Author: Ian

Hello! We are now accepting applications for our Fall 2018 Maintenance Course. Please read through the info below and direct any questions to info@commoncycle.org.

Common Cycle’s biannual maintenance courses are intended to help train future volunteers and community members by providing hands-on experience and general knowledge about fixing bicycles and assisting people who come to our open repair hours.

Common Cycle’s Fall 2018 Maintenance Course will begin Tuesday, October 9th and run on 6 consecutive Tuesdays from 6:30-8:30 in Ann Arbor, concluding on November 13th. Classes will be held at Common Cycle’s new workspace at 416 W. Huron, Ann Arbor, 48103. We cover a range of repair and maintenance from basic (e.g. tube change, brake adjustment) to advanced (e.g. hub overhaul, wheel truing). Full schedule below:

October 9th
October 16th
October 23rd
October 30th
November 6th
November 13th

The course is capped at 15 students so that everyone will have some time and space to do hands-on work. No advance knowledge of bike repair is required, just an interest in learning more. Students may bring in their own bikes which we will diagnose as needed and use for demonstration.

Although this is a low/no-cost course, we ask you to respect the large amount of volunteer work that goes into facilitating and teaching the course. For this reason:

• If you are enrolled, we expect you to attend the majority of sessions (4+) or make clear in your application that you will not able to attend some sessions.
• If selected, we expect participants to volunteer at at least two Common Cycle events over the subsequent 12 months.

Apply here: https://goo.gl/forms/MTHzigBqeoe5dYF13

Applications close Friday, September 28th at 5:00 p.m. Please respond to info@commoncycle.org with questions.

Ride well!

Join us for the grand opening of Ann Arbor’s bike co-op on Sunday, July 29th!

Event Details

Sunday, July 29, 3-6 PM [ceremonial opening at 3:30 PM]
416 W Huron, Suite #11, Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Please RSVP via Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/common-cycle-co-op-grand-opening-registration-47537521005

---

All are invited to drop in between 3 and 6 PM, poke around the space, rearrange various carefully shelved items and explore new and upcoming programming options and volunteer opportunities.

There will be a ceremonial “chain-breaking” at 3:30pm to celebrate opening to the public, as well as some informal remarks.

The new space allows us to expand our programs and events, provide additional public hours, and better serve the Ann Arbor community by providing increased access to tools, supplies and expertise. We’re looking forward to what takes shape in the next year.

The launch of the new space is supported by the League of Michigan Bicyclists, Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition, and Common Cycle’s many generous donors.

Although there is much (so much) work left to be done, we think the time is right to start hosting Sunday hours at our new space!

We’ll have a proper grand opening and chain-breaking ceremony to début the new digs once the place is fully outfitted, so stay tuned for that. Until then, we’ll be hosting dual operations–we’ll host the Mobile Repair Stand at the Sunday Artisan Market as well as have folks ready to help you with all your bike needs at 416 W Huron, both from 11-3. Come say hi and take a peek at the Co-Op space!

Secondly, as Sunday, 5/27 is Flower Day in Kerrytown, we’ll be set up on the concrete “island” on the eastern edge of the Farmers Market Property (between the Farmers Market and 5th Ave).

Hope to see you Sunday, in some form.

Due to various events taking place, there is a slight change in the usual plan this Sunday: Namely, we’re shifting the Mobile Repair Stand’s location to support this year’s Huron River Day, taking place at Gallup Park from 1-5 PM.

There will not be a CC presence in Kerrytown on 5/20. Hope to see you at Gallup Park.

The forecast says it’ll be a whopping 54 degrees this Thursday – perfect conditions under which to schlep your bike down to Adventure Leadership for the next installment of our women/trans program, which is coming up on Thursday, January 11th from 6-8 PM.

This program is an effort to build community, increase access to knowledge around bicycle repair, and to support more gender diversity within the cycling community and within Common Cycle. Of course, trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming folks are welcome and encouraged to attend.

The unofficial topic for January will be brakes, if folks are interested; otherwise, we can tackle a topic that attendees would like to learn about or work on (provided I or someone else in attendance has some background knowledge on the topic).

We’ll be meeting at the Adventure Leadership Rental Center (336 Hill St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104) from 6pm-8pm on Thursday, January 11th. The building doesn’t have great signage, but is on the southwest corner of Hill and Division, right next to the Elbel Field.

No RSVP necessary, but if you are inclined, feel free to let us know that you are coming here.

Full list of women/trans sessions this winter:

Thursday, January 11, 6-8 PM
Thursday, February 8, 6-8 PM
Thursday, March 8, 6-8 PM

Happy riding,
Your Common Cycle buddies