We at velocipede do offer a 6 class bike maintenance curriculum. It's modeled after the classes designed by BikesNotBombs (http://www.bikesnotbombs.org/EarnABike) but we tailor it for an older audience; still their resources have been invaluable. Hence we try to do somewhere in between a basic maintenance and a more adv. mechanic type deal (we do go over overhauling components)

we don't currently charge any money. we might in the future if we can solidify the classes so that it's worth charging. (but I like sibley's model, maybe we should try to get funding to teach, and use that funding to either give some to the instructors and/or provide materials.)

our classes are bi weekly, around 2 hours or so (our schedule is such that we don't actually have a day per week we can dedicate to classes, only every other week). After our 6th class is taught we usually take a week or two off and then start over again. we usually get one or two staff members teaching.

our advertisement is flyers and our website. that being said, we do usually get anywhere from 5 to 15 people.

On Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 12:30 PM, Jason Tanzmanjason.tanzman@gmail.com wrote:

Hi everybody,

I'm putting together a workshop for Bikebike on how to organize and teach bike maintenance classes, and I would love some feedback from different sho Stps on their community education programs.  Info I'm interested in includes:

-Do you charge for your classes?  If so, how much? -How many hours/weeks does your class last? -How many participants do you allow in each class?  How many staff/core volunteers help teach the class? -How regularly do you offer classes? -How do you publicize your classes? -What classes do you offer? (Basic Bike Maintenance? Wheel Building? Safe Cycling/Commuting classes?  Advanced Mechanics classes?

I work with Sibley Bike Depot in St. Paul, MN; we teach all our classes for free which has been awesome.  We've thought about charging for classes but decided that the benefits of bringing new people into the shop and educating current volunteers outweighs the revenues that we might get from charging for classes.  We also receive about $1800 per year from a free community education program in the Twin Cities for teaching classes for free, which helps offset our costs of paying staff to teach classes.

I would love to get information/feedback! Jason Tanzman Sibley Bike Depot www.sibleybikedepot.org

---

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-Do you charge for your classes? If so, how much?

Yes, $160 for six two hour sessions. Included in this price is a year membership to CC and a Lennard Zinn Art of Mountain or Road Bike Maintenance book.

-How many hours/weeks does your class last?

Two hours

-How many participants do you allow in each class? How many staff/core volunteers help teach the class?

12 students and 2 instructors

-How regularly do you offer classes?

6 times a year

-How do you publicize your classes?

Website, e-newsletter, posters around the shop, word of mouth

-What classes do you offer? (Basic Bike Maintenance? Wheel Building? Safe Cycling/Commuting classes? Advanced Mechanics classes?

Only Mechanics 101 right now but we're putting together a wheel building class.

Our class has paid instructors which seems to be the best way to ensure they'll show up. We also offer 2 work trade seats in each class. Right now our September class is just about full and we're registering for the November session. Find out more about our classes here http://communitycycles.org/programs/classes.html

Ride On! Rich

The Good Life Community Bicycle Shop (Calgary, AB):

-Do you charge for your classes? No but we do invite people to drop some of their hard-earned loot into our donation box. -How many hours/weeks does your class last? Classes are 2 hours each - each is a full lesson. -How many participants do you allow in each class? Approx 12. -How many staff/core volunteers help teach the class? Minimum 1 with the help of sporadic volunteers. -How regularly do you offer classes? 2 per week. -How do you publicize your classes? Monthly newsletter, posters, website, Facebook, listserve. -What classes do you offer? Basic Bike Maintenance, Wheel Building, Safe Cycling/Commuting classes, drive trains, the brakes, Women's, bike-mods (for special needs), family touring, arts & crafts.

A few of us, from Calgary, will see you at Bikebike and look forward to the workshop - good luck!

On Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 10:30 AM, Jason Tanzman jason.tanzman@gmail.comwrote:

Hi everybody,

I'm putting together a workshop for Bikebike on how to organize and teach bike maintenance classes, and I would love some feedback from different sho Stps on their community education programs. Info I'm interested in includes:

-Do you charge for your classes? If so, how much? -How many hours/weeks does your class last? -How many participants do you allow in each class? How many staff/core volunteers help teach the class? -How regularly do you offer classes? -How do you publicize your classes? -What classes do you offer? (Basic Bike Maintenance? Wheel Building? Safe Cycling/Commuting classes? Advanced Mechanics classes?

I work with Sibley Bike Depot in St. Paul, MN; we teach all our classes for free which has been awesome. We've thought about charging for classes but decided that the benefits of bringing new people into the shop and educating current volunteers outweighs the revenues that we might get from charging for classes. We also receive about $1800 per year from a free community education program in the Twin Cities for teaching classes for free, which helps offset our costs of paying staff to teach classes.

I would love to get information/feedback! Jason Tanzman Sibley Bike Depot www.sibleybikedepot.org

---

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http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o...