TLDR; We are open in a *very* limited capacity and can expand our programs and services when A) Arizona isn't no longer a COVID-19 hot spot and B) we have enough volunteers return to man the shop.
Our pandemic journey at Bike Saviours has been that of trial and error. After a soft reopening with curbside repair and parts shopping, I tested positive for COVID-19. We closed the shop completely to quarantine and evaluate next steps. Once everyone tested negative, we decided to keep the shop closed to the public and sell bigger ticket items to keep the lights on.
So our two paid staff and a handful of volunteers are inside the building 5 days a week building bikes that we sell by appointment using Calendly. One of those days is reserved for just building bikes and no appointments. For our current use, Calendly has worked great and nonprofits get a 20% discount off a yearly subscription. We also have some fancy/rare items for sale on eBay.
Volunteers sign up for a shift using VolunteerSignUp and there are only 5 slots available per shift to avoid overcrowding. Lofty, though, as we usually have 1 or 2 a day.
DIY bike repair and instruction and parts shopping are central to our mission, so just fixing up and selling bikes feels weird. We field several emails, calls, and walk-ups each week and it's painful to say "sorry, we hate these circumstances, too" over and over. There are daily discussions about our capacity to bring back DIY repair and parts shopping and it's looking like we'll use Calendly to handle appointments for donation drop-offs, parts shopping, and bike repair at least until it's deemed safe to gather here in Arizona.
Shop rules are that everyone wears a face covering, mechanics use every other repair stand to maintain distance, and disinfect their tools when finished using them. All the bikes for sale are disinfected between appointments. There is hand sanitizer throughout the shop and reminders posted to wash hands frequently. We use a combination of fans and open doors to provide positive air flow in the rooms where appointments are held in an area separate from the workshop.
We haven't run out yet, but tube and tire supplies are running dangerously thin with little inventory to be found.
Thank you for sharing your updates and smart ways of handling this crappy situation!
Cheers, Nicole
On Tue, Oct 20, 2020 at 1:03 PM < thethinktank-request@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote:
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Thethinktank digest..." Today's Topics:
- Shop Operations During Covid (momoko saunders)
- Re: Shop Operations During Covid (barts@drcrankys.com.au)
- Re: Shop Operations During Covid (Cyclista Nicholas)
- Re: Shop Operations During Covid (wormsign@gmail.com)
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: momoko saunders analyst@bikefarm.org To: The Think Tank thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org Cc: Bcc: Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2020 18:24:22 -0700 Subject: [TheThinkTank] Shop Operations During Covid Hey all,
I'd love to get a quick update on what shops are doing for shop operations during covid. There was an awesome virtual workshop put on a few months ago. What are shops up to now?
At Bike Farm, we're still far from being open in our usual way. We have a parts selling shift for one day of the week. We meet people outside and get a list of items they want to purchase, then volunteers rummage around and find the parts and bring them out for the patron to choose from. We do not allow use of tools which is really hard but most people understand. We do have a selection of tools which we have available for sale for real cheap. This includes random loose allen wrenches, other wrenches, multi tools. Here are the guidelines for this shift https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xu3qCapSPopoQ7VbiqyG1VJdroA6WiJwBSPleTNf6QU/edit?usp=sharing .
We also have a shift where volunteers work on bikes in the shop for sale or for our community partnerships. We limit all volunteer groups to 5 people at a time, and we try to keep people in germ bubbles so that if someone does get sick, we've limited the exposure. Everyone wears masks at all times and keeps distant.
We have a 3rd night which we just added called our infrastructure night. On this night we work on cleaning the shop and making it more functional.
We have a document outlining https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EthWNOhjeo4sOQZobhrvykb_gTB4aGRKeMdiL0TUidI/edit?usp=sharing our covid protocols. I've made a copy of it for the thinktank to view. Everyone in the shop must read and agree to these guidelines before being able to volunteer.
With a vaccine looking like it will not be here and widely available till summer or even fall of 2021, we're looking for more creative ways to provide resources to the community, stay safe, and maybe make some money to pay rent. I'd love to hear if others have come up with creative ways to continue operations during this time.
Hope you all are well, -Momoko
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: barts@drcrankys.com.au To: "'The Think Tank'" thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org Cc: Bcc: Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2020 13:21:15 +1100 Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Shop Operations During Covid
At Dr Cranky’s we usually support Bicycle Hospitals run by parent volunteers at schools.
We can’t do that in Victoria, Australia so have tried shifting to remote/contactless operations.
We’ve managed to recycle over 50 bikes during CoVid and log the results online without any contact.
We send basic tool kits and parts to volunteers to use in their homes.
See https://www.drcrankys.com.au/uploads/8/6/0/2/86023530/remote_operations_unde...
Bart Sbeghen
Founder/CEO, Dr Cranky’s
M 0418 231 686
www.drcrankys.com.au*From:* Thethinktank thethinktank-bounces@lists.bikecollectives.org *On Behalf Of *momoko saunders *Sent:* Tuesday, 20 October 2020 12:24 PM *To:* The Think Tank thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org *Subject:* [TheThinkTank] Shop Operations During Covid
Hey all,
I'd love to get a quick update on what shops are doing for shop operations during covid. There was an awesome virtual workshop put on a few months ago. What are shops up to now?
At Bike Farm, we're still far from being open in our usual way. We have a parts selling shift for one day of the week. We meet people outside and get a list of items they want to purchase, then volunteers rummage around and find the parts and bring them out for the patron to choose from. We do not allow use of tools which is really hard but most people understand. We do have a selection of tools which we have available for sale for real cheap. This includes random loose allen wrenches, other wrenches, multi tools. Here are the guidelines for this shift https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xu3qCapSPopoQ7VbiqyG1VJdroA6WiJwBSPleTNf6QU/edit?usp=sharing .
We also have a shift where volunteers work on bikes in the shop for sale or for our community partnerships. We limit all volunteer groups to 5 people at a time, and we try to keep people in germ bubbles so that if someone does get sick, we've limited the exposure. Everyone wears masks at all times and keeps distant.
We have a 3rd night which we just added called our infrastructure night. On this night we work on cleaning the shop and making it more functional.
We have a document outlining https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EthWNOhjeo4sOQZobhrvykb_gTB4aGRKeMdiL0TUidI/edit?usp=sharing our covid protocols. I've made a copy of it for the thinktank to view. Everyone in the shop must read and agree to these guidelines before being able to volunteer.
With a vaccine looking like it will not be here and widely available till summer or even fall of 2021, we're looking for more creative ways to provide resources to the community, stay safe, and maybe make some money to pay rent. I'd love to hear if others have come up with creative ways to continue operations during this time.
Hope you all are well,
-Momoko
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Cyclista Nicholas cyclista@inventati.org To: thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org Cc: Bcc: Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2020 06:55:02 +0000 Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Shop Operations During Covid At RIBs we're actually closed right now due to (mostly) non-covid-19 reasons, but I just wanted to compliment you on your array of solutions.
I feel like this episode has thrown everyone off, all of these kinds of alternative procedures seeming unnaturally elaborate and intrusive, but that in reality all our projects were made up of artificial and complex processes anyway. So, we just design more processes. The pre-covid ones just felt more natural because we liked them better or were used to them.
Bike Farm's covid processes look pretty well rounded, especially when looking over your documents. I really like that you've broken down the critical elements for support (parts and tools to the public, refurbishing bikes, revenue creation, space care and development) and developed models for each. I also like your email thread solution for checking on unscheduled occupancy numbers, especially that you included a provision for keeping it (more) private. We've set up a similar email-thread-based checkin system for our volunteer nights.
Re: unscheduled occupancy thread, I assume yours first-come-first-serve?
Over here, before we closed (hopefully temporarily) we limited people in the space to the quantity that could be present with a 6ft distance, made all people interacting physically with the space wash or disinfect hands before touching things, and required masks at all times even when waiting out front for a slot. We're also considering getting one of those wall mounted thermometers and doing temperature checks for everyone seeking to enter the building, though that isn't required by our state or local authorities at this time. And we also kept the front door open but placed a sign (sandwich board) in front to block entry. Our sign also features a cool rotating dial that shows how many slots are available at any given time, though it's very simple and requires staff or volunteers to have the presence of mind to update it with each person leaving or entering.
We're all smart people! I know it's stressful and tragic going through all of this, but we can still figure out how to build functional systems. Good job Bike Farm!
~cyclista Nicholas
On 2020-10-20 01:24, momoko saunders wrote:
Hey all,
I'd love to get a quick update on what shops are doing for shop operations during covid. There was an awesome virtual workshop put on a few months ago. What are shops up to now?
At Bike Farm, we're still far from being open in our usual way. We have a parts selling shift for one day of the week. We meet people outside and get a list of items they want to purchase, then volunteers rummage around and find the parts and bring them out for the patron to choose from. We do not allow use of tools which is really hard but most people understand. We do have a selection of tools which we have available for sale for real cheap. This includes random loose allen wrenches, other wrenches, multi tools. Here are the guidelines for this shift <
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xu3qCapSPopoQ7VbiqyG1VJdroA6WiJwBSPleTNf...
.
We also have a shift where volunteers work on bikes in the shop for sale or for our community partnerships. We limit all volunteer groups to 5 people at a time, and we try to keep people in germ bubbles so that if someone does get sick, we've limited the exposure. Everyone wears masks at all times and keeps distant.
We have a 3rd night which we just added called our infrastructure night. On this night we work on cleaning the shop and making it more functional.
We have a document outlining <
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EthWNOhjeo4sOQZobhrvykb_gTB4aGRKeMdiL0TU...
our covid protocols. I've made a copy of it for the thinktank to view. Everyone in the shop must read and agree to these guidelines before being able to volunteer.
With a vaccine looking like it will not be here and widely available till summer or even fall of 2021, we're looking for more creative ways to provide resources to the community, stay safe, and maybe make some money to pay rent. I'd love to hear if others have come up with creative ways to continue operations during this time.
Hope you all are well, -Momoko
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---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: wormsign@gmail.com To: The Think Tank thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org Cc: Bcc: Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2020 08:02:43 -0700 Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Shop Operations During Covid Hey Momoko BRW is open for curbside sales 3 days a week. We allow a max of 4 volunteers inside at a time. We have one day a week that is building bikes and cleaning shop. Bike sales have skyrocketed and if it keeps pace it will keep our lights on through this.
The bicycle kitchen has a huge outdoor space and has been allowing patrons to wrench by appointment if they follow the protocol. They figure that when masked and keeping distance the transfer risk outdoors is much smaller. I was considering looking into how tool lending libraries function to see if we could offer a similar service so patrons can put on the parts they purchase.
Loconte
On Oct 19, 2020, at 19:21, barts@drcrankys.com.au wrote:
At Dr Cranky’s we usually support Bicycle Hospitals run by parent volunteers at schools.
We can’t do that in Victoria, Australia so have tried shifting to remote/contactless operations.
We’ve managed to recycle over 50 bikes during CoVid and log the results online without any contact.
We send basic tool kits and parts to volunteers to use in their homes.
See https://www.drcrankys.com.au/uploads/8/6/0/2/86023530/remote_operations_unde...
Bart Sbeghen
Founder/CEO, Dr Cranky’s
M 0418 231 686
<image001.jpg>
www.drcrankys.com.au*From:* Thethinktank thethinktank-bounces@lists.bikecollectives.org *On Behalf Of *momoko saunders *Sent:* Tuesday, 20 October 2020 12:24 PM *To:* The Think Tank thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org *Subject:* [TheThinkTank] Shop Operations During Covid
Hey all,
I'd love to get a quick update on what shops are doing for shop operations during covid. There was an awesome virtual workshop put on a few months ago. What are shops up to now?
At Bike Farm, we're still far from being open in our usual way. We have a parts selling shift for one day of the week. We meet people outside and get a list of items they want to purchase, then volunteers rummage around and find the parts and bring them out for the patron to choose from. We do not allow use of tools which is really hard but most people understand. We do have a selection of tools which we have available for sale for real cheap. This includes random loose allen wrenches, other wrenches, multi tools. Here are the guidelines for this shift https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xu3qCapSPopoQ7VbiqyG1VJdroA6WiJwBSPleTNf6QU/edit?usp=sharing .
We also have a shift where volunteers work on bikes in the shop for sale or for our community partnerships. We limit all volunteer groups to 5 people at a time, and we try to keep people in germ bubbles so that if someone does get sick, we've limited the exposure. Everyone wears masks at all times and keeps distant.
We have a 3rd night which we just added called our infrastructure night. On this night we work on cleaning the shop and making it more functional.
We have a document outlining https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EthWNOhjeo4sOQZobhrvykb_gTB4aGRKeMdiL0TUidI/edit?usp=sharing our covid protocols. I've made a copy of it for the thinktank to view. Everyone in the shop must read and agree to these guidelines before being able to volunteer.
With a vaccine looking like it will not be here and widely available till summer or even fall of 2021, we're looking for more creative ways to provide resources to the community, stay safe, and maybe make some money to pay rent. I'd love to hear if others have come up with creative ways to continue operations during this time.
Hope you all are well,
-Momoko ____________________________________
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Nicole Muratore