1. when building a system for your organization, remember that it's easier to scale down than scale up. so while the solution you come up with for processing bikes or storing fenders may work for 10 bikes per month, it may crumble under the metaphorical weight of 100 in a month. try to think forward and anticipate growth this way, so that the growth and demand can come and be controlled instead of a burden. 

2. keep communication lines open with the people who are working there, but remember your audience. it's vital to keep in touch with all of your core volunteers, staff members paid or unpaid, as well as board members and clients. the message or lines of communication should obviously be different for each of those, but it's important to be in a constant state of feedback/adjustment for what's working for people and what's working for the organization. 

3. be logical about tool acquisition. don't go out and buy a full set of professional tools yet if you're not ready. why spend $500 for a bottom bracket tap and facing set now, that's only going to sit around unused or worse, get misused and damaged, while you stress about paying the rent? better to be frugal in the beginning, build the tool set as you can afford/see the need, and build a better infrastructure that can easily afford a $500 tool in 6 months. don't think you have to purchase brand new tools in order to be effective. solicit local bike shops, mechanics, and other for their unused tools, and put those to work. don't forget to include that you'll accept tools as well as bikes as donations in your organization. 
3.1 (sneaking this one in): if there's something you need, don't be shy about asking for it from your community of supporters. remember that everyone involved with your group has a circle of friends they can reach out to, and THOSE people have circles of their own. USE these strong, already-established connections as much as you can. 


good luck! keep us posted on your progress.


On Wed, Oct 17, 2012 at 8:07 AM, Doug Franz <doug@coatesvillebikeworks.org> wrote:

Stewart, congratulations on getting started! 

 

My top three lessons learned:

1)       Don’t worry about a shortage of used bikes.  Once the word gets out, you’ll be flooded.  In fact, you should plan on processing them quickly so you don’t get buried.

2)      When somebody donates a bike or gets their bike worked on, point to your donation jar and ask them to put in what they can or what they feel the service is worth.  In the case of a donation, I tell people we put on average $20 of material into each rebuild, and could use some help covering those costs.

3)      Use the Bike Collectives wiki.  There are tons of good ideas there.  http://www.bikecollectives.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

 

Good luck!

 

Doug Franz, President

 

BikeWorks_3_wText

 

coatesvillebikeworks.org

like us on facebook!  http://www.facebook.com/CoatesvilleBikeWorks

 

doug@coatesvillebikeworks.org

610-383-4349

 

I respect your right to manage the amount of email you receive.  If you want to be removed from this email list, please reply to ONLY ME, with "unsubscribe" in the subject line. 

 

From: thethinktank-bounces@lists.bikecollectives.org [mailto:thethinktank-bounces@lists.bikecollectives.org] On Behalf Of Stewart Vanns
Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2012 7:25 AM
To: thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org
Subject: [TheThinkTank] New community cycleworks need top tips!

 

Hi,
We are in the process of setting up a community cycle project in south east London, Uk.

I just wondered if you guys & gals could pop down 3 top tips you learnt in your set up phase to help us avoid the common pitfalls.

We are planning to build a not for profit enterprise, with a 5 year business plan, focusing on recycling donated bikes, repairing bikes and doing this with young people and young adults.

The bikes will be given to trainees or sold very cheaply to local residents of low income.

We also plan to do outreach work at local schools to educate children in basic cycle maintenance.

We have funding, a venue and a steady flow of interested people.

Thanks in advance,

Stewart
Burgess community cycleworks.


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