Cleanin Out the Closet

If you subscribe to our mailing list, you would know that there was a clean up at the Bike Center this weekend! We took all of the bikes out of the Bike Center to re-organize everything and then packed them nicely back in. Our tools are nicely laid out and organized, so finding the right one is easier than ever. We're trying to get more space for hanging bikes up, so that we can keep project bikes out of the way, and keep it looking tidy.

You might ask why now, of all times, is the Bike Center being cleaned? Well, it just so happens that we're shooting a commercial Monday. SO, if you want to be seen in it, come out to fix your bike Monday.

With our first snowflakes touching the beauty of Guelph, my last post has been justified. Winter IS coming after all!

In parting, I'll remind you that workshops are being held every Wednesday at 5:30PM. Topics are going to start off general, and then get more specific, so don't miss them!


Hope to see you around the Bike Center!
Alex

Winter is Coming!

Hello!

As it’s getting colder outside, the end of summer biking is near. Depending on how much longer you plan to ride your bike, it might be a good idea to give it a tune up before winter storage. Something as simple as cleaning and re-lubing your chain and gears will save you a lot of work in the summer! Our hours are posted on the right, and on our Facebook Page.

If you read that top paragraph and thought to yourself: ‘there is no end to the biking season!’ then kudos to you. From what I’ve heard, we have a few winter cyclists in Guelph, which is very cool. I know from experience that winter cycling means a lot of time cleaning your bike. We have lots of cleaning solution at the Bike Center, and if things get really ugly, we can order new parts for you. So, if you’re new to biking, why not try winter biking?


While I’m posting, I’ll take a minute to introduce myself to any readers.

My name is Alex, and I am a very recent volunteer to the Bike Center. I commute, race triathlon, and winter bike. I ride a Trek 2.1, a steel frame mountain bike, and a walmart road bike for commuting. I’m not going to pretend to be an expert in bike repair (yet) but I am very knowledgeable in the art of winter commuting- even though I won’t be doing it this year. I come from Timmins, which is about 9h drive North of here. That means pretty hardcore winter cycling. The highlight of my years winter riding is commuting through -40 to find out that my school is closed.

Although I won’t be winter cycling this year, I’ll be more than happy to help anyone who is interested. As Dave has said on many occasions, we have a fleet of bikes for borrowing.

I’ll try to post regularly on this blog, so keep an eye out!

O-Week

For O-Week we have a couple events coming up:

A Bike-in Movie, details are forthcoming

and a free tune-up day on Johnston Green which is on the 6th at 2pm

k that's all today.

Rental Fleet

I've been trying to build up a rental fleet of reconditioned bikes that people can sign out for short or long term use with no required payment. This has been very well received in that as soon as a bike is ready there is someone waiting to take it away. My concern is that I cannot meet the demand; not for lack of time but for lack of available parts.

We've burned through the stock of recycle parts and have little avenue for replenishing this; if you, or someone you know, has a bike wasting away I would be very happy to pick it up, or any other random parts.

On the moving front:

It's still a little wishy about when exactly moving will take place. I can report that the new space is almost empty now on our side. The facility will continue to be cohabited by us, the CSA Food Bank, and the Stuff Swap. It will take more time to empty out the other side and then I am told renovations start Aug. 1. so hopefully they will be completed quickly.

A New Bike

In response to people asking about it: We have a special a build project going on here at the bike center. For anyone interested in fixed gear or single speed bikes, we are slowly building one up so that people can see the process and understand the mechanics. So if you want to come see how a bike is made, drop by! We are open over the holiday weekend.

The workshop looked like everyone was having fun in the sun, there were too many people to stay in the basement so David took the group outside while I and a few others worked on some stuff indoors.

One of the bikes being worked on had a sad surprise for the owner which we all can take a lesson from; his axle had snapped unknowingly and was letting the tire gently rub the side of his aluminium Gary Fisher frame. As soft as rubber is it still worked about half way through the metal leaving a scary weak spot on the seat stay. This is the third surprise broken axle this month, while on the frame they feel like loose cones. You never know what's going on inside those parts which you can't see. That is why I recommend spending a little time with your bike, get to know it aside from just riding it. Taking 25 minutes to clean and oil it lets you check it over for complications you otherwise might miss.

The big race will be coming up soon, I could still use a couple volunteers to help keep people from walking into the route. Also, hey let's get some folks out to watch. Just for funzies you know.

Basics Workshop

Friday afternoon will be a workshop, lead by David (not me, I'm Dave).

David will also be taking on Friday hours in the space after I leave at 3:30. Now the doors can stay open every day! Erika, another new person around the bike center, will be coming in early starting the following week so we can tune up after our morning ride.

Once these hours are firmed up they will be posted.

Anyway, about the workshop;

This is nothing heavy, a basic intro session for people who are new to wrenching. It will also function nicely as a refresher for those who have been out of the loop for awhile.

I strongly encourage anyone interested in volunteering to come out for sure as this will cover about 75% of the problems that bring people to our space.

It will be Friday starting at 4 pm and running until 6/6:30

There is no experience needed, and no fee to come out

It would be pretty cool if we could all bring some snacks to share

About the July race;

There is still room for more racers so come by the space and sign up, again no fee is charged to take part.

The 500 dollar cap on bikes has risen to 1500 with an honor system which deals with competitive advantages brought on by high end bikes - if you are too high tech you have to carry some books in your backpack!

July Race is Happening

Alright, the race for July is totally happening. There are a few people signed up on the Facebook group and a few people who signed up at the shop; not a whole pile of people yet but enough to ensure it goes through. I still need volunteers to help on race day if anyone is interested.

So here are the terms of the race:

No rider is barred from taking part, if Lance Armstrong shows up he's good to go. Same with Neil Armstrong I guess. The only catch is that you have to use a bike that a typical student would bring to class. No competition bikes.

I took a look around campus and found a lot of Super Cycles and a lot more old Raleighs but also a few nice fixies and one real track bike.

If your bike might be considered a competitive advantage and you can't get a hold of something more even we've been putting together some loaner rides at the Bike Center which will be available. There is also lots of time to come put something together for yourself if you are bikeless.

So we're looking at Saturday July 10th pending weather. I have a course in mind, nothing technical, but I'm not disclosing it as of yet. If you want to practice come out and bomb around campus for the day, then swing by the shop and tune up your bike.

In non-race news, A few more volunteers have signed up since my last post. Sean will be keeping the doors open a few hours longer Monday through Thursday, though this week Thursday is still closing at 3:30.

A new order will be arriving soon which contains brand new wheels and tires. And baskets! People have been asking for racks and baskets pretty regularly so now is the chance.

Summer Time

It's Summer time in Guelph and this post is very much overdue.

It has taken me a long time to gather up all the passwords for various Bike Center accounts; this blog being the latest.

But maybe I should introduce myself...

Hi, I'm Dave Strachan, the Summer Coordinator for the CSA Bike Center. Maybe we met last Summer while I was volunteering? I'm in my fourth year of a History/Theater program and am head deep in full time courses at the moment. I also work a few other jobs too; right now I offer ESL conversation tutoring through Open Learning and also join the CAAS (the other ESL group) students in class as an assistant.

Previously I've worked with U of T's Bikechain, Sommerville Sporting Goods in the small town I am from, and as a Toronto city Bike Courier.

I ride a recumbent, a tandem, a fixie, and a cyclocross; but I consider old-school bikes my specialty.

As a rider I've finally got to the point in myself that I can let those scorchers pass me without feeling the need to prove something. I do have the skin tight suit but that's reserved for special occasions.

Bike Center News

This is a Summer of change for the University and for the Bike Center. Maybe you've already noticed one thing... In contrast to the University Academic Centre we have settled on spelling it differently. It might seem silly or arrogant to some but this way we stand out from the R-E-centric administration and remain a space of our own.

Another change, a giant one, is the upcoming move in August. The new space appears at first glance to be the stuff of dreams. It is a triple bay garage with car sized doors. While we wont be bringing any cars into the shop this is still awesome. The ease of access has me pretty excited; no more hauling up and down the stairs, no trying to wiggle in a larger bike or scraping your grips on the cement. The spot is divided into two units as well, this leaves a separate bay for office and storage use that can double as a lounge area in which to eat lunch and peruse the new resource library.

That's another new item! Outgoing coordinators Sarah and Cecilia did a great job of bringing in a collection of books and DVDs pertinent to the concerns of cyclists. These resources are available to borrow. Cool!

The space has changed a lot since most people have been in last. The office has moved from upstairs into the corner behind the furnace. This allows me to double up between office and shop work during the times not covered by volunteers. As a super bonus this also brings a computer into the shop on which we can read .pdf manuals, and follow instructional videos. Sometimes I don't really get it when I read things and need to see it happening to understand what to do so this, I find, is very helpful.

New - Lockers are now inside the space to keep your gear. Coats and bags can be hung up but also, while they are available, you can store the bits and pieces for your project under lock and key between sessions.

A lot of the reusable parts have been evaluated, namely the wheels, and those that are too damaged have been disassembled and sent for recycling where possible. What remains is a smaller but safer collection of good stuff. A cool by-product of this process is spare hubs, spokes, and rims so if anyone would like to practice lacing we have the goods!

Here is another thing; in an effort to make the space accessible to as many people as possible I am dedicated to opening the space for private use by appointment if a mutually workable time can be met. There is also a small crew of drop-in volunteers who open the shop at random hours so if you ever see the doors open feel free to peak in.

Events:

I've got two events in mind for soon but need to find if people are interested.

A basic workshop for safety-assessing and tune-ups. This workshop will be awesome for anyone but especially for interested volunteers.

The second event is an across campus scramble race. Riders are limited only by the bike they ride; nothing fancy please! The plan is looking like an early morning single shot in the beginning of July.

What else is new, what else...?

Oh! We need volunteers and I mean You. Seriously. Due to some twist of fate the mailing list was wiped out and the hard-copy is actually gone too. Because of this most people probably think we never opened for the Summer. Volunteer roles can range vastly by your interest. Here is a brief, well maybe not so brief, list of what is needed:

Street Team: get the word out, put up posters, engage people at bike racks, attend Critical Mass, let people know we exist and that we are friendly.

Host: Keep the doors open, have as many or few hours as you like but please be reliable, no experience is necessary. A host is specifically needed ASAP for Women and Trans night which has been suspended pending you. Anyone who would like to fill an evening shift is also highly anticipated.

Workshop Host: Experience is necessary, lead workshops on various topics, honorarium funds can be made available for this purpose in appreciation of the expertise you would be sharing.

Drop-in staff: Got a few hours to spare here or there? There is always little tasks which need to be done and are highly appreciated. For example, cutting old clothes into rag sizes, rebuilding wheels, or taking inventory.

Moving Helpers: Oh my! The August move is going to happen and we need all hands on deck.

Blogger: How about this, a person of a journalistic mind would be appreciated who can post semi-regular bulletins regarding related community events and news, or, you know, whatever.

If you'd like to fill one or several of these roles please e-mail csabike@uoguelph.ca or drop by during posted hours.

That's all for now,

Dave

NEW PROJECT call-out

We want to make a mini-radio series and accompanying zine that'll talk about women and trans folks' experiences getting involved in bike culture and their local bike communities. Coming from our own pretty common experiences of male-dominated bike shops and workspaces, we're keen to conduct interviews with people in our own community (and around North America) about how they got involved, any challenges they've faced, or great experiences they've had. If you think you'd like to participate by doing an interview (either on your own or in a panel-discussion type setup), or would like more information, please let us know! We'd love to have you. If you know anyone who might want to be a part of this, please pass it on! The more the better.

Winter can be crumby sometimes. Lots of us put our bikes away because we think that we and/or our bikes can't handle it. Sometimes it feels nice to take a bit of a break, but sometimes all you can think about is riding around the sunny city in some shorts with a big ol' shiny ice cream cone waiting at the top of a big ol' hill for you. Right?

HEY, COME TO OUR
WINTER BIKING WORKSHOP!

Are you a hardcore winter-biker? Or maybe you'd like to be, but don't know all the maintenance involved. If so, come to a....Winter-Biking Workshop!

What? A winter-biking workshop! Learn how to prepare your bike for winter, and basic maintenance that makes winter riding a little easier.

When? Next Wednesday, March 3rd, from 7-8:30pm.

Where? The Bike Centre, on the corner of South Ring Rd. and Gordon St., under the CSA Food Bank.

This workshop is FREE!!!

Tea and delicious snacks provided!!!

***
Another note to volunteers: in case you haven't checked yr e-mails, we're having our volunteer social on friday! Please send an e-mail for the location etc. There will be food! There will be a movie! There will be fun hang times!

Hey! This is just a note to let you know that WOMEN AND TRANS NIGHT will be moved to WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24 in honour of Reading Week, as it falls in the third week of the month and we will be closed.

Be well, happy (and safe) riding in the snow.

some things for you

-->> If you still want to volunteer at the Bike Centre but couldn't make it to the volunteer meeting last night, there will be a group training session next Wednesday January 20th from 4-5 PM in the Bike Centre. If you can't make it to this but still want to volunteer, please just send us an e-mail to set up a time with Cecilia or Sarah to get trained. It'd be great to have you!

-->> We are working on organizing a WHEELBUILDING workshop. This will be a two-part workshop. We want to try and accomodate everyone who is interested, so please let us know your availabilities for:
-the week of February 22
-the week of March 1
Once the dates are chosen, you will have to REGISTER for this workshop so we can make sure we have enough supplies, but it will still be free!

contact csabike@uoguelph.ca

workshops!!!!

Here's some information about upcoming workshops at the Bike Centre. These workshops are perfect for anyone who wants to refresh their bike repair skills, and anyone who wants to start learning about how to fix bikes.

>>Brakes Basics! Learn about how brakes work, basic adjustments, and maintenance.

Thursday, January 21st, from 6:30-7:30 pm at the Bike Centre

>>Gears and Derailleurs! Gears and derailleurs de-mystified! This workshop will cover the basic mechanics of how gears and derailleurs work, and what you can do to make small (but essential) adjustments.

Thursday, January 28th, from 6:30-7:30pm at the Bike Centre

>>Bottom brackets! Don't know what a bottom bracket is? This is the workshop for you! This will cover the mechanics behind bottom brackets, how to take them apart, and some simple adjustments that could save your frame!

Thursday, February 4th, from 6:30-7:30 pm at the Bike Centre

ALL WORKSHOPS ARE FREE! Snacks and tea will be provided.

The Bike Centre is now re-opened for the semester. Our hours are in the process of getting updated over the week as volunteers settle into new schedules and the website is updated. Check the blog frequently (it'll be updated frequently with any changes) to stay up-to-date on when we're open. Thanks for your patience!

We wanted, though, to invite you to another VOLUNTEER MEETING this THURSDAY JANUARY 14 from 6-8 pm. If you're interested in becoming a volunteer (or are a volunteer already), want to learn what it's about, want to brainstorm plans and put together working groups for this semester, you should come. If you can't make it to this meeting but still want to volunteer at the Bike Centre, send us an e-mail at csabike@uoguelph.ca to set up a time to get acquainted.

Keep your eyes peeled for a bunch of events from the Bike Centre through January and February, and again, check the blog. Stop by during our hours- the winter is a great time to do bike clean-ups and maintenance.Hope to see you soon!

Be well and stay warm=