your hitch and tow bar design. Sent from my HTC EVO Design™ 4G from Boost Mobile ----- Reply message ----- From: christopher(a)holisticcycles.com To: "The Think Tank" <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> Subject: [TheThinkTank] Insurance for youth welding programs through bikes Date: Fri, Jan 25, 2013 12:16 I build trailers without welding at all, some handle up to 1200 pound. I weld other trailers because I can. My thoughts are this, if I am teaching kids to think about designing, engineering, constructing things; I want them to be able to do it in the future with the tools they or their parents may all ready have at home or tool they can buy inexpensively. Some kids may have a welder at home, More kids will have a drill. I built my trailers with a drill and a conduit bender. I normally haul 350 to 400 pounds of gear with it. It can be made small to haul groceries or large to carry a sofa. We are currently making one to carry 12 bikes and the gear to teach a mobile bicycle safety course at schools. Christopher WallaceHolistic Cycles140 Harrison StOak Park, IL. 60304 -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Insurance for youth welding programs through bikes From: Nozomi Ikuta <nozomi(a)affordablebikesrecyclery.com> Date: Wed, January 23, 2013 8:28 pm To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> That was my thought exactly -- this is where our thoughts headed when we thought about welding. Cargo trailers, that is! On Wed, Jan 23, 2013 at 5:20 PM, <christopher(a)holisticcycles.com> wrote: what about building trailers Christopher Wallace Holistic Cycles140 Harrison StOak Park, IL. 60304 -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [TheThinkTank] Insurance for youth welding programs through bikes From: "Bronwyn Potthoff" <bpotthoff(a)gwi.net> Date: Fri, January 18, 2013 8:55 am To: <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> Hello, We’ve been unsuccessfully trying to secure insurance to initiate a welding/fabrication program through the Community Bicycle Center. Ideally, we’re helping youth develop technical job skills through creating low-rider and chopper bicycles --- but the point of the program is not about bikes, it’s about learning the welding and fabrication skills necessary to create a tricked-out ride. The major obstacle we hear from insurance companies is that we’re creating a high-risk “Frankenstein” product (or “functional art”) that is extremely hard to insure. As soon as we chop a bike, the manufacturer’s warranty is null and void (for good reason!) The actual welding with kids is not a huge issue – it’s what happens if a weld breaks or a kid injures him/herself going off jump with a bike that is not build to handle such stressors. Waivers and disclaimers will only go so far and are not bullet-proof. Because we’re a commercial entity, it’s obviously not covered under any homeowner’s insurance policy (which would be what covers you if you’re helping your nine year-old neighbor weld a sick mutant bike). Also, vocational school insurance functions differently – I checked that too. I may end up having to change the program so that our “product” is not a bike, but something less risky such as a static sculpture. Regardless, does anybody have any experience with securing insurance for commercial (aka nonprofit) welding work with kids during which a “product” gets fabricated? [Keep in mind, all programs are free AND the product created is also free --- no bill of sale is involved] I’ve touched base with other programs around the country that do similar work, but have not heard back. Thanks!! If it makes more sense to talk through this via phone, my number is 207 282 9700. Bronwyn Potthoff, Resource Development/Community Relations Director Community Bicycle Center(mailing) P.O. Box 783(shop) 284 Hill Street Biddeford, Maine 04005t: 207.282.9700 www.communitybike.net Providing Opportunities for Youth to Grow _______________________________________________ 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.… _______________________________________________ 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.… _______________________________________________ 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.… _______________________________________________ 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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Youth Bike Summit - Speakers + Workshops
by Pasqualina Azzarello 29 Jan '13

29 Jan '13

Hi Everyone, We're pleased to announce this year's Youth Bike Summit program *schedule*<http://youthbikesummit2013.eventbrite.com/#>! We've got a great line up of workshops and *Enrique Penalosa*<http://www.streetfilms.org/riding-bogotas-bountiful-protected-bikeways/>will be presenting the Keynote address along with Local Spokes Youth Ambassador, Devlynn Chen. An invitation, information, and online resources can be found below. Thanks for helping us to spread the word! *WHEN:* February 15-17, 2013 *WHERE:* The New School in New York, NY *KEYNOTE:* Enrique Penalosa, former Mayor of Bogota, Colombia *COST:* 3 DAY PASS: $20/youth; $35/adult *tickets include meals for all three days Tickets can be purchased here: http://youthbikesummit2013-eac2.eventbrite.com/#<http://youthbikesummit2013-eac2.eventbrite.com/> More info can be found here: http://www.recycleabicycle.org/about-us/youth-bike-summit<http://www.recycleabicycle.org/about-us/youth-bike-summit> FB Invite: https://www.facebook.com/events/552149951465199/ YBS FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Youth-Bike-Summit/230384430374509?ref=ts&fre… YBS Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/youthbikesummit YBS Twitter Handle @youthbikesummit *YBS STEERING COMMITTEE:* Bike Works in Seattle, Bikes Not Bombs in Boston, Neighborhood Bike Works in Philadelphia, Cycles for Change in St. Paul, West Town Bikes in Chicago, and Recycle-A-Bicycle in New York City. We hope to see you at the Youth Bike Summit! Best, Pasqualina -- Pasqualina Azzarello Executive Director Recycle-A-Bicycle Ph: 718-858-2972 Fax: 718-858-6201 http://www.recycleabicycle.org Follow us on Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/pages/Recycle-A-Bicycle/62453932286> Follow us on Twitter <https://twitter.com/#!/RAB_NYC>

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Bike Trailer
by summitcyclingcenter＠yahoo.com 29 Jan '13

29 Jan '13

EMT is inexpensive new and easy to bend. Possibly can be sourced from scrap yard or demo site. Sent from my HTC EVO Design™ 4G from Boost Mobile ----- Reply message ----- From: "Kevin Dwyer" <kevidwyer(a)gmail.com> To: "The Think Tank" <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> Subject: [TheThinkTank] Bike Trailer Date: Mon, Jan 28, 2013 07:23 I'd really like to see an open source cargo trailer developed. Single bed frames would seem to be an ideal base, easy/free to come by and capable of holding over 200lbs. Could be done as a workshop once or twice a year. Kevin Dwyer The Bicycle Collective SLC, UT On Sun, Jan 27, 2013 at 5:54 PM, Eric Montgomery <emontgo1017(a)gmail.com> wrote: On Jan 27, 2013 1:50 PM, <christopher(a)holisticcycles.com> wrote: I am using a tadpole trike with two wheels in front with disk brakes on each front wheel. I am lucky to be in Chicago land of some of the flattest earth on the planet. With lighter trailers I can use an upright bike with wide slicks and low pressure to get as much rubber to the ground. I do not go fast with over 400 pounds, a upright piano is about 500 pounds, I just take it easy. If you go slow and do not worry about your pace it is much easier to stop. If you get moving fast you are in trouble in so many ways. It would be nice to design brakes for the trailer to use it in places like St. Louis where down hills are part of life. I could figure out a system to have four wheels on the trailer with rim or disk brakes. My biggest problem was tongue weight and making the trailer balanced. PS plastic wheels can not take the side loads that metal spoked wheels can. Christopher Wallace Holistic Cycles140 Harrison StOak Park, IL. 60304 -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Insurance for youth welding programs through bikes From: John Brown <johnsbrown(a)gmail.com> Date: Sat, January 26, 2013 7:42 am To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> What kind of additional braking do you add to haul 350-1200lbs on a trailer? On Fri, Jan 25, 2013 at 9:16 AM, <christopher(a)holisticcycles.com> wrote: I build trailers without welding at all, some handle up to 1200 pound. I weld other trailers because I can. My thoughts are this, if I am teaching kids to think about designing, engineering, constructing things; I want them to be able to do it in the future with the tools they or their parents may all ready have at home or tool they can buy inexpensively. Some kids may have a welder at home, More kids will have a drill. I built my trailers with a drill and a conduit bender. I normally haul 350 to 400 pounds of gear with it. It can be made small to haul groceries or large to carry a sofa. We are currently making one to carry 12 bikes and the gear to teach a mobile bicycle safety course at schools. Christopher WallaceHolistic Cycles 140 Harrison StOak Park, IL. 60304 -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Insurance for youth welding programs through bikes From: Nozomi Ikuta <nozomi(a)affordablebikesrecyclery.com> Date: Wed, January 23, 2013 8:28 pm To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> That was my thought exactly -- this is where our thoughts headed when we thought about welding. Cargo trailers, that is! On Wed, Jan 23, 2013 at 5:20 PM, <christopher(a)holisticcycles.com> wrote: what about building trailers Christopher Wallace Holistic Cycles140 Harrison StOak Park, IL. 60304 -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [TheThinkTank] Insurance for youth welding programs through bikes From: "Bronwyn Potthoff" <bpotthoff(a)gwi.net> Date: Fri, January 18, 2013 8:55 am To: <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> Hello, We’ve been unsuccessfully trying to secure insurance to initiate a welding/fabrication program through the Community Bicycle Center. Ideally, we’re helping youth develop technical job skills through creating low-rider and chopper bicycles --- but the point of the program is not about bikes, it’s about learning the welding and fabrication skills necessary to create a tricked-out ride. The major obstacle we hear from insurance companies is that we’re creating a high-risk “Frankenstein” product (or “functional art”) that is extremely hard to insure. As soon as we chop a bike, the manufacturer’s warranty is null and void (for good reason!) The actual welding with kids is not a huge issue – it’s what happens if a weld breaks or a kid injures him/herself going off jump with a bike that is not build to handle such stressors. Waivers and disclaimers will only go so far and are not bullet-proof. Because we’re a commercial entity, it’s obviously not covered under any homeowner’s insurance policy (which would be what covers you if you’re helping your nine year-old neighbor weld a sick mutant bike). Also, vocational school insurance functions differently – I checked that too. I may end up having to change the program so that our “product” is not a bike, but something less risky such as a static sculpture. Regardless, does anybody have any experience with securing insurance for commercial (aka nonprofit) welding work with kids during which a “product” gets fabricated? [Keep in mind, all programs are free AND the product created is also free --- no bill of sale is involved] I’ve touched base with other programs around the country that do similar work, but have not heard back. Thanks!! If it makes more sense to talk through this via phone, my number is 207 282 9700. Bronwyn Potthoff, Resource Development/Community Relations Director Community Bicycle Center(mailing) P.O. Box 783(shop) 284 Hill Street Biddeford, Maine 04005t: 207.282.9700 www.communitybike.net Providing Opportunities for Youth to Grow _______________________________________________ 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.… _______________________________________________ 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.… _______________________________________________ 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.… _______________________________________________ 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.… _______________________________________________ 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.… _______________________________________________ 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.… _______________________________________________ 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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Bike Trailer
by christopher＠holisticcycles.com 29 Jan '13

29 Jan '13

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Bike Drives with Church Partners
by Jason Tanzman 29 Jan '13

29 Jan '13

Cycles for Change in St. Paul, Minnesota collects most of our bicycles through Bike Drives. Many of these have been coordinated in partnership with churches. We've found churches to be supportive of our work and focused on social justice. We've worked with a couple smaller churches and collected 20-30 bikes, and we also partnered with a much larger suburban church about 2 years ago and collected 150 bikes - which was almost more than we could handle. I highly recommend collaborating with churches for Bike Drives. In my experience, we've connected with a "social justice ministries" committee, rather than a youth doing service for confirmation, as Rich mentioned, but I'm sure both are opportunities to explore. Other groups we've worked with to coordinate Bike Drives include: business, including REI which has been an amazing partner, doing bike drives at each of their three metropolitan stores; a local Lions Club, which brought in 90 bikes; Eagle Scouts, who have done some very successful bike drives. This is from a few years ago, but Working Bikes Coop in Chicago had a pretty incredible operation coordinating dozens of Bike Drives and collecting bikes from throughout the Chicago metro area. Jason Tanzman -- 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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Re: [TheThinkTank] Deal with the devil!
by Scott Conlin 28 Jan '13

28 Jan '13

'Like' Ron. Well said. We find that kids are appreciative of any bike and we'd like to see more on them no matter where they are from. Riders who get free bikes many times start progressing toward better built bikes, because they find joy or utility in it. I think what we do here even in bike friendly Colorado as market expanding work. The big brands interested in just selling biles at $750+ could learn from this IMO. Scott Longmont, CO Recycle <recyclebikesforkids(a)gmail.com> wrote: >_______________________________________________ >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] Insurance_for_youth_welding_programs_thr ough bikes
by christopher＠holisticcycles.com 27 Jan '13

27 Jan '13

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