We only do the mobile bike shop for a select few events put on by organizations to whom we owe our existence. We became a shop with a static location for a reason, and people who ask us to visit for tune ups typically don't know what they're getting themselves into. Instead, we invite them to use the shop as they'd like. It's more fun that way. And we think it stresses the need for a community bike shop in every community. Folks shouldn't have to schlep themselves across the city to fix a flat. We'll totally visit a different neighborhood to help get a shop going.
And yes...we are very very very busy.
-rachael
On Sat, Jun 6, 2009 at 5:03 PM, Urban Bike Project Wilmington, DE < urbanbikeproject@gmail.com> wrote:
Josh,
We do tune ups (safety checks) for a Safe Kids Day/Bike Rodeo where kids bring their own bikes. This is a free service. Good publicity, and email addresses for the mailing list.
We also do valet bike parking at a big bike race and street festival but bring with us tools and and a stand for minor repairs. We don't charge people who need a tune-up or brakes adjusted (or whatever) unless they would like to donate something. Most people throw a buck or two in the jar. The event organizers have paid us in the past, a kind of arbitrary sum (donation) for the valet bike parking, not necessarily for the tune-ups.
As for last minute events, we used to really pull our hair out trying to do them. Now, since it happens regularly, if it's less than ~two weeks before the event we just say that we'd love to come next year, but need more notice because we're 100% volunteer run and have other lives/jobs/commitments. Also, if the event seems thrown together and disorganized, it might not have been publicized well and you might be wasting your time better spent in the shop or elsewhere.
Hope it helps,
Brian (we are super busy)
Urban Bike Project of Wilmington -a 501(c)3 non-profit bike shop- 1908 N. Market Street (entrance is in the parking lot behind the building) Wilmington, DE 19802
Hours: Thursday 6:30-9:00 Saturday 1:00-4:00
Visit us online at http://urbanbikeproject.org
On Fri, Jun 5, 2009 at 8:26 PM, veganboyjosh@gmail.com wrote:
I know Community Cycles isn't the only bike organization out there who gets these (often uber last minute) requests to "just send over a bike mechanic to do some repairs at our event...". We've done this before, but as the weather gets warmer, we're seeing more requests.
How do you handle these requests? Do you charge the event hosts? The cyclists?
Thanks, hope the traffic on thinktank has been slow cause we're all super busy!!!
josh.
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