presenting... our new campus bike project manager!

Today's visitors to the Campus Bike Project might have noticed something different: a new manager.  At Tuesday night's member meeting, Bike Project volunteer Carl was named the new manager!

Former CBP manager Joel left to begin a new job making tofu crumbles (just kidding! -- kind of) and Carl very graciously agreed to take over managing the shop.  You've probably met Carl before if you've been in either the Campus or UC-IMC shops.  We were glad to have Carl as a volunteer; we're thrilled to have him working for The Bike Project.

Congratulations Carl!

tonight: the bike project general meeting!

6pm sharp at the Campus Bike Project. 

All Bike Project members are invited and dinner (maybe pizza?) will be served... kinda like this:

for sale at the campus bike project

Thanks to the generous work of our volunteers (who painstakingly refurbish bikes donated to The Bike Project), we've got some great bikes for sale right now at the Campus Bike Project. They'll only be here while they last, so if you're interested, stop by during open hours and take a look. All bike purchases now come with a one year membership to The Bike Project! And don't forget our General Membership Meeting taking place tonight at the U-C IMC shop at 6pm. Now, on to the show:

AWSOME Huffy, probably kids' sized $45
_________________

Randor hybrid! $SOLD
__________________

Schwinn mountain bike $130

B

BCA USA mountain bike $80

S

Schwinn Frontier $100

T

Trek 820 $140

...and the piece de resistance...

his-n-hers Free Spirit 3-speeds

each with a rear rack

and some home-made looking extra racks we haven't figured out yet

$125 each OR $225 for the pair

Finally, something that isn't for sale but which we're still proud of: our new cargo hauling bike trailer! I'll get Joel to write about more in the future, but we're planning to use it to haul stuff across town from shop to shop. It carried a love seat into the Campus shop over the weekend:

Awesome!

next tuesday: the bike project general meeting!

Next Tuesday, 29 June at 6pm, The Bike Project shop at the U-C IMC will host The Bike Project's general membership meeting.  Our wiki has an agenda.

All members are welcome.  Food and drinks will be served.  Last time we had sandwiches -- which was cool -- but usually it's pizza, like so:

Hope to see you there!

the bike project in the news, again!

Joel and I appeared on page B3 of the local paper this past Saturday.  A photographer made our picture Friday afternoon at the campus shop, as we conferred about a bent brake on an old BSA mountain bike:

(photo credit to John Dixon/The News-Gazette)

(I replaced the brake and the BSA's now for sale at the Campus Bike Project!)

weekend bike events?

We've got some!

First, the Art Gallery Bicycle Tour, which was rained out last weekend, will take place rain or shine this Saturday, 12 June.  It's a self-paced ride around town, punctuated by visits to some of C-U's art galleries.  Entry fee is a $10 and you'll get a discount on food at some participating restaurants. Check out the Champaign Cycles page for more details.  (And read a preview I wrote for last fall's iteration of the Tour.)

This weekend Champaign will also host Taste of C-U in West Side Park.  Some Bike Project volunteers will be volunteering at the bike corral and if you get there by bicycle, you'll get a free drink ticket good at one of the Pepsi tents.  The Champaign Park District website has more info.

(And if you'd like to see some live theater, the U-C IMC's hosting a "woven collage of music, theater, and dance" called Aquatown: A Future Hydrohistory.)

The Bike Project's also got a bunch of open hours this weekend if you'd like to stop by our shops.  The U-C IMC shop will be open 2-5pm on Saturday and Sunday; the Campus Bike Project from 5-9pm on Sunday.

Hope to see you out and about!

Campus Bike Project Update - June 7

Some of you reading this may not realize that The Bike Project recently opened a second location, known as the Campus Bike Project. It's located at 608 E. Pennsylvania in Champaign, which is bordered by the Law Building to the west, the Natural Resources Building to the north, the Stock Pavilion to the east, and that huge cemetery to the south. Hopefullly, that'll be easier to get to for some of you. Anyhow, I'll be chiming in each Monday on this here blog to let you know what's new at the CBP. Today was a big day, so I'd better get started:

THANKS

I'll try to start each week with a big thank-you to someone who's helped the Campus Bike Project. This week I'd like to thank Don Rudder and Tina Demoss and the rest of the employees of the U of I's Parking department. Don and Tina have the thankless task of cutting off the locks and collecting all the abandoned bikes after classes end in the summer (as well as impounding illegally-parked bikes throughout the year). Don and Tina get a lot of grief from people just in the course of doing their job, and that would make a lot of people grouchy, but they're always very friendly and helpful. In fact, last week they noticed that their pile of cut locks was getting pretty tall, and they contacted me to pick the locks up and take them to the scrap yard before someone else grabbed them.

As you may or may not know, in 2008 the U of I decided to discontinue their bike auction and donate all the impounded/abandoned bikes to The Bike Project after students and staff have a chance to claim them. That's been a huge benefit to our organization, and we greatly appreciate the help. The legwork to make that happen on the University's side falls on Parking, and they have been great to work with. Don and Tina are who we deal with face-to-face, but working behind the scenes are: Michelle Winters, Tom Skaggs, Stacey Rudolph, Mike Fitzgerald, Gary Williamson, Anita Gardner, and several others.

So, the next time you get a parking ticket or hear about someone getting towed, remember that they're just doing their job. Thanks guys, for all your help!

ON THE TEE-VEE

I see that Kelly already mentioned it, but the fine folks at WCIA Channel 3's The Morning Show (Nichole and her cameraman Scott) interviewed Emma and I this morning about all things Bike Project, at the Campus Bike Project:


Part 1 (3 minutes): http://illinoishomepage.net/fulltext/?nxd_id=153265

Part 2 (4 minutes): http://illinoishomepage.net/fulltext/?nxd_id=153275

Hey, it could have gone more smoothly, but at least no one got hurt. We've been getting some great media coverage lately, as a News-Gazette photog showed up later in the morning (I'll post a link when and if anything comes of that), and Tom Cyrs wrote this nice article about recycling bikes in Smile Politely last week.


BIKES FOR SALE

I intended to take some pictures, but descriptions will have to suffice for this week. We have several ready-to-ride used bicycles for sale, all of which come with a one-year membership to TBP and CBP (and if you're already a member, then it'll be extended for a year). Sizing is approximate, and stock changes on a daily basis.

• Trek 820 Single Track Men's Mountain Bike, dark green, probably would fit someone in the 5'8" to 6'0" range -- $140
• Randor Women's Mountain Bike from the '80s, white and blue, for someone 5'4" to 5'8", $80
• Schwinn "Women Inspired" Mountain Bike, nearly new, pink and black, for someone 5'4" to 5'8", $120
• Schwinn Frontier Women's Mountain Bike, burgundy and white, for someone 4'10" to 5'2", $100
• Huffy Women's Cruiser Bike, nearly new, neon green and black, for someone 5'2" to 5'6", $60

BUILD-A-BIKES

Summer's a great time to work on a build-a-bike project. Come in and check out what we have in the back and get started on an inexpensive bike that you can call your own. You can repair a bike yourself and purchase it for just half the price of what it would be for an already-repaired bike. Including a student membership, that's usually around $50.

VOLUNTEER

People are starting to find out about CBP, and we are getting busier all the time. We have several fantastic volunteers that have helped to get the Campus shop off the ground (thanks a bunch Carl, Gillian, Hasib, Jen, and Kelly! As well as the core volunteers at the Urbana location), but we could always use more help. Here are some areas where volunteers could provide assistance:

• Assisting members and walk-ins with repairs during open hours. This is our biggest area of need, especially heading into fall. Your mechanical skills don't need to be that advanced - the main thing is that you want to help people learn how to fix their own bikes.
• Greeting visitors during open hours. Don't feel comfortable working with bikes but want to help out when the shop is open? This is super-valuable, and something that anyone can do with a friendly attitude and a little training. Especially when the shop's busy, having a greeter (or even two) is invaluable. You'll help visitors and members sign in, give a little spiel to first-time visitors about what we do, and sell used bikes and new parts.
• Scrap old bikes for parts. Some bikes are too far gone to be repaired, or they have frame damage that makes them unsafe. So, we strip off what's usable and take the rest to the scrap yard. Need a break from intense mental work? Patching tubes, scavenging spokes and nipples off old wheels, or just tearing down crummy bikes can be a great way to relax and blow off some steam.
• Publicity. Want to visit residence halls and hand out fliers about CBP or give a presentation to campus groups? We get a lot of requests for this kind of thing, and it's a great way to share your enthusiasm for The Bike Project.
• Art projects. One of the coolest things about bike collectives (and one of the great things about the IMC location) is that they often are able to combine the practical with the beautiful, with a bike-centric theme. Gillian is off to a great start with our sandwich-board sign and some other signage for around the shop, but there's room for others to help, too. What about a coat tree welded out of old scrap frames, or a table made from old chainrings? Let your imagination run wild, and let us know what you have in mind.

If you're interested in any of these volunteer opportunities (or just want to help in general), email Joel at campusbikeproject@gmail.com.

the bike project on tv!

(We cleaned the campus shop especially well last night because...)

This morning, Campus Bike Project manager Joel and The Bike Project's Volunteer Coordinator Emma appeared in two segments on WCIA's morning show!  WCIA's Nichole Szemerei spoke with Joel and Emma outside the campus shop and then Emma showed off the shop itself, including our collection of build-a-bike possibilities.

• Here's the first video, in which Joel and Emma talk about The Bike Project.

• And here's the second, in which Joel undertakes a brake repair while Emma shows off the shop and talks about the co-op.

PS: if you want a Bike Project tee shirt like those Joel and Emma are wearing, come by the U-C IMC shop in Urbana and get one for a $10 donation!  And if you'd like to become a member or to check out The Bike Project, stop by either the campus shop or the U-C IMC shop during open hours.

PPS: Thanks to Joel and Emma and thanks, too, to Nichole and WCIA!

and we're back

We've been on vacation from blogging, spending time scouring rust off old Schwinns with steel wool and elbow grease.  We really should get a Dremel.

But last week we heard that we "should totally blog about the shop!" ... and we agree.

Despite our laxity, we're still in the news!  Smile Politely (our incestuous sort of sister site) featured an article by a U of I journalism student about how we recycle old bikes.  And next week, probably on Monday, 7 June, C-U tv station WCIA's morning show will feature a segment on The Bike Project live from the campus shop.

And if you're looking for some bike-related fun this weekend, check out C-U's Art Gallery Bicycle Tour.  (Here's a preview I wrote for Smile Politely for the last iteration of the Tour.)

One last PSA: if you'd like to contribute to the blog, please email us and let us know.

campus bike project open house!

One day late and with our sincerest apologies to Mother Earth, the Campus Bike Project will be hosting an Earth Day Open House on Friday, 23 April, from noon to 5pm. Every hour on the hour, Campus Bike Project manager Joel will give tours of the shop and also answer any questions you might have about The Bike Project.

Here's the text of our press release:

CAMPUS BIKE PROJECT NOW OPEN

In case you weren't aware, The Bike Project of Urbana-Champaign now has a second location: it's called the Campus Bike Project, and it's located at 608 E. Pennsylvania Ave. in Champaign. Google maps still thinks that address is in Urbana, but click this link to see a correct map of the CBP location. We're behind overhead doors 8 through 13 on the west side of the Natural Resources garage, just east of the law building and just west of the Stock Pavilion; just south of the Natural Resources building and just north of the cemetery.

We opened at the end of March, and we're ready to help with your bike repair needs. The CBP works pretty much like the IMC location does, and your membership is reciprocal, so feel free to use whichever location is more convenient.

The CBP is open during times when the Urbana location isn't, so between the two locations, we now have almost 30 hours per week of staffed hours where you can get help fixing your bike. Here are the hours at the Campus location:

Sunday: 5 to 9 p.m.
Monday: 8 a.m. to 12 noon
Tuesday: 6 to 9 p.m.
Friday: 12 noon to 5 p.m.

OPEN HOUSE TOMORROW AFTERNOON

To celebrate Earth Day one day late, the Campus Bike Project will be holding an Open House on Friday, April 23 from 12 noon to 5 p.m. Every hour on the hour, you can get a tour of the shop and ask any questions you might have.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

The CBP is still in that cute baby-animal stage when it's almost able to walk on its own, but still stumbles from time to time. Aw, precious, huh? Don't you just want to give us a helping hand? Here's are some ways you can help:
Forward this email to people you know who you think would get some good out of our shop
Hang up some fliers around campus. We have plenty at the shop; stop by and pick some up. Post them on bulletin boards, staple them around bike handlebars, hand them out to random people on the quad or at a residence hall, etc.
Volunteer during open hours. Have a couple hours a week to spare? Want to learn more about bike repair or help others repair their bikes? Or maybe you have organizational skillz you'd like to share? Or perhaps you'd just like to greet people at the door? We have a bunch of volunteer opportunities available, so stop in and inquire, or reply to this email.
Donate something on our wish list. We have several things we could use that we'd prefer not to have to purchase. Scan through this list and see if you have anything you can spare:
Bookshelf stereo or computer speakers: my little transistor radio isn't getting it done
Couches or chairs: we'd like to get a lounge area going in the back of the shop; end of the school year is coming, and this kind of thing should be opening up
Small refrigerator: Just a little dorm-sized guy would do the job.
Microwave: Same here; we get hungry too, you know?
Digital camera: Doesn't have to be anything special, just so we can upload photos to the web
Bikes and bike parts: Don't abandon your bike on the rack for the summer, and don't let your friend do it either. Drop it by the shop and we'll put it to use.

campus bike project meets smilepolitely.com

Hoping to express as many conflicts of interest as possible, I wrote an article about the new Campus Bike Project for Smile Politely, Champaign-Urbana's equivalent of an alt-weekly. I also interviewed Joel, Smile Politely editor and Campus Bike Project manager, for the first Smile Politely podcast. See if the lede moves you to read the article:

When and if the oil runs out and runs postmodern car culture aground, Champaign-Urbana’s pretty well positioned to deal… at least insofar as it will still be pretty easy to move around town, scavenging for food and whatever else one does after cars are gone (besides, like, live in a totally unalienated utopian World Made By Hand). It’s completely flat here and with the roads free of cars there’ll be no excuse, really, for not always just cycling from point A (say, your non-alienated libidinal workplace) to point B (e.g. the collective farm where you’ve gotta pick up your broccoli ration).

campus bike project hours

Today, the Campus Bike Project begins its regularly scheduled hours.  The hours are:

Sunday:        5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Monday:        8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Tuesday:       6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Friday:          12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.

 Stop by sometime and check it out!  More info here.