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I know what you are probably thinking, "Why on earth would the folks at Bike Recycle Vermont be calling for more snow! Isn't winter riding challenging enough without the addition of even more snow?" Your reasoning is flawless, and we couldn't agree more, but we haven't had the opportunity to try out our super cool new snowshoes!
After several weeks in the making, we are happy to present to you our newest affordable transportation innovation, the recycled snowshoe. Here at the shop, we are continuously trying to come up with innovative ways to reduce our waste stream. Historically, we have created and contributed to various art projects, but with the new snowshoe, we have been able to cut back on our metal recycling dramatically.
The process was relatively easy. We began by liberating a 26" alloy rim from its earlier incarnation as a damaged front front wheel. After some convincing, the rim began to resemble a traditional Basswood snowshoe. With the addition of a pair of pedals, some scrap inner tubes and a few odds and ends picked up at the local hardware store, we had the basic snowshoe. The majority of our time went into numerous attempts at weaving until we settled on what looks like an acceptable "pattern". I use the word pattern very loosely.
The true beauty of the recycled snowshoe lies in its affordability. Even though snowshoeing is a well-seasoned tradition in the northern climes, current costs of snowshoes can be prohibitive to many folks. In comparison with commercial shoes which can start around $150, our version costs less than $10 and a few hours of sweat. We are only limited by the number of 26" aluminum rims we are willing to put towards the cause. Although we are certainly looking forward to our first ride without gloves and our winter helmets, another blast of snow would be nice. When it comes, keep your eyes out at the intervale for these puppies!
Americorps Vista Dan Hock models the the recycled snowshoe
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After several months in the making, Bike Recycle Vermont's "Picture This" is on the web. We've created these helpful handbooks to assist Do-It-Yourselfers and folks who may be interested in starting coops or community bike shops. In the documents to follow, you will find detailed instructions on how to dismantle, overhaul and reassemble most of the major components of almost every bicycle. Our hope is that these handbooks will keep your wheels spinning like a top! Many thanks to Mark Rowell and Emily Eschner who put so much time and energy into making these handbooks a reality. Keep your eyes out for more to come and take a look through the documents after the link as you delve into the world of bike mechanics!
"Picture This" >> |
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It can be pretty dark here in the subterranean shop. Seldom is there a winter day when the natural light trickles into our little basement space at BRV. During the summer months we frequently emerge to the sunlight, squinting. Fortunately, with a little help from our friend Matt Pinard, those dark ages are behind us!
Pinard, a local electrician was kind enough to help us ward off that nasty Seasonal Affective Disorder with ample fluorescent lighting. Matt and his assistant donated several hours of their own time to ensure that we can see in our workspace. We are also very grateful for a Block Grant we obtained through the Burlington’s Community Economic Development Office (CEDO).If the pictures don’t do justice, feel free to drop by the shop and take a peek for yourself!
Mark Rowell (Shop Manager) catching some rays.
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A big thank-you to Cyclegarb.com of Maryland and Amalgamated Culture Works of Vermont. Together, they made our safety green Bike Recycle jerseys a reality! Cyclegarb donated over a dozen jerseys and Amalgamated Culture Works did all the printing for free.
Thank you!
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 Bike Recycle Vermont has long been multi-cultural, but now it's partially multi-lingual! In bike terms anyway...
With the help of interpreters at Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program (VRRP), Bike Recycle has translated several useful bike-related words from English into Maay Maay, Burmese, and Nepali. These three languages were selected because of their prevalence in the area due to signnificant numbers of resettled refugees from Somalia, Burma, and Bhutan.
The words chosen that are either bike or traffic safety related, such as "chain" or "sidewalk" are organized in a user-friendly table that now hangs on an interior door of BRV. Images depicting each of the words radiate out from the table, like spokes on a wheel.
The main goal of the display is to facilitate business transactions such as bike sales or repairs that that are complicated by a language barrier between BRV staff and the New Americans. The hope is that customers will be able to find words they are looking for, either in their native language, or with a picture. IAnother hope is that the display will make New Americans feel more at ease when coming to get a bike; a task that is often one of their first steps toward independence. Additionally, by having the translations front and center at BRV, awareness and knowledge of these languages and the presence of those who speak them will spread to both old and new community members far and wide!
 
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