- TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

Catching Up about BikeBike NE in APril
by andrew lynn 16 Nov '09

16 Nov '09

Hi everyone, If you are getting this email, you either already are, or have reason to be interested in BikeBike Northeast in Troy, NY on April 23-25. We plan to start doing some more planning and local strategizing soon, and just wanted to make sure you all were still on board. This will be a pretty big deal for us to pull off we want it to be good. This email includes bike co-ops and projects from Worcester, Troy/Albany, Ithaca, Montpelier, Poughkeepsie, Providence, NYC, Lewiston ME, Pittsburgh, and Coatesville PA.... perhaps even more people will come on board as we get it together a little more. Locally, it will be billed as a pre bike-month bike-weekend with out of town guests, workshops, movies and more. A QUICK DESCRIPTION OF HOPES FOR BIKEBIKE NE -an overdue meeting of the nor'easterly bicycle minds -discussion of best practices and sharing of experience -encouraging people to make it to the international bikebike in Toronto (we are organizing a rider there via the erie canal trail) -technical workshops - welding, trailers, tallbikes, ?? -some kind of fun bike race? -community meals -bike polo matches -bicycle movie nite and party WHY APRIL 23-25? we picked this date because it is just before bike month (May), when bicycle activists are typically busy promoting and participating in events and we wanted to avoid unintentional double-booking. WHERE most of bikebike NE will happen at The Sanctuary for Independent Media (http://mediasanctuary.org). some welding workshops and probably some music/partytime will happen at our shop in downtown Troy. Some kind of semi-organized ride will offer guests a two-wheeled tour of the region. HOUSING once we have a better idea of the amount of out-of-town participation, we will begin to work that out. but you will be roofed - be it on a couch, guest bed, or crash space floor. COST just like BikeBike Int'l., we will ask for a donation to cover food and conferencey supplies. the sliding scale amount is TBD, and we are not looking to turn people away. YOU please spread the word of this event to your bikey networks & dont hesitate to email us your suggestions by selecting the subject: BikeBike NE Info at: http://troybikerescue.org/contact ovr&out Troy Bike Rescue gang Troy/Albany, NY

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bike frame bike parking racks
by Bob Giordano 13 Nov '09

13 Nov '09

we just made another bicycle parking rack from old unusable bike frames, and donated it to a neighborhood park. they loved it. one recipe, of the several we are trying: 1- on a one-piece crank bicycle, strip frame to almost bare, especially bottom bracket shell 2- punch out bottom bracket cups 3- repeat with 2 more similar bicycles just posted a picture- click on link that is listed about 7 pictures down at: http://freecycles.org/pedaltechnology.html this new style is much more sturdy than the inverted frame, stem into the seat post method we had been using. -Bob g. free cycles. > Another thought - be careful with police department bike dumps. They can > sometimes be good, but the last police dept that "donated" us bikes literally gave us a week's worth of work scrapping out junk for pretty much > nothing that was useful. >

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carrying cargo workshop, designs needed
by Bob Giordano 13 Nov '09

13 Nov '09

we have some pix of no-weld, all bike part, 3 hour to make trailer at: http://freecycles.org/pedaltechnology.html it can be modified easily. pretty sturdy, though heavy loads require you to drill a couple extra holes for pins into stems. it's just forks, stems, cut frame tubing... design can be improved... -Bob Giordano, Free Cycles Missoula veganboyjosh(a)gmail.com wrote: > > Does anyone have decent plans for home made trailers

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Bike Collective Network mission
by Bob Giordano 12 Nov '09

12 Nov '09

from: http://www.bikecollectives.org/ "The Think Tank : Email List The mission of the Bike Collective Network is to strengthen and encourage communication and resource sharing between existing and future community bike shops. Collectively we can improve a bigger wheel as opposed to re-inventing smaller ones." I really like the first sentence. Could the second sentence be something like, 'improve a bigger wheel as well as reinventing smaller ones', or even just, 'improving the wheel one shop at a time,'. or???? The issue is I like lots of small stuff instead of fewer bigger stuff, and also we are always tinkering with small wheels, making new things at our shop. Just some thoughts for this group. thanks. -Bob Giordano Free Cycles Missoula

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Portland Peeps, anyone know Aaron Tarfman?
by Boson Au 12 Nov '09

12 Nov '09

got a facebook status alert from a acquaintance in portland that a bike activist Aaron Tarfman who lived in SE portland hasn't returned home in 24 hrs. there's a farewell letter on his website. http://tarfman.net/end/index.html I ended up reading the entire letter having never met the guy and was wondering if there are those in portland who know of him and know how to reach him. Hopefully this helps? I apologize in advance if this is inappropriate. ps: this was posted in bikeportland. http://bikeportland.org/2009/11/11/concern-grows-for-missing-community-memb…

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Cargo Framebuilding Apprenticeship Program
by Oregon Cycling 10 Nov '09

10 Nov '09

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE /Contact Natalie Dreyer, +541 344 1197, edcoord(a)catoregon.org/ *Cargo Framebuilding Apprenticeship Program Officially Accepting Applications* The "Human Powered Network" Invites Applicants To Make Some Real Change, One Cargo Bicycle at a Time EUGENE, OR, November 10, 2009 -- With one month remaining for its first class, the Center for Appropriate Transport (CAT) announced today that it is officially accepting applications for the second class in its ongoing apprenticeship program. The three current apprentices are now skilled in TIG welding, CAD design and frame fabrication. Nearing the end of their time in the program, they are currently building their own cargo bikes. This apprenticeship program teaches the fundamentals of bicycle frame building, with particular emphasis on the construction of cargo bicycles, tricycles and trailers. CAT also provides participants with hands-on instruction for starting and operating a successful cargo bicycle delivery service---a 100% CO2-free method of urban cargo transportation. Participants in this five-month apprenticeship take home the skills and designs needed to build their own manufacturing business and delivery service. Utilizing the principles of social enterprise, sustainability, and appropriate technology, graduates of CAT's apprenticeship program can join a cargo bicycle business network that will be based on concepts derived from micro and social franchising, as well as flexible manufacturing networks. "We are an organization committed to community involvement in manufacturing, using, and advocating for sustainable modes of transportation---and local business," said Jan VanderTuin, director at the Center for Appropriate Transport, "What we have done in our community, we are certain graduates from this program can do in theirs. Our intent is to create a Human Powered Network." The bicycles that participants learn how to build are based on European designs researched by VanderTuin in the early 1980s. CAT uses the cargo bikes, tricycles and trailers it builds to operate Pedalers Express, Eugene, Oregon's first and only year-round, all-weather, cargo bicycle delivery service. Pedalers Express has been providing its community with fast, dependable, weatherproof, same-day deliveries since 1992---saving an estimated 25,000 pounds of CO2 annually. For more information about the program, application and the Center for Appropriate Transport, visit www.catoregon.org/ *About the Center for Appropriate Transport * The Center for Appropriate Transport (CAT) is a non-profit organization committed to community involvement in manufacturing, using, and advocating sustainable modes of transportation. The first organization of its kind, the Center was founded in Eugene, Oregon in the fall of 1992. More information about the Center's many projects can be found at www.catoregon.org/ <http://www.catoregon.org/> /High resolution photos available on request./

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large group activity
by Bob Giordano 10 Nov '09

10 Nov '09

We've worked with two large groups in the last week- one was 20 university students and the other was 38 highschool students, both for an hour and a half. One activity that works well that i'd like to share: Everyone gets in a big circle with a wheel. The facilitator then shows how to spin the wheel to check for trueness... and then asks everyone to pass the wheel to the left. Then explain, say, a well-adjusted cone, spin the wheel, feel it, look at it, pass the wheel to the left. Give it a spin... lean into it so it really spins... check to see if all the spokes are there... any broken? what's the nut at the end of the spoke called? Yes. Pass to the left. Look at the axle. Is it hollow or solid? Why? Pass to the left. Is the axle bent? How do you know if a replacement axle is straight? Hint: anyone play pool? Yes! Give it a spin. Pass to left. Is the wheel your holding Aluminum or Steel? How do you know? What are the differences? -------------------- I think you get point fellow think tankers. Here are other wheel issues, as you pass the wheel around: reflectors, front or back?, rim strip, sizes, spoke tension, axle threads, weight transfer in spokes... I always go around the circle until everyone has the wheel they started with. (a teaching point is not needed for every 'pass to the left') And then a fun puzzle/game: 'Everyone hold onto the wheel next to you, so we have a complete circle. Now, how can we- without letting go of the wheels, and keeping a complete circle- move around so that everyone is facing outward instead of inward?' Once they actually do it, I have them reverse to the original position, and then as a closer, 'on 3, everyone raise your wheel in the air and yell 'wheel power!''. If the group is under, say, 7 years old, then tires work well for this activity and puzzle... -- Bob Giordano Free Cycles Missoula 541.7284 Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation www.strans.org, mist(a)strans.org, 406.880.6834

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City considers projects for Northside cyclists--responses needed!
by MoBo Bicycle Co-op 10 Nov '09

10 Nov '09

The City is considering two potential projects that would impact Northside cyclists. Before we move forward on either project, we need to know whether or not cyclists think they would be helpful. The City will not move forward unless they receive positive feedback from cyclists. > >>> 1. Bike Corral on Lingo Street: *Proposal* - The metered motor >>>> vehicle parking spot immediately before the stop sign on Lingo Street >>>> (facing Hamilton) would be converted to a bike “corral” that would hold 8-12 >>>> bicycles (see attached image). *Question* – Would cyclists use this >>>> corral, or is it too far away from Hamilton? (A corral cannot be installed >>>> on Hamilton itself because of the peak-hour parking restrictions.) >>>> >>>> 2. Loop Detector Pavement Marking on Clifton Ave: *Proposal* – A >>>> bicycle pavement marking would be installed over the loop detector on >>>> Clifton Ave at the Spring Grove intersection (by the Kroger). The pavement >>>> marking shows cyclists where to position their bike in order to change the >>>> traffic signal to green. *Question* – Do cyclists have difficulty >>>> triggering this traffic signal when making a left turn onto Spring Grove >>>> >>>> >>>> Please send feedback to melissa.mcvay(a)cincinnati-oh.gov<https://bl2prd0102.outlook.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=916be6fbf8f2472e9177e47ff33…>. >>>> I repeat, the City will not move forward unless they receive positive >>>> feedback from cyclists. >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> MoBo Bicycle Co-op >>>> a project of The Village Green Foundation >>>> 1415 Knowlton Ave >>>> Northside >>>> Cincinnati, OH >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> MoBo Bicycle Co-op >>> a project of The Village Green Foundation >>> 1415 Knowlton Ave >>> Northside >>> Cincinnati, OH >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> MoBo Bicycle Co-op >> a project of The Village Green Foundation >> 1415 Knowlton Ave >> Northside >> Cincinnati, OH >> > > > > -- > MoBo Bicycle Co-op > a project of The Village Green Foundation > 1415 Knowlton Ave > Northside > Cincinnati, OH > -- MoBo Bicycle Co-op a project of The Village Green Foundation 1415 Knowlton Ave Northside Cincinnati, OH

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Basic safety/maintenance manuals/curriculums
by Erik Stockmeier 05 Nov '09

05 Nov '09

Hi all- Like many shops, The Recyclery has given away free bicycles with helmets and locks as part of the charitable end of our mission for some time. For a number of reasons, including several new possible partnerships with Immigrant and Refugee groups in the Chicago area and the desire to qualitatively improve some of the long-term outcomes of our Freecyclery program (which currently ends with the bicycle/signature exchange), we are now considering developing a more thorough manual and 2-4 hour class curriculum. It would cover basic maintenance questions (patching tires, adjusting brakes and derailleurs) as well as bike safety/common sense (avoiding theft, sharing the road) and would, of course, make clear that The Recyclery exists as a place where they can get help if something does go wrong. However, not wanting to reinvent the wheel, I'm wondering if any other shops have already developed a similar curriculum or handbook. If so, want to share? If not (but you are interested in the idea), would you be interested in forming an internet working group to collaborate on such a resource we could share? Right now I am working with one of our potential partners and we are picturing a graphically-intense book, the text of which could potentially be translated by people that work for their organization into a number of different languages. From there we would recruit some volunteer graphic designers or find someone that knows how to work something like scribus ( http://www.scribus.net/) to make a nice little booklet (I'm picturing something that could be reproduced photocopier/zine style or done up more flashy) available to all. OK.

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church bike drives
by Jason Tanzman 04 Nov '09

04 Nov '09

Another extremely useful outlet for bike acquisition is church bike drives. Sibley did two bike drives in the last month that yielded about 50 and 100 bikes each, including some really nice stuff that has medium-high retail value, and lots of of functional bikes for our different community programs. I believe that Working Bikes in Chicago has a lot of bike drive/bike acquisition experience. Anyone from there have any suggestions on effective ways to acquire bikes? Do you have any documents or info sheets on how to organize a bike drive? I was thinking it would useful to have a document on how to organize bike acquisition - who to talk with, how to organize a bike drive, how to connect in with neighborhood cleanups, stuff like that. Anyone out there have any resources already put together? Another thought - be careful with police department bike dumps. They can sometimes be good, but the last police dept that "donated" us bikes literally gave us a week's worth of work scrapping out junk for pretty much nothing that was useful. Jason -- Sibley Bike Depot Volunteer Coordinator 612-232-2737 (cell) 651-222-2080 (shop) www.sibleybikedepot.org Sibley Bike Depot's mission 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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