This "How To" area, is a key area for Re~Cycle's current work.
The aim is to make it easy for people to set up and run bike projects, with:
- download able "best practice" or "what we've worked out so far" (in sections, see below)
- forums to find out more detail and ask questions, (e.g. 'this worked well', 'thinking about trying that, any suggestions?'...), so existing projects can improve, as well as support new projects
- feed back into updated versions of the down-loadable "How To"s
"How To"s include;
How To set up and run a collection point in the 'west':
In simple terms, the three main things that make Re-Cycle work are donations - donations of bikes, donations of money and donations of time from our volunteer helpers. Without these donations, nothing can happen but there are other things that are needed.
Our main advice is to get a team of people to help, and don't say you're collecting bikes for charity until you've got space and a plan for the bikes.
- set up (first get people to help!)
- premises - somewhere to store the bikes
- volunteers - find and organise
- fund raising
- funds generation
- source bikes, parts and tools
- find recipients in Africa (if not going through Re~Cycle) - pack a container - get quality feedback from recipient groups - run basic mechanic training course, as well as advanced
- How to load a container with bikes, Re~Cycle uses 40-foot high cube containers which are 1-foot taller, so we can get 3 layers of bikes in
- Other people's ideas on this;
- liaise with bike clubs, bike shops (charity collection pots and flyers, donation of tools as and when they're worn out by 'developed world' standards)
- ...
How To set up a bike refurbishing project in Africa:
- sourcing bikes
- clearing customs
- refurbishing bikes
- run basic mechanic training course, as well as advanced
- training the trainers
- ...
How To make tools from 'dead' bikes:
- DIY bike trailer - the project which kind of started this project started off!
- electricity generation, (2 types, bike converts to and from, or permanent device - can no longer use as bike) eg.:
- water pump - our American counterparts have some designs here
- drill
- Misc designs at Maya Pedal here
- ...
How To make Bike Art out of dead bikes and parts:
So that local groups can make things from their waste for sale, decoration and demonstration of reuse
- furniture eg. tables here and here, chairs here and here, clocks here
- tools eg. bottle openers here and here
- art - Picasso made a bull's head from a saddle and handlebars here! And there are scupltures of lizzards etc
- Moving work of art, wind powered, Radford Mill Farm shop in Bristol
- Misc art here
- ...
How To make clothing and related items dead bikes and parts:
So that local groups can make things from their waste for sale, decoration and demonstration of reuse
How to do a sponsored ride for Re~Cycle
- What bike
- Kit
- How to raise money
- Specific ride info, including
- Lands End to John O'Groats info
- London to Canterbury (Tour de France)
How to run a Bicycle Treasure Hunt
- Treasure hunt / orientation course
- teams, on bike,
- solving puzzles, collecting tokens, taking pictures, to score points
- With or without GPS
- Fee to join
How to run a bicycle valet parking and sell raffle tickets
As in the Bicycle Film Festival
How to look after your bike
- http://thebikeproject.wikispaces.com/Manual
- http://thebikeproject.wikispaces.com/tool-use-guide
- http://www.bikesnotbombs.org/EarnABike#manual
Making bike workstand: here
Bicycle safety ideas
Lights
Reflectors
- old CDs, suggestions of best ways to attach them please...
These documents will be free, for anyone, for ever (like free software). If you'd like to be part of Re~Cycle, or work with Re~Cycle, or just do your own thing, its all good with us :)
Re~Cycle is looking at ways to expand in Africa at the moment, contacts welcome.