BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

where? do you have a space in mind? depending on the project i might be interested.

Have a space tentatively.

where

one coming together in Lawlessville and possibly one in bloomfield

We need 4 more people, have 6...

Calling it: Cranks!

Behind Kranic's, in Bloomfield.

Lawerenceville.

People wanted to help with this.

People wanting to join are welcome too.

It will be a chance to have 24-7 access to a decent bike shop with all the trimmings.

412-441-4720

Also need a warehouse space, preferably Lawrenceville. 2000+sf, anyone know of any?

Where/what the heck is Kranics in Bloomfield?

I think he means Kraynick's, in Garfield.

i'm sorry for topping this (because i'm really sick of seeing it every time i check the board) , but all of these posts are getting very close to spamming this board and i'm frankly sick of seeing it.

I think he means Kraynick's, in Garfield.

I figured as much but why would someone put a bike shop behind Kraynick's?

Ok, I am looking for people that want to join in a Non Profit bike shop, to fix bikes. If that is spam lets all just give up on doing things like that and we can all go to free ride and get our bikes fixed there. The status quo will be maintained!!

And Jerry Kraynec wants to retire, at least he says so, but some would want him to die behind the counter at his place right after they get him their brake cables? I have had many conversations with him and his level of customers he turns away for repairs is large. As is the people that want to get their bike fixed on Wednesdays, or after 6 pm, do you stop riding your bike after 6pm?

Oh and if you need parts to fix a bike, either you have to have EVERY part or being next to a 4 story parts warehouse would be kinda nice, don't you think?

By the end of this year we will have made 100+ bikes, and I can not fill all of the orders of the people that come in here.

I get over flow from free ride too.

Any way....

We have about 5 people that want to do this, we have a space, and we have alot of tools and such.

if you are going to keep talking about putting in a shop behind Gerry Kraynick's shop you should at least learn how to spell his name properly. i mean the man is an institution after all. also if you don't want to be accused of spamming the board, don't start multiple threads about this topic and also post about it in multiple unrelated threads. do you seriously mean that in all the time you have been so busy filling orders and building bikes, you haven't made any real contacts in the local industry/scene so the only way for you to find partners for your shop/co-op/whatever you are calling it this week, is on this board? sounds like spam, smells like spam, probably tastes like spam, but i'm not putting it in my mouth.

ok, your right, I thought someone('s) might be interested in the pgh bike community, that is why I posted here. There are many people interested in this, but I guess not here. Though if this were around when free ride started, you would have probably seen a bunch of stuff here about it. But ok, I am not here to start a bike shop that I own. I have been running my place here next door to Kranecks, Kranek's, Craneck's or Kraynicks shop for a year now.

I thought that a non profit bike shop would be nice, with real long hours, would be something that would be a benefit to pgh, I guess not.

2 posts is I guess multiple posts.

Message Board Spam from definition from Wikipedia, this is how you are applying the definition to me:

Blog, wiki, and guestbook spam

Main article: Spam in blogs

Blog spam, or "blam" for short, is spamming on weblogs. In 2003, this type of spam took advantage of the open nature of comments in the blogging software Movable Type by repeatedly placing comments to various blog posts that provided nothing more than a link to the spammer's commercial web site.[6] Similar attacks are often performed against wikis and guestbooks, both of which accept user contributions.

I just wanted to see if there were any open minded people who were interested, that's all. I am not posting any links to any sites or trying to sell ANYTHING!

Maybe we should cut NCBT a break here. A couple extra posts about something like this is a little irritating, but not too bad.

When I was pushing the Bike Busker Band thing (note this posting in an unrelated thread!), I got the impression that a person interested felt it was inappropriate for me to take things to PMs and emails when I could just post here.

OTOH, NCBT, you might take note that some folks feel that way and modulate your posting without getting defensive about it.

Mick

re: steve

people topping their own threads is the way the internet works, just don't open the thread, given his tactics are a bit excessive he's not doing anything that other people don't do all the time, being an internet cop is just going to make him feel alienated, talk shit, and not help anything... its not like he's trying to do a bad thing, i just don't think a lot of people are interested in the specific way its being presented.

OK, I was kind of being pushed up against a wall.

I can clarify something:

I worked really hard to make this space a bike shop/space or whatever. I did this to build my business. I am at the point now where I have to get a bigger space, one where I can build in, one where I won't get interrupted by 10 year olds wanting bike tubes. This space is perfect for a small bike co op. Free Ride is too far away for the kids of bloomfield/garfield/lawrenceville to get to (kids-the little ones). This is why I want to do this, these kids come in begging for bikes and repairs. I have not turned them away, even though I am building bikes I have the stuff to help them. I bust my butt doing my work, and I get the kids in the neighborhood back on their bikes, but I can not keep doing both.

This is why I posted this, not for my own profit, or personal gain, but to help some little ones back on their bikes. I feel chastised for asking if anyone wants to help with that.

i think this is a cool idea, and a worthwhile one. i also think that you could help these kids out at kraynicks with no problem, i'm definately not into putting a lot of effort into starting something up near him. down the hill in lawrenceville is a different story, i help the kids around here fix up their bikes all the time and garfield is just out of their minds eye, they can't even conceive going up the hill to get their bikes fixed... i don't know if these kids are enough of a demand to start something like this though. there are rumors of a bike shop starting on the northside, kraynicks, iron city, sqhill shops, thick, freeride... i just don't think there is enough demand to make a lawrenceville coop work.

HOWEVER. the guy at city cafe is looking for someone to do something like this, he owns the space, and has ideas. if you think this sort of thing needs to happen i think you should talk to him with your 4 or 5 volunteers and start looking that way... i know you have a decent setup behind kraynicks but i just don't think you'll have any core support opening a coop up right behind it. if you've got a waiting list for building bikes keep doing what you're doing, but starting a coop there just doesn't jive well with me, and apparently others as well.

I would be interested, but I want to know more about details. I would only be able to contribute if everything is 100% legit (business license? 501c3? insurance? etc...)

I think that if it was spun right, with the right location, it could not only be a success, but also a positive part of our community.

I think ndromb's question is a good one--what sort of co-op is this? Is a "public" entity that may actually turn into a real repair shop at some point, or is it just a bunch of people who buy into a shared space with shared tools, with unfettered access to it? If it's the former, then it's important to work out the business license/insurance/etc issues before buying in. If it's the latter, you should at least write up something that defines the "rules" (i.e.: don't use the shop space for a rave) so everyone involved is on the same page.

If you're thinking about the latter, and you want some stories from someone who has organized and "run" a climbing wall co-op, PM me.

I have an insurance quote from the same company that insures Calfree bikes, Garry Fisher and other big companies. I am ready to move on it. By default it covers bike rentals, it also covers bike building, repair, and more.

I have yet to talk to the Thomas Merton Center, but I have before, about starting a co-op record label in the north side. They were and are very receptive to no profits, including hosting the 501c status and bank accounts.

I have a very rough outline of the business plan, I will be working out some of the details.

As far as being next to Kranicks, I have had no problems with it so far. He has even gone as far as to tell me he would refer people to me, but I had a bike build that he will not forget that was done slightly wrong, (bottom bracket washer missing). He has people come into his shop wanting bikes and he just sends them to free ride.

Many people have come to me after getting a not so warm feeling from free ride and Gerry. Many people come from out of town to get stuff done as well. I have found that many people do not know that Gerry is there, I have found many people out on a rope, because they can not make the hours that the other shops are open. I would want to offer hours that the other shops miss, 6 pm to 11pm etc and appointments. Gerry has a strong reputation, a solid customer base and many years in the same location.

As far as the shop organization it looks like a worker owned shop will work nicely. You buy into it, with up to ten people owning a share, you would post hours on a message board or forum, and the schedule would be based on the people working. The people working doing the repairs would keep the money that they make, with a small amount going to the upkeep of the shop. Tubes, tires and etc would be wholesale and would be payed for when sold. The workers would be responsible for keeping the shop clean and orderly. The workers can "hire" (indi-contract) people to work with them, or they can volunteer.

The owners could sell their share if the are moving or busy or what have you. They can negotiate a price and the proceeds of the sale will belong to that person. Three members will have to agree on the sale.

This will let people have jobs working on bicycles, to set their own hours and give them experience with handling a business.

This type of arrangement would allow people to make money at this, and to build an investment in the shop. This will also create JOBS!!!

I am looking for a warehouse space in Lawrenceville, where I will move to phase two of my business development, and if the space is large enough a small bike shop.

The bike rental aspects will be interesting to explore as well.

see now THIS is a productive discussion of the idea, MUCH BETTER than just posting "anybody interested" over and over.

Yeah, sorry, I was busy and didn't have a bunch of time to write about it. I will have the basic outline done this weekend. We are going to have a meeting this weekend as well.

That sounds interesting... I was dabbling for a bit doing bike repairs on the side via Craigslist in the spring, and it was great always having extra grocery money and cash on hand (didn't go to a mac machine for 3 months LOL)...

The things I hated about it were buying parts at retail or at small discount due to the lack of an ability to find a wholesaler. I did eventually find two hook-ups in that department but landed a new full time job that destroyed all of my free time by making me work 70hrs a week.

I was also doing pickup and delivery for people's bikes and that became a bit of a pain due to the time involved, but it was a great experiment to say the least. It was not hard in the least to find customers... I had to turn a lot of people away from being backed up which kind of shocked me! I never posted to a single message board, only a regularly re-posted CL ad was all it took.

I've seen the information floating around CL and other places and would like to know what yall' are up to.

I won't be around this weekend but feel free to PM me about it.

Ok, we have a space, 50th st and butler. Lawrenceville.

It would be nice if people thought a bike shop was as important as a bike rack. You can lock up to a parking meter. But, if you have a flat or bend a rim then? Oh well, it will be a worker owned shop. We have a storefront, ( still have to work out all of the details on the space).

i live at 49th and butler and would be interested in helping out.

I live at 52nd and Butler, I'm interested.

http://www.ibike.org/encouragement/freebike/starting.htm#Starting

check the link

We are organizing benefit shows, @Kopeck's, @ New Amsterdam and @Ishtar (formerly Inner Vag). The New Amsterdam may be a wine tasting. Punk at Kopecks, figuring out Ishtar. Anyone who is interested let me know if your band can play. If you want to help organize, call me if you have the number.

Here's some other ideas.

More then ideas.

Bike shops.

http://thehubbikecoop.org/

http://www.bikesnotbombs.org/

Anybody interested in a bike shop in Lawrenceville?

OK, here is the deelyo-

I am doing the 501c paperwork this and next week.

The address will be 5171 butler st (might be 5071).

Anyway, the respnose from the

We are having several benefit shows.

DEC 5 @ Ishtar (this is the meet and greet, with turkish buffet)

DEC 11 @ Kopecks (punk & rock)

DEC 18 @ kOPECKS (punk & rock)

DEC 25th @ Belvedeers (Puddin' Wrestling, BIKE GIRL-V-BIKE GIRL, Bike girl takes all comers in 5 matches, (must be in her weight class))

DEC ( havent set date @ New Amsterdam)

We need people that want to play these shows.

It looks like it will be a for profit bike shop. I personally am tired of fixing bikes, I am so burned out with the business aspects as well. BUT, I am helping other people to start this shop.

I really do not want too much to do with it for all those sketchy hatters out there, you can breath again.

what!? it hasn't even opened yet?

so confused.

how did it go from non-profit to for profit in less than a week?

501(c) paperwork must have been too hard.

...interesting....

The paper work is a huge pain in the butt. What is worse is there is very little reason to do non profit, and I would have had to do it all my self. There is one other person that is way into this. But I can not fix another bike for someone else. It has so taken the love of biking out of me. I want one bike not 100-.

Talk about instilling confidence in a not fully yet formed organization.

I have a five month old son. He is a higher priority than anybody's punctured tube.

Hey, I figured that if it was a high interest, people would step up and offer some help, or pm me about it.

Looks like it is myself and one other person, with a few nods of support. I have yet to post about it in other spots (other than here and CL). I figured that this message board was a great place to start.

bike girl vs. bike girl pudding wresting... wow.

who's bike girl?

where's ishtar?

Bike Girl:

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/21118413/detail.html

And I meant Istabul, formerly The Inner Vagabond.

ahhh. that bike girl

A bike shop in Lawrenceville would be fantastic!