We have a similar system.  The main difference is that in order to participate in the "build-a-bike" program, the "customer" needs to become a paid member first ($25 for Students, $40 for Others... for 1 year).  The member then has two weeks to complete the bike.  Once the bike is completed, we charge them a very fair price for the bike based on what they did with it.  Prices tend to be low since the member/customer did all the labor.

We have a log sheet where the members can right down everything they did on the bike.  Some are better at keeping up with it than others.  We also put tags on each bike with the members contact info and the start date of the build.  This helps the volunteer staff quickly scan and see if the bike has gone beyond its two-week window.

If a bike is beyond that window, the bike is fair game for others to take over.  As with any system... there are exceptions...  and that's part of the reason we keep the member's contact info on the tag.  We can quickly call the member to find out what's up.

As an aside, the one-year membership also gives the member access to the workshop during any staffed hours.  Volunteering time gives a few more privileges.

--sam

Sam Santos
Volunteer
The Bike Project
Urbana, IL

On Mon, Jan 19, 2009 at 12:44 AM, Ryan Guzy <ryanguzy@gmail.com> wrote:
We have check sheets that go with each bike, as they work on the bike they check off what they've done and also record the date that they last worked on the bike. This helps the customer with an outline of what still needs to be done and shows the next volunteer what has been worked on already. We have a policy that if the bike isn't worked on for 60 days we'll make the bike available to other people. To facilitate this we usually only take money for the bike at the end of a build.

--Ryan
Bike Saviours, Tempe, AZ

On Sun, Jan 18, 2009 at 11:00 PM, Mark Rehder <mark@drumbent.com> wrote:
On 19-Jan-09, at 12:40 AM, Ryan Guzy wrote:

We started, and continue with the concept not to fix bikes for sale. Instead people come in, pick a bike and we teach them how to fix it up. We then sell it to them at a reasonable price when it's done. It's nice because the person learns something and also has something invested in the bike. On the flip side, bikes take longer to get done and you'll need a good sized group of volunteers, sometimes almost one volunteer per person.

--Ryan
Bike Saviours, Tempe, AZ


How do you keep track of all the bikes-in-progress?  If someone doesn't complete theirs in one shift does it just sit taking up space waiting for them to return someday?

I take it the groups here that are not worried about selling bikes pay their rent and expenses (if applicable) in some other ways...

Mark
re-Cycles Bicycle Co-op
http://re-cycles.ca


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