Mobo Bicycle Coop

Bangin’ Bamboo

Rob — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:11:48 +0000

Building the jig for the bamboo bike.

Neato torpedo!! MoBo had an impromptu bamboo bicycle building workshop last week. The workshop was held by past MoBo member, Dan Vogel-Essex, of Ozon Bicycles. Currently based in Berlin, Germany, Dan was in Cincinnati visiting family and friends and stopped by the Co-op. One thing led to another… after hours, resins purchased, a crew of people cutting up bike frames to use, extremely rich and delicious Ghirardelli chocolate brownies, and a custom bike jig. Dan explained the process, showed critical points to look out for, answered questions, and was ultimately patient with us all. Kudos! He even agreed to donate it to MoBo’s Loaner Bike Program! Well, the bike is looking great. Dan has flown back to the DDR, and we’ll be finishing up the final touches of bike soon. Ask about it next time you’re in open shop and keep an eye out for it pedaling around soon!

Winter Workshop Series 2012

Rob — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:57:51 +0000

Our Winter Workshop Series begins February 6^th! All workshops are free and open to the public. Workshops will be held at Mobo (1415 Knowlton) from 7-9pm. All are welcome!

Feb 6
Urban Riding 101

Have you ever heard of the “right hook” or the “door zone”? Do you know how to correctly lock up your bike? Urban Riding 101 is a great workshop for those who are new to riding on city streets! This informal group discussion will cover: how to dress for the cold (so you stay warm, but not sweaty!); basic street safety (right hooks, the door zone, metal plates, making turns, lights, bells); gear for commuting/running errands (weight distribution and securing of cargo for racks, panniers, baskets and messenger bags); recommended routes/roads; and how to correctly lock up your bike so it doesn’t get stolen!
https://www.facebook.com/events/209807015777596/
Feb 13
Roadside Repair 101

Learn about mini air pumps, how to patch or change tubes, how to make tire boots, and what to do when your chain falls off! https://www.facebook.com/events/281840588541299/

Feb 20
Maintenance 101

Learn basic maintenance skills, such as: how/when to lube the chain, change or adjust brake pads, air up tires, and check the trueness of your wheels. https://www.facebook.com/events/275617605836059/

Feb 27

Brakes

March 5

Shifters & Derailleuers

March 12

Wheel Basics

March 19

Hubs & Bottom Brackets

March 26

Headsets

Peas and Bicycle Grease

mobo — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 20:47:44 +0000

What a year. We have kept ourselves busy. Mountains of work have been moved. Frustrations and worries expressed. Laughter, hugs, and love found. Sometimes we’ve been awkward. Sometimes we had trouble communicating. Sometimes we got angry. And we recognized that and its ok. Its a new day and a new moment even as these words appear. What will we accomplish next?

So many people have given so much. Time, energy, materials, advice, love, support, understanding, critiques, friendship, inspiration… the list goes on. All gifts. All blessings. All of it channels back out of MoBo. Its a smile, a helping hand, a presence, a reassurance, a support network that ripples out the doors of the shop to flow around our neighborhood and even the whole of Cincinnati itself. Amazing the things that have been accomplished through the existence of a tiny little community bicycle workshop. What will happen next? Will we we continue to as a tiny little workshop? Will we inspire a child? Bring understanding & peace to tensions and discomfort? Share jokes? See more and more people riding bicycles down the street? Will we continue to build a place that that vibrates with life and friendship each time we sign in?

There have been as many ideas shared within those walls, as seeds have been planted in the surrounding gardens, as the turns of the wrenches each week, as rotation of the wheels of your bike when its all said and done. Endless possibilities. Potential roadblocks. Only way to see what happens is to keep taking part part, isn’t it? It won’t be easy sometimes. Sometimes it will be epic. Other times humbling. And, hopefully, we all come out for the better.

How will we come to MoBo in the new year? What can we give to it? How can we help? And when its figured out, it feels good.

Happy New Year and Love

That Fever is Rough, Time for Vapor Rub

Rob — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 21:37:07 +0000

Perpetual motion machine…… that’s like folks on tracks bikes that have to move their feet with the pedals as the wheel moves. Continually moving. That crisp December breeze hitting your face, making your eyes water a bit, all those nerves feeling that cool buffet. And ol Jack Frost, he’s a kinkster, that one. Like, how his fingers slide up under the back of your shirt, lashing any exposed skin. Or how your jacket opens and the chill wraps around your stomach like a tornado. The absolute worst, my perpetually-in-motion friends, is when it goes right through your sweater. It creeps in! Finds every little hole and crevice between the weaves, and Land! when it gets through and there’s sweat on your chest.

We all want to be babied when we’re sick, don’t we? Someone to make you tea, rub your back, put a hand on your forehead, bring you movies. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Don’t forget the fever. And the achy muscles. The sweats, the rasp in the lungs. Not fun.

So, an ounce of prevention vs pound of cure….

Keep the moisture off the chest. Athletic shirts of various fiber types accomplishes this. It does. Yeah, yeah…. not in your wardrobe, well, what in there might remove moisture from your skin? The answer is NOT COTTON!

And if the special moisture control shirt is unavailable, then at least keep the wind off your chest. Nothing says pneumonia like a good bike ride in cold weather in the wrong jacket.

Remember, moisture control and thermoregulation. You know what they mean. How do you practice it?

“Ch-check” This

Rob — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:51:22 +0000

Hi! How are you today? Mmhmm. Really? K. Well, let’ talk about something else. What do you want to talk about? Whatever? Ok, you asked for it…

When you ride down the street and there’s 2 lanes, but one is filled with parked cars, how do you ride? Do you ride in the middle of the traffic lane? Do you ride towards the outside of the traffic lane? Do you ride in the parking lane, all close to the cardoors? The sidewalk? Not sure? Think for a minute. Maybe you’ve been going down Hamilton Ave through Northside down by Hoffner Park. On the north side of Blue Rock heading down towards Spring Grove. There you have two lanes at your disposable, if the bus isn’t taking up the outer. Once we cross over Blue Rock, cars begin to park in that lane and there is only one left for moving traffic. Where do you go? Straight to Take the Cake? Ok. Now back out in the street… Car behind you and bus ahead of you. Yeah, it a big car! They’re all big! Wait! Real quick, just consider what could happen if you try to make yourself small against that wall of parked cars. You know, to give those people in the vehicle that can do 0 to 70 in how many SECONDS the opportunity to squeeze past you? THEY CAN WAIT!! They can. Really really really realize that if a cardoor opens up and hits you, you’re screwed. If it opens up and you hit it, you’re screwed. And not in the fun way! How will we be friends for thirty years if you didn’t make it?! Own your lane. See your line in front of you. Pedal. How often have you caught yourself only looking at the moving traffic? How often do you listen to your space radio while cruising? Think about how crucial it can be to see the head inside the parked car moving like they plan on opening the door, and hear the ‘ca-click’ of the latch and lock.

No, you haven’t done anything wrong. Just something to run round in your head tonight. Each one teach one, right? Why would you NOT want to think about this?

See ya later.

Volunteer Appreciation

Jheri — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:51:38 +0000

Well, seems the past couple of weeks have just blown by, and before we know it 2012 will be upon us. Before that happens, we just want to say thank you once again to all the wonderful volunteers that help make MoBo what it is. We had a epic volunteer apreciation party 2 weeks ago, and we are just now regaining enough of our strength to finally report about it. DJ Bree kept us up dancing and singing until the wee hours of the morning, and some pretty great prizes were raffled off. Thank you to the local buisnesses and artists who donated all the awesome swag that was given away, and as always NYPD thank you for keeping us well stocked in pies. Thank you Ellie for all the cooking you did the night before, and Alex N. for the last minute save. But most of all, Thank you Cincinnati, for all the great volunteers, which without, MoBo would not be possible. From our volunteer mechanics who share their knowledge and passion of bikes with us, to all the volunteers constantly sorting bike parts and bikes, sweeping and keeping the building up, and being the smiling face that greets every person that wanders through our doors, you guys are truly amazing. Thank you to Village Green for all you do to allow us to do what we do, and thank you Northside, for being such a great community.

Reflecting

Rob — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:30:03 +0000

Reflectors!! Lights!! Visibility!! In this city, it is not only the law, but a necessity to avoid being run down while out riding in the evening and night. So here is a little food for thought…

Would you believe how important at dusk to have a blinking taillight? The Lakota peoples speak of this as a magic time, and no in the oh-so-fun rabbit popping out of the hat. Think more like, everything is a shade of gray. So its all the more important to have that flashing bit of red or orange blowing up drivers’ retinas.

The next little bit to consider is WHERE to place your reflectors and/or lights. Studies have been done showing how simply by viewing lights placed on moving joints, the human mind can discern a multitude of information, and in our case, that we are on a bicycle in front of their half ton+ of steel. Don’t believe me? Check out this little demo… http://www.biomotionlab.ca/Demos/BMLwalker.html

What it boils down to, is to seriously consider wearing reflectors on your ankles and knees, and have a blinking light on either your back or on the back of the bike. Whichever is more visible. Bike stores sell a variety of lights, which they will readily mount for you (sometimes for a price), and most will also have reflective bands for your joints for a very low cost. And if you’re crafty, you can always think up new ways to sew reflective material onto your clothes and gear!

Stay tuned, we may even have an upcoming reflective workshop in the not too distant future!

Whats Between the Lines

Rob — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:33:48 +0000

It sure has been raining a lot lately. It is a good thing. The water is being planted into the earth for later use. All those shiny cold droplets glistening on the branches, blades, and leaves push the plants energy deeper in, planting that, too, for later use. Just something to consider next time you’re out in it. And being out in it is what this post is about. And a bit more specifically, how to be out in it safely.

Ride safe, don't ride between the the tire lines

Last time I wrote about wet metal. Remember that? Only good wet metal is really good heavy metal, otherwise its bad luck, so try your best to avoid it or hold steady as you go over it. The other tricky tricky during the rain is where in the road you ride. Really. You wouldn’t think it would make a difference but it does. When its raining, ride in the car tracks. The reason for this is that inbetween those tracks lies slickness – oil and other lubricants that leak or get washed off the bottom of cars and sit in the street until the rains pull it to the surface. And its most dangerous early in the rainfall before its had time to be pushed to the sides and middle by constant tire pressure from all the traffic. Next time you’re caught in the rain on your bicycle, notice where all the pretty swirly rainbow colors are on the concrete. Just don’t notice them too long or you might end up going splat!

So remember, in the rain, what lies between the lines can mess you up.

Wet Metal is Bad Luck

Rob — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:21:03 +0000

That’s right. Wet metal is bad luck. Unless its really zoned out effects heavy metal like the band Sleep or White Zombie. But seriously, let’s talk about riding your bicycle over metal for a bit. As a general rule, it good to practice “riding over metal is bad luck”. And riding over wet metal is REALLY bad luck. Unfortunately, sometimes it cannot be avoided. Whether its railroad tracks, manhole covers, construction plates, or vent grates, sometimes you have to deal with going across them. A general rule of thumb for doing this is go forward. Do not try to turn. Be prepared for the bike to slide out from under you. Preferably this does not happen, but be prepared for it. Do not hit your brakes. Really. And for railroad tracks, avoid hitting the tracks at an angle that will cause your wheel to slide along in the track. Perpendicular is safest.

Stay tense enough to maintain a solid straight line and relaxed enough to react to anything that could happen. Go with the energy of the motion of the bike.

Thanks for reading and happy riding!!

Changing Up the Welcome Page

mobo — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:11:42 +0000

Stripping Party

Join us November 5th from 10 am – 4 pm to help us strip parts off of donated bikes.

Cold Weather Commuting Workshop

Sunday November 6th we will be hosting a workshop with information on commuting in cold weather.

Join Us at the Harvest Festival

and vote in the Village Green Board Elections

Join the whole Village Green community at our annual Harvest Festival on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 5:30pm! This is a joint celebration hosted by MoBo and our parent organization, the Village Green. We’ll celebrate vegetables, autumn, and each other!

We’ll also be holding elections for the Village Green Board of Directors, the formal leadership of the organization. This will be the very first such election in which MoBo members are allowed to participate, an exciting step for the organization as a whole- so show up and let your voice be heard!

All members of the community are eligible to run for VG Board positions. If you’re interested in becoming a leader in the organization, send an e-mail to northsidevillagegreen@gmail.com for more info!

Check out the…

MoBo FORUM

2nd Tuesday of Every Month, 7pm @ MoBo

Join us for an open discussion on how MoBo works, how you can get involved, how we can be better neighbors and how to keep MoBo alive and kickin’!

MoBo FORUM is a monthly community meeting and potluck. We’ll announce upcoming events, answer questions, share feedback and get to know each other! If you want to know more about what we do here and how you can be a part of it, the MoBo FORUM is for you!

Free food/potluck!

Meet the New Board!

The 2011-2012 crop of leaders at MoBo!

Clockwise from the top: Danny Berchenko, Laura Collins, Ian Surra, Alex Nava, Anna Geimeier, Alex Temple, Rob Grossman and Ellie Jones.

Thanks to all the members who voted! More members participated in this election than in any other in the history of MoBo, a testament to the vitality of our cooperative. We’re excited about another year and grateful for such creative and committed members willing to step up as leaders of MoBo!

As always, all members are encouraged to participate in the leadership of our organization. Board members are recognized as especially-committed leaders and are the only members able to officially vote in board meetings, but the vast majority of decisions are reached through consensus and everyone is encouraged to participate!

Kids’ Day 2011

Our Kids’ Day program was a smash success!

One of our absolute favorite programs, Kids’ Day offers local kids the opportunity to repair, maintain, and build bicycles with one-on-one guidance from experienced mechanics. Every Monday evening during the summer we devote the shop, its tools, and our expertise exclusively to the servicing of kids’ bikes. Membership fees are waived for youth members of the Co-op, so participation in Kids’ Day is free for all youth members (aged 16 and under). Children under 6 need to be accompanied by an adult.

Additionally, MoBo collects donated bicycles and matches them with kids who need bikes. Mechanics work with each new owner to make repairs and adjustments as necessary. Helmets are distributed free of charge. Youth are served on a first-come, first-served basis. A waiting area is staffed by at least 2 adult volunteers who provide supervision, games, water, and occasional snacks. Jobs such as set up, clean up, sign in, trash duty, and cup duty are delegated to mature kids so as to nurture the spirit of cooperation.

Our Kids’ Day Coordinator for 20111 was long-time MoBo volunteer Scott Pardi.

The success (and fun) of Kids’ Day depends on awesome adults willing to pitch in and make this happen! If you’re interested in helping out next summer, contact the Scott (scottpardi@gmail.com).

Thursday Night Fairly Slow Ride

Every Thursday, 7pm @ MoBo

Are you a beginning rider? Want to learn how to ride on the road safely? You’re in luck! MoBo offers a Thursday Night Fairly Slow Ride for beginning riders. Interested in this ride? Contact us at mobobicyclecoop@gmail.com

We begin with the basics of group riding and how to ride safely in the street before heading out. Our route is chosen specifically to be easy to manage for new riders, and whenever group members have had enough and are ready to turn back, the Slower Bike Ride folks will head back to MoBo!

The Thursday Night Fairly Slow Bike Ride Manifesto:
1) We focus on building confidence and stamina.
2) We focus on teaching bike safety.
3) We ride as fast as the slower riders.
4) We focus on having fun!

Don’t forget your helmet and bike light(s)!
Visit the ride’s Facebook page for more information!

May is Bike Month!

In case you haven’t heard, May is Bike Month in our lovely city! MoBo is teaming up with friends and neighbors all across Cincinnati for a month of bike-themed events, and we want to see YOU out there in the saddle! Check out all these events (click to enlarge)…

Thanks for coming to the…

2011 MoBo Fundraiser Party!

We rocked it out on May 7 at our 5th Annual Fundraiser Party @ Mayday!

The first-ever Busted Bike Build-Off, an absurd competition created by our friends in the Mosh & Brew Cycle Club in which teams of local mechanics raced to build a “ridable” bicycle out of spare parts and braved a ridiculous obstacle course, was a huge success. The Held Together By Hope Trophy went to MoBo’s Angelique and Braxton, the Most Anal Retentive Trophy to the Mosh & Brew team, and the coveted I Build to Survive Belt was brought home by Scott and Michael from Team Hungry Cycling. The whole thing unfolded on a fat wave of instrumental surf rock summoned by Fronkensteen.

The Fundraiser itself followed with a night of music, food, local beer, a silent auction, and friends galore. Fronkensteen, the Cotyledons, Shadow Raptor, various incarnations of Loft Collective bands like Okay Lindon, and DJ Carl Hunt blessed the airwaves gratis, and we destroyed an epic spread of food from local eateries and the kitchens of volunteers while enjoying local brews from Rivertown Brewing Company. Dozens of artisans and merchants in Northside, Cincinnati, and beyond contributed goods and services to our silent auction and raffles, and we basked in community love from old friends, new members and generous neighbors.

Thank you for supporting MoBo in whatever form you chose, whether by volunteering to help prepare for or staff the event, donating food, drink, or items for the auction, playing music for free, becoming a member of the cooperative, making a donation, sending good vibes our way from far off lands, or simply showing up! Because of you MoBo will be going strong for another year. See you at the shop!

2011 Bike Sale

Saturday, April 30 – 11-5pm @ MoBo

Thanks for making our annual bike sale fundraiser a huge success- we sold out in record time and gained some new members!

If you were one of the unlucky souls to arrive too late or just didn’t find the bike for you, please keep in mind that you can find a bike at MoBo all year ’round through our Adoption Program. Members can look through our selection of donated frames, claim a bike they want, and work on it at MoBo using our tools and parts until it’s ready to go. At the end of the process, we only ask that you, the member, offer a small donation or pledge some volunteer time at the co-op in return! For more info, talk to a Shop Coordinator.

Winter Workshop Series 2011

Thanks for coming to MoBo’s Winter Workshop Series!

Every Monday night in February and March we hosted free, community-oriented, biking workshops open to the whole world!

All levels of experience were welcomed and knowledge was shared!!!

Schedule:

2/7: Brakes, w/ John Wood
2/14: Chains and Shifting Systems, w/ Marty Sanders
2/21: Wheels, w/ Michael Chewning
2/28: Bearing Systems, w/ Scott Pardi

3/7: Touring, w/ Nita Stone ***(Rescheduled for 3/22)
3/14: Living in Cincinnati Without a Car, w/ Dan Korman and Katy Crossen
3/21: Commuting, w/ Frank Henson
3/28: Dressing for the Weather, w/ Ben Nava

Looking for more? Come to our Monthly Bicycle Basics Workshop, the 1st Thursday of each month at 7pm @ MoBo!

Northside’s Getting an Art Rack!

Thanks to You!

Our community has succeeded in raising the final $500 needed to fund an Artworks Art Rack in Northside! All told, our neighbors have pledged $2,500 toward this project, $525 of which comes from MoBo members. Artworks will be matching this with general project support. We’ll keep you updated as a location is finalized and the project moves forward, and you can definitely expect some photos in the future.

Thanks to everyone in our wonderful community who contributed, and to Artworks for bringing such a cool project to our city!

Third Thursday? It Must be

Women’s Open Shop!

Anyone who identifies as a woman is welcome to join us the third Thursday of the month (6-9) for an open shop just for women and female identified members. This is a space for women to work on bikes without men in the shop. Women’s Night is led by Kat Smith. Whether you’re a seasoned mechanic or you’ve never picked up a wrench, this is a safe space to work. Come on down!

Thanks for Coming to the Dirty

Hands Shindig!

The Volunteer Appreciation Party on Dec. 11 was a big success!

We’re super proud of our new space and the awesome members who worked to make it so cool. This year was the first time ever MoBo has been able to hold this yearly celebration in its own space, and it was extra special that one of the biggest causes for celebration was the building itself.

We can’t wait for you to see it for yourself! Now that we have a comfortable new shop and community space, we’ll be doing our thing all winter long, so come check it out!

: Thanks to slack panther and Hot Wheels Entertainment!

Thank You!

In the last few of months, our superhero memberss have put a MASSIVE amount of work into rehabbing the Village Green building, allowing MoBo to move into our new shop space.

: Our shop during the early rehab stages

We now have: a heated (!!!), insulated, and painted shop space, a finished floor, storage systems in the basement, and a shared community storefront and a separate shared office space! Our folks have done an incredible job. In the last few of months our members counted more than 600 hours of work! Way to be cooperative!

As you can tell, we’ll be continuing our work to fully move into the space and organize our shop during our regular Open Shop days and on Co-op Nights (Tuesdays from 6-9pm). We still have a lot of work to do, and could use all the help we can get from our members! If you can pitch in for an extra half hour or more next time you’re here, please ask the Shop Coordinator how to help!

If you’d like to become a volunteer, simply show up at Open Shop or Co-op Night or email volunteersformobo@gmail.com to find out about other ways to get involved!

***(MoBo is not a service or a club: It’s a cooperative. We’re all working together to make something bigger than us, and we want you to join us! It takes a diversity of skills to work the magic of a bike co-op, and we’re always open to what skills you have to offer. Everyone’s welcome. This is an inclusive community!)***

: Our shop before the rehab

: Our storefront community space before the rehab