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Re: [TheThinkTank] Thethinktank Digest, Vol 138, Issue 12
by Martyn Laxton 10 Apr '18

10 Apr '18

This email address is no longer valid Please delete it from your address book and mail server Please resend the email to info(a)rideoncycling.org and ensure this is added to your email address lists Thanks for your help Regards Martyn Laxton Founder & CEO of Ride On Cycling For All Registered Charity 1174055 www.rideoncycling.org -----Original Message----- From: Thethinktank <thethinktank-bounces(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> On Behalf Of thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org Sent: Saturday, 17 March 2018 20:05 To: thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org Subject: Thethinktank Digest, Vol 138, Issue 12 Send Thethinktank mailing list submissions to thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Flists.bike… 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..."

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Thethinktank Digest, Vol 139, Issue 5
by eric clough 08 Apr '18

08 Apr '18

I have been following the replies to my initial message about the Chinese bike share surplus situation. Thanks to all who have replied. I really got a good laugh out of the Slate.com link from (Elese Daniel Lee?). That was a fun and a useful perspective. Still, as with many folks I think, the images of tens of thousands of bikes piled up is shocking. I also very much appreciate the perspective that these bikes represent a resource that may be junk to the initial manufacturers but they may represent a functional and even valuable resource to someone else. I am a new entrant into this world of 'community' bike shops and international bike-aid projects. I am starting to learn that there are financial and logistical challenges to converting an abandoned bike into a usable tool/vehicle for someone who may need it. Front Street Community Bike Works Coos Bay, OR https://www.facebook.com/CoosCommunityBikes/inbox/?selected_item_id=1000001… On Sun, Apr 8, 2018 at 1:04 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.org > > 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: China Bike Share Surplus? (Ho?i Vi Nguy?n) > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: "Hoài Vi Nguyễn" <holita.vn(a)gmail.com> > To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> > Cc: > Bcc: > Date: Sat, 7 Apr 2018 22:31:49 -0700 > Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] China Bike Share Surplus? > Dockless bikeshare just implemented in San Diego a few months ago and > usual issues have arisen with the use. Bikes are left blocking entryways, > wheelchair ramps, and walkways. Users have thrown them into water bodies, > hung them from trees, thrown them into the numerous canyons. > > Business bros ride them through the downtown district. But more > importantly, houseless people have adopted them. The design considerations > of a shared bike: durability, low maintenance, easy to ride: make them > desirable as a poorer person's bike. The only limitation is minimal > internal gearing isn't enough for many of the hills in the city. Bikes are > often appropriated or stripped for parts. > > As a bike kitchen, the only concern I have is being able to maintain and > repair these bikes as some of their components seem to use non-standard > tools / be non-standard sizes. > > The effect of bikeshare though has been pretty cool. More inexperienced > riders-- riding erratically improperly illegally-- has made biking more > visible. Drivers are more on alert for cyclists. > > Hoai Vi Nguyen > core volunteer > Bikes del Pueblo > > On Wed, Apr 4, 2018 at 11:24 PM, Cyclista Nicholas <cyclista(a)inventati.org > > wrote: > >> Still not as horrifying as the bikes, which are genuinely actually >> abandoned, as opposed to parked. >> >> Speaking for myself and my volunteers and staff, we are entirely >> competent to assess whether components and frames are safe or usable and if >> it came to garbage, recycling, or reuse, we'd be in the position to >> determine which was appropriate. I have no doubt that a great number of >> community bike shops out there have staff similarly capable. >> >> We turn away plenty of bikes due to lack of fitness, but I'd hate people >> not to take them to us at all, thinking in advance that the bikes are >> worthless. Reuse should always be explored. I cannot imagine that the >> majority of those thousands of bikes failed in a fundamental structural >> way. That looked to me like pure foolishness and really poor planning. >> >> cyclista NIcholas >> >> >> >> On 2018-04-05 04:45, Elese Daniel wrote: >> >>> i work in the station-based bikeshare world and i'm privy to much of the >>> conversation/trepidation re dockless bikeshare. >>> in concept, i so totally respect the acquiring in mass of discarded bikes >>> for co-op and community use/resale-- because, yes, get the ppl bikes-- >>> but, >>> in the current dockless bikeshare/for-profit/venture capital world, i >>> share >>> some earlier voiced concerns regarding the safety, condition and >>> rideability of the bikes you'd receive -- which most likely originated as >>> cheap bikes to begin with -- cheap as in weak materials produced at high >>> quantity, low quality. (idk though-- trash... treasure.. sometimes one in >>> the same) >>> >>> on a lighter and truer note: my partner shared this article with me >>> yesterday and i really loved it <3 >>> https://slate.com/business/2018/04/astounding-photos-capture >>> -graveyards-of-unused-dockless-vehicles-in-american-cities.html >>> >>> -lee >>> >>> On Wed, Apr 4, 2018 at 8:11 PM, Cyclista Nicholas < >>> cyclista(a)inventati.org> >>> wrote: >>> >>> China may be weird about bikes in general. I had a friend who lived in a >>>> smaller city in Fujian province for to years, and they lived in an >>>> enormous >>>> apartment building with a very large area for bike parking in the >>>> courtyard. They said there were around a hundred bikes there obviously >>>> long >>>> since abandoned and rotting, but it was very taboo to remove them - you >>>> would get into serious trouble, even though the owners had long since >>>> moved >>>> away. >>>> >>>> Those pictures in the Atlantic turned my stomach. Staggeringly sad. If >>>> they have some huge capacity for metal recycling that will eventually >>>> take >>>> care of that surplus, but if so how long do they wait to melt them down? >>>> They could put a medium-sized country on bicycles with just the quantity >>>> shown in those pictures. >>>> >>>> Thanks for the heads up about this problem, Eric. We're getting a new >>>> bikeshare in our town in a couple of months, and maybe we can get ahead >>>> of >>>> contributing to this problem, at least. >>>> >>>> cyclista Nicholas >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On 2018-04-03 16:15, Gabriel Trainer wrote: >>>> >>>> Those are frightening pictures! One or a few bikes are cool. Thousands >>>>> of >>>>> bikes piled together are no better than a trash heap. >>>>> Gabriel >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, Apr 2, 2018, 3:10 PM Clint Watson <clint(a)bicyclecollective.org >>>>> > >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> I had a meeting with the Director of SLC Greenbike last week regarding >>>>> >>>>>> this. It's a huge and growing problem for many cities in the US. >>>>>> Apparently >>>>>> the business model for these operations is modeled after Uber or other >>>>>> tech >>>>>> startups--don't worry about profits, just get investment money and >>>>>> dominate >>>>>> the market/run other bike share companies out of business by offering >>>>>> the >>>>>> service free of charge to cities. >>>>>> >>>>>> The bikes average $200 each and because of that they are being used >>>>>> as a >>>>>> disposable resource. They're being discarded, damaged, and vandalized >>>>>> at >>>>>> staggering rates in places like Dallas. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> http://money.cnn.com/2018/02/05/technology/dallas-bikeshare- >>>>>> limebike-ofo/index.html >>>>>> >>>>>> And Seattle is now starting to see similar problems. >>>>>> >>>>>> I don't see it as a sustainable solution to transportation: if we're >>>>>> going >>>>>> to start seeing entire landfills full of bikes (i.e. the photos from >>>>>> China), that seems to undercut the argument that bikes are a more >>>>>> sustainable solution than other transportation options. And the bigger >>>>>> danger is that the companies offering this new model (Limebike, for >>>>>> example) have no long term model. They've been operating at a loss >>>>>> since >>>>>> inception and will continue to for the foreseeable future. If they >>>>>> replace >>>>>> more sustainable models, then pull the plug because they lose their >>>>>> investment funding, it will set the whole bike share movement back >>>>>> years. >>>>>> >>>>>> As for just using the discarded bikes in your local co-op, I'm also >>>>>> skeptical. If they're not being used by the bike share company, the >>>>>> assumption is they're damaged. I can't say for certain whether it >>>>>> would >>>>>> be >>>>>> cost effective to repair and repurpose a fleet of bikes that were >>>>>> barely >>>>>> usable in the first place because I haven't had first hand experience >>>>>> with >>>>>> them, but I'm skeptical. >>>>>> >>>>>> Just my two cents >>>>>> >>>>>> Clint Watson >>>>>> Executive Director >>>>>> Bicycle Collective >>>>>> www.bicyclecollective.org >>>>>> clint(a)bicyclecollective.org >>>>>> >>>>>> *The mission of the Bicycle Collective is to promote cycling as an >>>>>> effective and sustainable form of transportation, recreation, and as a >>>>>> cornerstone of a cleaner, healthier, and safer society. The Collective >>>>>> provides refurbished bicycles and educational programs to the >>>>>> community, >>>>>> focusing on children and lower income households.* >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Fri, Mar 30, 2018 at 1:40 PM, Katy Collet <katy(a)cyclonordsud.org> >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> Bonjour, >>>>>> >>>>>>> Prenez note que je serai absente du 20 >>>>>>> <https://maps.google.com/?q=renez+note+que+je+serai+absente+du+20+&entry=gma…>mars >>>>>>> au 2 avril inclusivement. >>>>>>> Pour >>>>>>> toute urgence veuillez contacter François Delwaide à >>>>>>> francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >>>>>>> Merci, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Hi, >>>>>>> I'll be out of the office from March 20th to April 2nd included. In >>>>>>> case of emergency, please contact François Delwaide at >>>>>>> francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >>>>>>> Best, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Saludos, >>>>>>> Estaré afuera de la oficina desde >>>>>>> marzo 20 hasta abril 2 inclusivo. En caso de urgencia, por favor >>>>>>> escribir >>>>>>> a >>>>>>> François Delwaide francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >>>>>>> Gracias, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Katy >>>>>>> Collet >>>>>>> Coordonnatrice projets internationaux >>>>>>> Cyclo Nord-Sud >>>>>>> 8717, 8e Avenue, >>>>>>> Montréal, QC H1Z 2X4 >>>>>>> 514 843-0077 >>>>>>> http://cyclonordsud.org/ >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ____________________________________ >>>>>>> >>>>>>> The ThinkTank mailing List >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Unsubscribe from this list here: >>>>>>> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bi >>>>>>> kecollectives.org >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ____________________________________ >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> The ThinkTank mailing List >>>>>> >>>>>> Unsubscribe from this list here: >>>>>> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bi >>>>>> kecollectives.org >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> ____________________________________ >>>>> >>>>> The ThinkTank mailing List >>>>> >>>>> Unsubscribe from this list here: >>>>> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bi >>>>> kecollectives.org >>>>> >>>>> ____________________________________ >>>> >>>> The ThinkTank mailing List >>>> >>>> Unsubscribe from this list here: http://lists.bikecollectives.o >>>> rg/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> ____________________________________ >>> >>> The ThinkTank mailing List >>> >>> Unsubscribe from this list here: >>> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bi >>> kecollectives.org >>> >> ____________________________________ >> >> The ThinkTank mailing List >> >> Unsubscribe from this list here: http://lists.bikecollectives.o >> rg/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > Thethinktank mailing list > Thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank- > bikecollectives.org > >

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China Bike Share Surplus?
by eric clough 08 Apr '18

08 Apr '18

Hello ThinkTank list serve and fellow community bike shoppers. I have been following messages on this list serve for some time now and it I think it is finally my time to post a message to the group. Is there an organization out there that in some way may be involved or working with the apparently vast surplus of bicycles in China? I just came across this web site for The Atlantic... https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2018/03/bike-share-oversupply-in-china-hu… Good googly-woogly!!! Talk about a bicycle resource!

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Thethinktank Digest, Vol 139, Issue 2
by eric clough 03 Apr '18

03 Apr '18

Thank you for your reply, Clint. I don't have much wisdom to bring to bear on this subject but the wasted resource grates against my native inclination for efficiency, re-use and re-purposing. My instincts tell me you are correct in that the construction style of these "share" bikes does not lend itself to long-life, sustainability or restoration into a more traditional bike - but I just don't know if that is true. I have never even ridden one. Which is why I put the question to this bike collectives list serve. On Tue, Apr 3, 2018 at 1:06 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.org > > 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: China Bike Share Surplus? (Clint Watson) > 2. Re: China Bike Share Surplus? (Gabriel Trainer) > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Clint Watson <clint(a)bicyclecollective.org> > To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> > Cc: > Bcc: > Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2018 16:10:25 -0600 > Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] China Bike Share Surplus? > I had a meeting with the Director of SLC Greenbike last week regarding > this. It's a huge and growing problem for many cities in the US. Apparently > the business model for these operations is modeled after Uber or other tech > startups--don't worry about profits, just get investment money and dominate > the market/run other bike share companies out of business by offering the > service free of charge to cities. > > The bikes average $200 each and because of that they are being used as a > disposable resource. They're being discarded, damaged, and vandalized at > staggering rates in places like Dallas. > > http://money.cnn.com/2018/02/05/technology/dallas- > bikeshare-limebike-ofo/index.html > > And Seattle is now starting to see similar problems. > > I don't see it as a sustainable solution to transportation: if we're going > to start seeing entire landfills full of bikes (i.e. the photos from > China), that seems to undercut the argument that bikes are a more > sustainable solution than other transportation options. And the bigger > danger is that the companies offering this new model (Limebike, for > example) have no long term model. They've been operating at a loss since > inception and will continue to for the foreseeable future. If they replace > more sustainable models, then pull the plug because they lose their > investment funding, it will set the whole bike share movement back years. > > As for just using the discarded bikes in your local co-op, I'm also > skeptical. If they're not being used by the bike share company, the > assumption is they're damaged. I can't say for certain whether it would be > cost effective to repair and repurpose a fleet of bikes that were barely > usable in the first place because I haven't had first hand experience with > them, but I'm skeptical. > > Just my two cents > > Clint Watson > Executive Director > Bicycle Collective > www.bicyclecollective.org > clint(a)bicyclecollective.org > > *The mission of the Bicycle Collective is to promote cycling as an > effective and sustainable form of transportation, recreation, and as a > cornerstone of a cleaner, healthier, and safer society. The Collective > provides refurbished bicycles and educational programs to the community, > focusing on children and lower income households.* > > On Fri, Mar 30, 2018 at 1:40 PM, Katy Collet <katy(a)cyclonordsud.org> > wrote: > >> Bonjour, >> Prenez note que je serai absente du 20 mars au 2 avril inclusivement. Pour >> toute urgence veuillez contacter François Delwaide à >> francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >> Merci, >> >> Hi, >> I'll be out of the office from March 20th to April 2nd included. In >> case of emergency, please contact François Delwaide at >> francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >> Best, >> >> Saludos, >> Estaré afuera de la oficina desde >> marzo 20 hasta abril 2 inclusivo. En caso de urgencia, por favor escribir >> a >> François Delwaide francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >> Gracias, >> >> Katy >> Collet >> Coordonnatrice projets internationaux >> Cyclo Nord-Sud >> 8717, 8e Avenue, >> Montréal, QC H1Z 2X4 >> 514 843-0077 >> http://cyclonordsud.org/ >> >> >> >> ____________________________________ >> >> The ThinkTank mailing List >> >> Unsubscribe from this list here: http://lists.bikecollectives.o >> rg/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org >> >> > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Gabriel Trainer <getrainer(a)bikefarm.org> > To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> > Cc: > Bcc: > Date: Tue, 03 Apr 2018 16:15:18 +0000 > Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] China Bike Share Surplus? > Those are frightening pictures! One or a few bikes are cool. Thousands of > bikes piled together are no better than a trash heap. > Gabriel > > On Mon, Apr 2, 2018, 3:10 PM Clint Watson <clint(a)bicyclecollective.org> > wrote: > >> I had a meeting with the Director of SLC Greenbike last week regarding >> this. It's a huge and growing problem for many cities in the US. Apparently >> the business model for these operations is modeled after Uber or other tech >> startups--don't worry about profits, just get investment money and dominate >> the market/run other bike share companies out of business by offering the >> service free of charge to cities. >> >> The bikes average $200 each and because of that they are being used as a >> disposable resource. They're being discarded, damaged, and vandalized at >> staggering rates in places like Dallas. >> >> http://money.cnn.com/2018/02/05/technology/dallas- >> bikeshare-limebike-ofo/index.html >> >> And Seattle is now starting to see similar problems. >> >> I don't see it as a sustainable solution to transportation: if we're >> going to start seeing entire landfills full of bikes (i.e. the photos from >> China), that seems to undercut the argument that bikes are a more >> sustainable solution than other transportation options. And the bigger >> danger is that the companies offering this new model (Limebike, for >> example) have no long term model. They've been operating at a loss since >> inception and will continue to for the foreseeable future. If they replace >> more sustainable models, then pull the plug because they lose their >> investment funding, it will set the whole bike share movement back years. >> >> As for just using the discarded bikes in your local co-op, I'm also >> skeptical. If they're not being used by the bike share company, the >> assumption is they're damaged. I can't say for certain whether it would be >> cost effective to repair and repurpose a fleet of bikes that were barely >> usable in the first place because I haven't had first hand experience with >> them, but I'm skeptical. >> >> Just my two cents >> >> Clint Watson >> Executive Director >> Bicycle Collective >> www.bicyclecollective.org >> clint(a)bicyclecollective.org >> >> *The mission of the Bicycle Collective is to promote cycling as an >> effective and sustainable form of transportation, recreation, and as a >> cornerstone of a cleaner, healthier, and safer society. The Collective >> provides refurbished bicycles and educational programs to the community, >> focusing on children and lower income households.* >> >> On Fri, Mar 30, 2018 at 1:40 PM, Katy Collet <katy(a)cyclonordsud.org> >> wrote: >> >>> Bonjour, >>> Prenez note que je serai absente du 20 mars au 2 avril inclusivement. >>> Pour >>> toute urgence veuillez contacter François Delwaide à >>> francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >>> Merci, >>> >>> Hi, >>> I'll be out of the office from March 20th to April 2nd included. In >>> case of emergency, please contact François Delwaide at >>> francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >>> Best, >>> >>> Saludos, >>> Estaré afuera de la oficina desde >>> marzo 20 hasta abril 2 inclusivo. En caso de urgencia, por favor >>> escribir a >>> François Delwaide francois(a)cyclonordsud.org >>> Gracias, >>> >>> Katy >>> Collet >>> Coordonnatrice projets internationaux >>> Cyclo Nord-Sud >>> 8717, 8e Avenue, >>> Montréal, QC H1Z 2X4 >>> 514 843-0077 >>> http://cyclonordsud.org/ >>> >>> >>> >>> ____________________________________ >>> >>> The ThinkTank mailing List >>> >>> Unsubscribe from this list here: http://lists.bikecollectives. >>> org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org >>> >>> >> ____________________________________ >> >> The ThinkTank mailing List >> >> Unsubscribe from this list here: http://lists.bikecollectives. >> org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org >> >> > _______________________________________________ > Thethinktank mailing list > Thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank- > bikecollectives.org > >

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Songs about bikez
by Cynthia Williams 02 Apr '18

02 Apr '18

Hey everyone, Sunny and I are working on a podcast about community bike shops that's going to air sometime in February on CiTR 101.9 FM, unceded Coast Salish territories, Vancouver. What are your favourite songs about bikes and biking? We need more solid tunes, especially songs written by women, queer folks, femmes (aka FEMcon) and Canadian content (CANcon), because radio stations in Canada are required to play a certain amount of CANcon. Are you in a grimey band? Send us your tracks! Cheers, *Cyn Williams * *Communications Coordinator* AMS Bike Co-op University of British Columbia 604-822-BIKE | bikecoop.ca | @ubcbike

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Cycles for Change (Twin Cities, MN) hiring an Executive Director
by Jason Partridge 28 Mar '18

28 Mar '18

Cycles for Change <http://www.cyclesforchange.org> in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN is hiring for an Executive Director! Here is the link to the job description: http://www.minnesotanonprofits.org/job-details?id=148680 We're looking for a dedicated, community-connected, justice-minded leader who can lead this organization in its efforts to use bicycles as a tool for mobility, health equity, economic transformation, and community empowerment. We're excited for a new leader who can help continue to deepen C4C’s commitment to racial, gender, and social justice. Femme/trans/women, black, indigenous, and people of color, GLBTQ people, people living with disabilities, and others directly experiencing structural oppressions are strongly encouraged to apply. Priority deadline for applications is April 20. Feel free to reach out with any questions! Jason

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ABCs Handout or Poster or Protocol
by Josh Bisker 28 Mar '18

28 Mar '18

Heyyo! Do you have a cool handout, take-away, or poster that shows people how to check their ABCs? Show & Tell time :) Josh Bisker 914-500-9890 New York Mechanical Gardens Bike Co-op <http://bikecoop.nyc/> 596 Acres <http://596acres.org/> Bindlestiff Family Cirkus <http://bindlestiff.org/>

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Insurance: costs and coverage
by A Westphal 26 Mar '18

26 Mar '18

Hello folks, Common Cycle in Ann Arbor, Michigan is hoping to transition from a mobile repair operation into a storefront cooperative. We currently have a $1 million general liability insurance policy, and we pay around $700/yr for that coverage. Our adviser suggested that we should get directors and officers insurance to protect the 10 board members above and beyond the $1M policy. *My questions*: --> What insurance policies does your organization hold? How much do you pay for that coverage? --> Should Common Cycle purchase additional policies based on our move into a physical space? (in our case, physical space = more patrons served, so our liability may increase). PS: yes, I see the info about insurance on the Wiki ( http://w.bikecollectives.org/index.php?title=Insurance). I am hoping that this thread can collect more personal insights / opinions which don't appear in the Wiki. Thanks for reading, Andrew Common Cycle board member andrew(a)commoncycle.org https://commoncycle.org/

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NBW is hiring a Director of Youth Programs
by Steve Maluk 21 Mar '18

21 Mar '18

Neighborhood Bike Works, in Philadelphia, is hiring a Director of Youth Programs. If you're an inclusive leader with knowledge of the challenges facing Philly youth and a commitment to bikes as a tool for social progress, I hope you'll consider applying. If you have friends or contacts you think ought to see this job description, please spread the word. The job description is below, or can be downloaded here <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1suadKbTP0eKB2bjj05bPXB3FDUgNmO4X/view>. *Qualifications:* The ideal candidate will have 3-5 years of management experience in a non-profit setting or related field, a proven track record successfully supervising and supporting staff and volunteers, and experience working with diverse populations including youth of color and those from low-income families. Background knowledge of Philadelphia’s education system, history, bicycling community, and networks of youth development organizations is preferred. Candidates with non-traditional work and education experience are encouraged – please tell us about those experiences that qualify you for this position. Additional Qualifications: · Driven by the mission and work of NBW. - A Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Education, Social Work, Public Administration, or related field preferred; however, equivalent work experience will be considered in lieu of education. - Successful development and implementation of youth programming curriculum. - Commitment to social justice and youth leadership. - Experience with performance management and supporting the professional development of staff. - Facilitation skills, with experience leading a team through inclusive decision-making processes. - Knowledge of nonprofit management. - Must possess and demonstrate superb communication skills, both written and verbal. - Energetic and engaging with youth while being reliable, responsible, and professional. - Familiarity with Philadelphia’s neighborhoods preferred. - Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends as needed. · Experience with Microsoft Office required; database software and web content management systems preferred. · Successful passing of PA State Police Criminal Background Check, Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance, and FBI Clearance required. This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position, with a preferred start date of May 7, 2018. The pay range for this position is $37,500 to $42,500 annually, depending on experience and qualifications. NBW offers a competitive benefits package, including health, dental, and retirement plans. *Please email your resume and cover letter* to jobs(a)neighborhoodbikeworks.org. Applications received by April 13, 2018 will receive priority consideration. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and actively seek staff who reflect the community we serve. Candidates of color are encouraged to apply. --- Steve Maluk He/Him/His Executive Director *Neighborhood Bike Works <http://neighborhoodbikeworks.org>* <215-386-0316%20x%20113>215-386-0316 x118 <https://neighborhoodbikeworks.org/houseparty>

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Tool Board Fashion Show: Update from NYC!
by Josh Bisker 21 Mar '18

21 Mar '18

Pals! Thanks so much for your tool board photos and reflections. I have an update from us below, and then links to a photo gallery of everyone's submissions from the Think Tank and Facebook. Update: we dramatically reduced the number of tools on our main tool boards to just the essentials, and collected the more bikey tools to a single mechanics board and a tool chest. Below is a photo of our new tool board layout <https://flic.kr/p/24h3RmG>. Charlie's Freewheels in Toronto was our closest model for inspiration: thank you Charlie's! The new layout has been HUGELY helpful for participants and volunteers. - People are less intimidated by the boards! The whole situation is more approachable. - Things get put back more often and with less hassle. - Fewer broken and missing tools. - Better interface for volunteers to help out before participants try a repair that requires expertise or finesse. - Easier to expand operations -- we can see adding a second set of tools to each board on the same pegs as the current ones, with minimal costs and no added confusion. Also! Taking one cue from the shipping container bike repair station in Winnipeg and another from the short tool boards in Salt Lake City, we also *rearranged the layout of our shop, and it kicks ass.* - We used to have a shop floor with tool board and benches on the perimeter and work space in the center. Chaos! - NOW, we have the benches and tools in the center, and stands on the perimeter. SO SMOOTH! It's way, way easier and nicer to work. - We also shortened the heights of the work benches so there's one tall, one medium, one small. - AND, because we shortened the heights of the tool boards, you can see right over them -- so the space feels unified and coherent, not like a bunch of random siloed activities. Lessons we learned: - Fewer tools on each board is better for everyone. Couple this with a master mechanics' board for success. - Pegboard is the WORST. Plywood and nails 4EVA. - Yes, mark the boards with tool names and sizes, BUT ALSO: *mark the tools.* Use an enamel paint marker and clear-coat it with nail polish. This way, new folks can learn the sizes of wrenches and the names of things when they're in hand, and can also easily put them back on the boards. - In a space like ours, centrally located tools and work benches are better than peripheral ones, because they improve the flow of people through the space. Future considerations: - We're going to add offset brake wrenches to the boards, because they are so everyday-useful. - We should have tried doing the outlines with chalk markers, not enamel markers, so that they're easy to erase and re-do. - Our work benches are too bulky and big, especially since people do most of their work in the stand. Less work bench would be fine. By and large, people use them as tables, not work benches. What we really need are just places for folks to put the things they're working with. - I'd personally like to see the benches get decorated and personalized by volunteers, but that's a while away for us. Photo gallery - Here's everyone's tool boards <https://flic.kr/s/aHskuVEvhv>! I put them into a Flickr album. Each filename shows the co-op it came from. xoxoxo Josh Josh Bisker 914-500-9890 New York Mechanical Gardens Bike Co-op <http://bikecoop.nyc/> 596 Acres <http://596acres.org/> Bindlestiff Family Cirkus <http://bindlestiff.org/>

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