Help Wanted: SHOP MANAGER

Alex Barnes, the Collective shop manager, is returning to the East Coast in a couple of weeks. We will miss him and the organization Alex has brought to the shop.

And so…we’re interviewing candidates for Collective shop manager. Depending on the skills and the abilities of the top candidate, we are looking at a position for about 30 hours a week—perhaps approaching 40 hours weekly this summer during the peak of the cycling season.  Check out the job description. Interested? Contact Carl Voss, Collective chair.

Des Moines Bicycle Collective 2009 Annual Report Available

It has been a busy year at the Collective. We have prepared an annual report to summarize the activities and accomplishments we realized in 2009. Click here to view the report.

User Account Maintenance Notice

We were invaded by bots creating hundreds of phony user names. In an effort to eliminate these user accounts, we may have blocked some accounts of real members. If you want to have your account activated again, contact webcat by email to get the correction made. You can test  to see if your account is blocked by trying to log in. You only need to be logged in to post comments on the forums.

Maintenance Opportunities

ANCIENT SECRETS OF BIKE MAINTENANCE REVEALED Yes, bike maintenance classes are returning to the Collective. Long overdue. Our next classes will be a 4-week series, beginning Thursday, Feb. 18. 

We're pleased to have Steve Hanel, who has worked for 20-plus years as a Bike World mechanic, as the Collective bike instructor. Previously, Steve taught bike maintenance for 10-plus years through the Des Moines Adult Education program.

If all goes to plan, we will continue classes throughout the year on Thursday nights. Details, how to register. Too busy right now? Sign up now for March classes.

Maintenance class will be hands-on, so bring your bike and get ready to get greasy. No previous bike knowledge is required or expected—just bring along your interest in learning the essential skills of maintaining your bike. Please sign up for classes ONLY IF you are certain you can make the dates. Space is limited. It really bites when people don't show up and/or cancel at the last minute.

Thursday evenings, 7-9 p.m.
Location: Des Moines Bicycle Collective, 617 Grand Avenue (downtown Des Moines)
Class size: 10 (enrollment preference to students signing up for all four classes)
Fee: $25 per night/$80 for package of all four classes

What to bring: Your bike and your favorite non-alcoholic beverage
What to wear: Work clothes and/or work apron

MORE CLASSES After our first fall series of maintenance classes, the Collective intends to offer one-night special classes, depending on the response from Collective supporters like you. Steve Hanel will teach these classes, too.

Suggested classes include recumbent maintenance, tandem maintenance, wheel building/truing, Sturmey-Archer 3-speed maintenance, and building a fixie or single-speed. Interested? Let us know what classes you'd like to enroll in and we'll put them on the schedule. Four students minimum makes a class. One-night class is $25.

Fixie or single speed class. Will need to match you up with a frame and discuss how you plan to customize (possibly order rims) before classes begin.

NEED SPACE TO WORK ON YOUR BIKE? CHECK OUT OUR BENCHES We've listened to several Collective supporters—downtown workers in particular—who have asked for evening hours at the Collective. Tuesday night it is; 5-9 p.m.

Wrench on your own bike with our tools ($7/hr contribution) or work on Collective donated bikes just because you're a good soul in the volunteering spirit.

Steve Hanel will be on duty to help with repair questions and locate essential used parts from our inventory. Interested? It would be nice to know in advance if you plan to stop by.