By Davey Davis
It’s springtime at the Bicycle Collective, and we’re happy to report that all shops are humming along!
Salt Lake
Our new apprenticeship program has kicked off nicely since January, run by Mike Holden during the day and Alex Parvaz and Erika Longino at night. They’ve had 49 people start the program so far, with ten graduating from the beginner segment and three apprentices finishing the intermediate segment. That means an extra 231 bikes tuned by volunteers, counting the completed apprentices alone! This course is a great way to enter the bicycle industry, or good for people looking to hone their skills in a structured fashion. At this time we are most able to schedule apprentices during daytime hours, contact us through bicyclecollective.org for more information.
We’re also glad to report that having a mechanic and open shop manager on every open shop shift has been a net benefit for the shop. This means you’re more likely to get mechanical expertise as you work on your projects, regardless of how busy it is, and our volunteers and shop managers aren’t as habitually stretched thin by the many tasks of an average night shop.
Ogden
In June Ogden’s aiming to give away 100 kids bikes, help them by volunteering Thursday 6-8pm or by dropping off bike-related donations at that time or Tuesday/Wednesday 5-9 pm and Saturday 12-5. Those are also the times to fix up your own bike or buy a refurbished one!
Elsewhere
We’ve had more and more volunteer involvement in Provo, stop by on Saturdays! We’re hoping to teach a volunteer-run Earn-A-Bike program in Provo this summer or fall, get in touch if you’re interested in teaching or participating. Our U of U and Westminster locations are quieter in the summer, getting ready to get all those students pedaling in the fall. We’ve got some great plans in the works in St. George, Glendale, and Moab, let us know if you want to get involved in any of those places!
Any and all info about the Bicycle Collective can be found at bicyclecollective.org
