I'm actually reading Robert Pirsig's "Zen and thee Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" for about thee 8th time.... but it helps me notice that a good portion of my spiel goes back to ideas from his book.
   I've used this for funding apps, as well as general descriptions of what RIBs (ReCycle Ithaca's Bicycles) and thee growing international movement of outlaw (as opposed to commercial) bike shops are all about...

  "Bikes, as wonderful as they are in and of themselves, really are serving as a medium for other social changes. Thee empowerment of being able to fix your own means of transportation is great, but thee real magic occurs when you take two, three or four random folx from across various fabricated lines of separation (race, class, gender, age) and have them solve problems together. Most of thee time, those lines of separation totally break down... every once in a while, you have to subtly contradict forms of oppression that pop up, but mostly folx really are able to work together beautifully."

--
-BobWölfé Jung2, K.S.C.
Anarchic Discordian Bike Pyrate



On Tue, Dec 7, 2010 at 9:34 AM, Ainsley Naylor <needleandthread@gmail.com> wrote:
mostly this gets doled out when folks walk into the shop for the first time, but it works on the street as well:

We are a volunteer-run non-profit where we teach people how to fix, build or maintain their own bicycle. We provide space, tools, used parts and volunteer assistance on a pay-what-you-can basis but we are not free. We ask that you make a donation based on how long you were here and how much you accomplished. We get no outside funding whatsoever so that donation is literally what pays our rent.

(then I'll say something about not working on your bike unless you have a repair stand, don't use any tools you haven't used before without supervision, that we have a rule against guessing, and that no oppressive language or actions will be tolerated in the space.)

On the street we would also emphasize the fact that we take in donations and that just about anything is appreciated and usable.

Ainsley
Bike Pirates

On Tue, Dec 7, 2010 at 12:26 PM, <veganboyjosh@gmail.com> wrote:
We all have them. The 15 second schpiel you give when someone comes up to a table, or a friend says "what's that bike thing you work at?"

They become such an exercise in repetition that I know I often stop thinking about it and revising it once it gets ingrained enough.

I would love to hear everyone's, just for a fresh take.

Thanks!

josh.

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