The case for using recycled bicycles

A story in the 10 December 2010 BBC News Health website describes a bicycle commuter who compared his commuting speed on two bicycles: One a new 1000£ ($1600) Carbon-Fiber road bike and the other a used Steel-Framed 50£ ($80).

Predictably, but well known by the hundreds of people who purchase used bicycles from Working Bikes or the thousands who receive used bicycles from one of our international partners each year, commute time on a used bicycle was identical to the commute time on a new upscale bicycle.

You can read the article here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11958903 and the full study published in the British Medical Journal here: http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c6801

15,000 WOW

Alan Lloyd, Working Bikes volunteer and Vice President, recently mentioned in passing that he had patched his 15,000th bicycle inner tube.

How did he accomplish that? Alan is a one man assembly line.

• Monday: pump up tubes and identify the puncture, marking the hole with chalk line.
• Tuesday: buff each tube at the site of the hole and apply the patch. Alan buys rubber cement in large side jars.
• Wednesday: pump up the patched tubes
• Thursday: verify that the patch held, let the air out, and roll them up. Oh yes, he makes rubber bands out of defective tubes and uses those bands to hold the good tubes in their rolled up position.
• Saturday; deliver the patched tubes to Working Bikes.

Thanksgiving

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving holiday.

That means today is a perfect day to thank

• everyone who volunteers their time or money to support the mission of Working Bikes;
• everyone who donates a bicycle to Working bikes;
• purchases a used bicycle from Working bikes; and
• supports our partners in Africa and Central America.

There is no better time than today to tell everyone you know about the mission of Working Bikes Cooperative. Whether you have an hour a month or 8 hours a day, you can help us. You don't even need to know how to ride of bike or handle a bike wrench.

Working Bikes in the News

Recently WBEZ www.wbez.org, a public radio station in Chicago, ran a short Public Service Announcement during their Eight-Forty-Eight program telling listeners about the mission of Working Bikes Cooperative.

We learned this when one of our volunteers happened to hear it and report back to us.

When you hear radio or tv spots or read a news story where Working Bikes is mentioned, please send an email, call on the phone, or comment on the blog.

thanks for your help.

Angola

In September Working Bikes sent a container of bicycles to Angola in Africa.

Check out the website of our partner in Angola here:

http://www.sharecircle.org/work.html

Ability Bikes in Ghana

In August, Working Bikes loaded a container of bicycle destined for Ability Bikes in Ghana. You can learn a bit about our partner in Ghana by watching a short video. http://www.vimeo.com/13461740

Ability Bikes Cooperative is a bicycle micro-enterprise in Koforidua, Ghana that was established through the resources and support of Bikes Not Bombs - bikesnotbombs.org. Ability Bikes is cooperatively owned and operated by people with physical disabilities and is a full-service repair and retail bicycle shop that imports containers of used bikes, refurbishes and sells the bicycles, provides full-time jobs and skills development to people with physical disabilities, and challenges social structures oppressive to people with disabilities.

Ability Bikes imports containers of bicycles from Bikes Not Bombs, Re-Cycle, and Working Bikes Cooperative.

WCIU: You and Me

WCIU came to Working Bikes on August 24th. Chris DeRose interviewed Raul Gonzalez, General Manager of Working Bikes and received a lesson in bicycle mechanics from the Working Bikes staff.

http://www.wciu.com/youandme.php?section=home&assets=videos&assetID=10003288

In the second piece, Chris meets up with one of the bike machines.

http://www.wciu.com/youandme.php?section=home&assets=videos&assetID=10003287

Thank you to WCIU for helping spread the word.

New City Best of Chicago

In 2009, Working Bikes was awarded a "Best in Chicago" notation as the Best Place to Buy a Used Bicycle in Chicago,

http://best.newcity.com/2009/11/11/best-place-to-buy-a-used-bicycle/

Recently, Working Bikes received a certificate of this award which we now display at our storefront. Thanks to NewCity for this honor.

Congratulations on winning Newcity’s “Best of Chicago” award for 2009.
Although we hope you already know you’ve won, we wanted to make sure
you got a copy of the attached certificate for display at your
establishment. Newcity's Best of Chicago stands alone in Chicago: we
publish the longest-running and most-respected compendium. And, in
most cases, categories are not revisited for at least five years,
meaning your title stands for a while.

Every year, Newcity polls critics and our audience in search of the
best of Chicago, then announces the winners in our annual “Best of
Chicago” issue. Newcity is a free weekly publication that targets the
smart set, the cultural visionaries and the trendsetters, and we
congratulate you on winning the approval of such a discerning crowd.

Uganda

In May 2010, Working Bikes shipped bikes to Uganda.

"We'll call it 518 bikes to Uganda ... had trouble closing the door to the shipping container! Comprising 448 used adult mountain bikes, 70 used children's bikes, 9 boxes of used parts, 33 used rubber tires & 2 bags of used inner-tubes."

Our partner in Uganda is the Women Prisoner Support Organization. Please read the WPSO website at http://www.wpsouganda.org Working Bikes is happy to be able to support this partner.

In August, we received some photographs of the bicycles being unloaded from the container.

We are anticipating a visit to Working Bikes byIrene Nadunga co-founder and Executive Director of WPSO this year. We are anxious to hear how the bicycles improve the lives of the recipients in Uganda.

Buffalo Grove Environmental Action Team

Environmental Action Team Global Work Party

The Buffalo Grove Environmental Action Team is recycling cycles and more! The group, a Buffalo Grove Park District committee, will host a bike-oriented Global Work Party at the Buffalo Grove Farmer's Market on Sunday, October 10, from 7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

In addition to an exhilarating hands-on/feet-on bike energy conversion demonstration, in which people can participate, the event will also feature an informative bike clinic, a mechanic from a local bike shop, and members of the League of Illinois Bicyclists and local bike clubs will be on hand to pass out free bike maps and discuss rides and routes. Anyone that has a bike that they are no longer using is encouraged to bring it to donate it to the Working Bikes Cooperative.

Get your bike out of the garage and back on the road or donate it to a great charity! For more information, contact Wendy Frank at (847) 478-1653 wendabilities@gmail.com.

More information on the Buffalo Grove Environmental Action Team is available on the Buffalo Grove Park District website at bgparkdistrict.org. For more information in Working Bikes Cooperative, go to workingbikes.org, and for 350.org's Global Work Party, go to 350.org/invitation.

LL Bean

Working Bikes is happy to participate in the Fall Biking Weekend at LL Bean in South Barrington, Illinois.

We will have volunteers on hand, Saturday October 2nd and Sunday October 3rd.

If you want to learn about the mission of Working Bikes Cooperative or have a bicycle to donate, stop into LL Bean and look our "donate a bike banner".

This event continues the relationship between Working Bikes and LL Bean. Working Bikes is grateful to LL Bean for their support of our mission.

Bike the 25th Ward.

Working Bikes will be at the 25th Ward Bike Ride on Sunday October 3rd.

• 9AM registration
• 10AM Bike kick-off
• 11AM Celebration

The event is a family-friendly 6.5 mile bike ride staring in Harrison Park in the heart of Pilsen. the route travels through Little Italy, University Village, Chinatown, and pack to Harrison Park.

Working Bikes is pleased to participate at the invitation of Alderman Solis.

More info will be posted at http://www.dannysolis.org/

Milwaukee Bike Drive

Working Bikes will be at the Milwaukee Bike Drive

September 16/17 Petit National Ice Center 4PM-7PM
September 18 Urban Ecology Center 9AM-2PM

Stop by and say hello to Working Bikes volunteers.

Shipping bicycles internationally

Ever wonder how to load 500 bicycles in a shipping container? Every few weeks, volunteers at Working Bikes load a container. These Shipping Parties are announced on our list server and volunteers efficiently load a container in just a few short hours. Want to help out at one of these parties? Join the listserver at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WorkingBikes where you will see the announcment and just show up. No experience necessary. Yes it really is a party, pizza or other food is served and there is great joy at each event.

Bikes for Sale

The Working Bikes Store is open 14 hours a week: Wednesday from 12 noon to 7PM and Saturday from 10AM to 5PM. There is a continually changing set of bikes available for purchase. The excellent bike mechanics at Working Bikes, led by Aaron Brown (lead mechanic) select bikes from those collected appropriate for sale and get them ride-ready for sale. The bikes sold in the store raise needed funds and directly support the shipment of bikes to people in need in developing nations around the world.

Bike Drives

Many of the bicycles collected by Working Bikes Cooperative are the result of people in the community running a bike drive. Look around town and you will see the one of the Working Bikes banners proudly posted at one of these events. At the end of each April, the Arlington Heights Bike Club runs a community bike swap where people can buy and sell used bicycles. Each year AHBC supports Working Bikes and provides a way for the community to easily donate a bike to Working Bikes. Mike Roeser, Board Member and long time volunteer at Working Bikes explains the mission of Working Bikes to those who stop by the banner. Consider running a bike drive for Working Bikes at your School, Business, House of Worship, Youth program, or at your home. Check out the website at www.workingbikes.org for organizational materials.

Catholic Charities

Working Bikes Cooperative improves the lives of refugees settling in Chicago.

Working with the Refugee Program at Catholic Charities, newly arrived refugees are matched with bicycles soon after arrival in Chicago. This refugee program includes all aspects of settling oneself in a new culture. Refugees often use their newly acquired bicycles as transportation to jobs.

Working Bikes stives to improve the lives of people around the Chicago metropolitan area by working with partners such as Catholic Charities.

El Salvador

On May 15th 2010, volunteers at Working Bikes Cooperative loaded a container of bicycles destined for their partner in El Salvador. These bikes have already been received in El Salvador and are being distributed.

The container was loaded with 496 bicycles and parts delivered to the Salvadoran American Humanitarian Foundation http://www.sahf.org/

Working Bikes Cooperative primary mission is to improve the lives of people living in developing nations around the world.

On Saturday July 10 we will load another container destined for El Salvador. Please come and help us.

Bike Machines

When Working Bikes ships bicycles to people in developing countries they are used in two different ways: as transportation, and to harness energy.

A bike machine uses pedal power to produce energy. Having bike machines as a tool makes life much easier for people who don't have electricity.

Bike machines can be used to: pump water from a well, purify that water, grind up grain, power a stereo (or any other electronic that requires the use of a plug i.e. blender, television, sewing machine, coffee maker, toaster oven) the list is endless!

Working Bikes has a plethora of these machines on display at our warehouse.

Here, they are used as fun educational tools. Pedaling a bicycle in order to blend your coffee drink is a great way to understand the lifestyle of people who benefit from donating a bike.

Then, you can consider what life would be like without bike machines as an energy harnessing tool (much more difficult).

Working Bikes presented this novel idea at Midwest Renewable Energy Fair in Custer, Wisconsin two weeks ago. While there the EE Times (Electronic Engineering Times) took our picture-twice!

Check them out here. And, visit the storefront to test one out for your self!

Volunteer at Working Bikes

Working Bikes Cooperative is run by volunteers. There are a small number of paid staff people but nearly everyone you will meet at Working Bikes is a volunteer.

We have a lot of functions to fill. Volunteers run the bike shop; attend outreach events where we publicize the mission; pick up bicycles from people who support our activities; respond to email; and more. If you want to volunteer, Working Bikes will find a way to use your talents to achieve the goals.

The best way to get involved is to visit Working Bikes when the shop is open (Wednesday 12PM-7PM, Saturday 10AM-5PM) or on Volunteer night (Tuesday 5PM-9PM) and talk with the volunteers.

Recently the Green Festival was held at Navy Pier. Ten volunteers ran the Working Bikes booth and talked to those to stopped by. In the photo, Eric Wood, a long time volunteer and member of the Board of Directors of Working Bikes Cooperative, demonstrates on of the Bike Machines.

Working Bikes is located at 2434 S. Western Avenue in Chicago at the SW corner of 24th Place and Western Avenue.

Fundraiser at Simones

The good folks at Simones are holding a fundraiser this evening for Working Bikes Cooperative.

Wednesday June 16 , 2010

6PM-Midnight

Simone's Bar

960 W 18th Street

Chicago 60608

CHS Interact Club hosts Bike Drive

CHS Interact Club hosts Bike Drive

By Heather

The Chesterton High School Interact Club, sponsored by the Chesterton-Porter Rotary Club, will be holding a bike drive on May 15th from 9 am-3 pm in the high school parking lot. Used and broken bikes from the community will be gathered and donated to Working Bikes Cooperative, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization based in Chicago. Working Bikes repairs used bikes and ships them overseas to the Gulf Coast, Ghana, Tanzania, Angola, Cuba, Guatemala, and Peru. The bikes are highly valued in these countries as a crucial means of transportation. Even bikes in poor condition are valuable for parts! For more information on the event, please click the link

Working Bikes and LL Bean

Working Bikes was invited to participate at LL Bean's Spring Sports Weekend April 9-11, 2010. Katie Windelborn is the Visual Coordinator at the LL Bean store in South Barrington. She included information about Working Bikes in her email newsletter to their customers and collected bikes for Working Bikes all weekend.

On Saturday afternoon Working Bikes Volunteer Gary Gilbert talked with various customers about the mission of Working Bikes. LL Bean collected several used bicycles for Working Bikes. Volunteer Alan Lloyd picked up the bikes and delivered them to 2324 S Western.

There is a nice mix of bicycles appropriate for shipping internationally as well as some appropriate for our local donations project.

If you find yourself in South Barrington, stop in and say Hello to Katie and the folks in the LL Bean Bike Shop and thank them for supporting Working Bikes.

Bracing for the busy season

Despite it being so warm & cozy in the upstairs workshop throughout these winter months, our volunteer from the prior blog post ("A Little Inspiration...") decided to spend as much time in the meat locker-esque warehouse away from the aforementioned heated workspace. Long underwear can be your friend!

Picking up where we left off, additional shelves have been installed. Remember the wheel pile, aka, "The Inspiration"?

After the last iteration, the wheel aisle looked like this:

...and, unfortunately, things didn't get any better...

But changes were afoot...

Another step in the right direction.

A whole lot of debris was hiding in/under/around the cages.

All cleaned up & ready for the next step.

Room has been made for an additional wheel aisle and two more double rows of bike "shelves".

The shelves are built and ready for use.

Populated: again, with road bikes on top and cruisers below. Cruisers are just too heavy to be stored on the second level.

Still more work was to be done. The area to the right of this pic had 2 rows of double stacked bikes - unfortunately a pic didn't get snapped prior to dismantling the first row. It soon became obvious that it is far easier to stack the bikes than to unstack... Doh!

From this prior blog post pic you can see the double stacked bikes in the background - most notably how the aisle is barely passable & definitely not wide enough to ride a bike through (well, Aaron probably could but...).

The majority of the double row of double stacked bikes were local donation type bikes.

Shelves built and the aisle appears to be wide enough.

Loaded with bikes and sure enough - the aisle is wide enough to safely ride a bike through!

BUT, the bike shelving wasn't the only thing going on. Recall that unsorted wheels was the impetus of all of the aforementioned organization. So, a wall of wheels (the WoW) was built. Before the WoW, about 75 wheels were hung in the aisle between the first two bike racks. Well, now more than 400 wheels can be hung in the same aisle.
The original Mtn Bike wheel aisle:

Why have only 1 row when you can have 3?

By hanging the wheels 3 rows high the amount of wheels stored in the aisle between the bike shelves multiplied by a factor of 6.

View of the same section, but from the other side.

Building the frame & fastening the rods was quite an acrobatic feat.

Once all 3 rows were hung and secure they were ready to be filled with 27" front wheels.

This triple stacking should make finding the "perfect" replacement wheel a cinch.

Opposite side view.

A preview of the second WoW in between the new cages. Unfortunately, we've run out of the hooks :(

Once more hooks are procured, the remaining wheels will be hung. Ideally, all of the wheels that are currently in the original "cages" (see the pics at the top of this blog) will be easily perused and pulled rather than having to dig through a mess sharp metal.


More to come soon...