Newsletter - January 2008

Dear supporters of Yellow Bike,

Things are brewing once again.  We are looking forward to our upcoming construction project, pro-cycling political action, and our 11th birthday during Bike Month.  Read more for the news and how you can get involved and help out!

-The Yellow Bike Project (YBP)

REST IN PEACE, SHELDON BROWN (July 14, 1944 - Feb. 3, 2008) - Beloved Bike Guru Sheldon Brown passed awa on Sunday, Feb. 3rd after suffering a heart attack.  Please join area cyclists for a memorial ride in his honor on Sunday, Feb. 10th; meet at the Lamar Bike/Ped Bridge at 4pm.  Sheldon Brown was employed as the "Parts Manager, Webmaster and general Tech Guru" of Harris Cyclery, a bike shop in West Newton, Massachusetts. He was an enthusiast for many old and unlikely forms of bicycles, and his website (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/home.html) is used as a standard reference for bike mechanics all over the world.

BICYCLE ISSUES AT CITY COUNCIL - 10am February 28th: Two very important issues for bicyclists will be brought to City Council at this meeting. You can vote your position on the issues three days prior to the meeting on the computers in the lobby of City Hall, or show up in person on the 28th to speak, or just show your support by attending.  We're hoping to get a large group of cyclists out similar to the group that showed up in opposition to the helmet law in 2006.

1) The presentation of the Street Smarts Task Force: The task force was created in response to the proposed helmet law in 2006 and is proposing comprehensive improvements in infrastructure, education, and enforcement efforts in Austin that IF approved by council will be a mandate to city government to bring about these changes that will benefit all cyclists.  See http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council/streetsmarts.htm for more info.

2) The Yellow Bike Project long term lease on City land: YBP has been working with the city for over a year to find a suitable home for our new shop once the current 51st street shop has been demolished. Our search has led us to a site at East 12th and Webberville for which we have been working with Public Works and Austin Energy towards a lease agreement. If the lease is secure YBP will build a 3000 sq ft facility on the site as its new headquarters. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT AT CITY COUNCIL TO SHOW COUNCIL HOW IMPORTANT YBP IS TO AUSTIN BICYCLISTS!

SPACE UPDATE - It looks like we're getting close to securing space for our new shop.  We are currently working to get a property survey and drafting terms of the lease with the City. Once the lease is signed and all permits are secured, we're planning on erecting a prefab metal warehouse building much like what we have now.  While this style of building is relatively inexpensive we will still need help from a variety of trades to complete the project, as well as monetary donations to pay for the building materials and associated costs.  If you know any licensed electricians, plumbers, architects, or general contractors who would be interested in volunteering their time to help a great all-volunteer community project, please let them know that we are looking for help.  You can also let them know that Yellow Bike is a 501c(3) non-profit and all donations are tax-deductible. 

KEALING MIDDLE SCHOOL AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS - Our Toolz for Life youth mechanics classes are still going strong with youth from the Boys and Girls Club on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.  We have had the opportunity to use both the 51st St. Main shop as well as the Treasure City Satellite shop for classes as well as spend a few of the colder days in the Kealing MS cafeteria.  Students are learning basic bike repair and upon completion of basic skills they will build up their own bikes to take home!  The end of February marks the beginning of our youth apprenticeships with Kealing's Citizen Schools program.  Youth will learn basic mechanics and then we will focus on community bike rides, exploring neighborhood history by bicycle.  During our community mapping class of Fall 2007 students noticed a few locations which were lacking bike racks so we also have plans to help the folks at the historic Victory Grill install a bike rack, celebrating local culture and making our neighborhood a happier place for cyclists!  

TREASURE CITY SATELLITE SHOP NEWS - Many thanks to Dave Troxell who donated a wonderful laptop to keep us going into the 21st century and communicating much better with the 51st St. shop.  Also, we were able to organize a small gang to clean and do some inventory during the MLK celebration.  And thanks to Nathan, we also have a light to illuminate our front, improving security and allowing us to work outside a bit later into the evening.  Come check out our clean, organized satellite shop with a working computer.  We're even starting a Youth Apprenticeship program for the neighborhood kids that like to come and use the shop.

APPRENTICE COORDINATORS NEEDED - Thanks to the new folks who stepped up at this month's collective meeting to begin the process of apprentice coordinating.  We can still use help to maintain and expand our current shop schedule, and provide shop users with a productive and educational environment.  We are looking for people who are interested in learning to work on bikes, have a love for teaching others, and who can reliably commit to a shop once per week.  No experience necessary.  Like everything at Yellow Bike you learn while getting your hands greasy and going for it.  Develop your mechanics skills and learn shop procedures while helping people repair their bikes.  If you'd like to be part of our continued growth as a community resource, come to a monthly Collective meeting (first Tuesday, 7:30 pm at 51st street main shop) or simply talk to a coordinator when the shop is open and let us know when you can help out.

SCHEDULE -

Bilingual - Indicates a bilingual shop. Volunteers that speak Spanish will be present.
* Red Hours indicate Volunteer Shops: These shops are reserved for volunteering. Volunteers are also welcome anytime our shops are open. Volunteer Shops are usually less busy and facilitate a better learning experience. Personal projects are not allowed during volunteer shops; they can only be worked on during Open Shops. While volunteering, you can learn to fix bikes while giving back to YBP or accrue volunteer hours counting towards a free bike of your very own.
** Collective Meetings: Shop "closed" for collective meeting at our Main Shop (51st Street) on the 1st Tuesday of the month. Meeting begins at 7:30 pm. Open to the public. If you would like to contribute ideas to the collective, make requests, learn more about the project and its internal workings, or just get more involved this is the forum for you.
*** Volunteers Needed: We need volunteers so that we can expand and maintain hours of our shops. We want to be open more often. Come to the main 51st street shop to learn how you can help.