Coming Soon!

The Bicycle 11 Film Festival heads to our fine city November 4th, 5th, and 6th for a long weekend of bike-themed films, parties, and other events that celebrate, and promote, the bicycle. The kick-off ride is Friday night, November 4th, from West Town Bikes to the Logan Square Auditorium, the headquarters for the film festival in Chicago, followed by movies and a Goldsprints party. There are more screenings Saturday, an After Party at the Darkroom, and a BMX BBQ Jam on Sunday. Get on your bike and head out to Logan Square!

For a complete list of events, go to info@bicyclefilmfestival.com and click on the CHICAGO link

Village of Mt Prospect to develop a Bicycle Plan

The Village of Mt Prospect, Illinois has partnered with consultants from Active Transportation Alliance and Sam Schwartz Engineering to develop a Bicycle Plan. The Bike Plan was funded through the Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program and was developed over the course of a year based on expert recommendations and input from the local community. With the feedback they received, a comprehensive biking network was drafted utilizing a combination of marked on-street bikeways, signed routes, and multi-use trails. The Plan is currently under review by the Village Board.

Eagle Scout Bike Drive

On October 8, 2011, a beautiful Autumn day, Sean Wybourn, of Boy Scout Troop 40, held a bike drive to benefit the Working Bikes Cooperative. Sean collected 62 bikes. Sean organized the event and did a great job. This type of Citizenship to the Community will go a long way towards Sean's efforts to obtain the rank of Eagle Scout. On behalf of Working Bikes, Thank You Sean, and Good Luck!

Pictured with Sean are Amy and Lee Ravenscroft of Working Bikes

Working Bikes at the DPPL Science Fair

The Des Plaines Public Library's Family Science Expo 2011 was a great success due to the combined efforts of all exhibitors, including Working Bikes. The exhibit by Working Bikes was a favorite among the crowd, which numbered over 400. The events attendees were amazed that a simple bicycle, found in nearly every garage in America, was able to produce electricity to power a stereo and a water pump. Several bikes were donated by the attendees of the event to assist with Working Bikes' mission to collect bicycles so that they may be used as tools of empowerment in developing countries. Thanks to the volunteers from Working Bikes for their hard work in making the Des Plaines Public Library's Family Science Expo 2011 a huge success.

article submitted by Lauren Alleman, Youth Services Assistant, Des Plaines Public Library

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.