Bicycle Excitement!
Hey all!
I figured I would post a more light-hearted update, as opposed to the poly drama I've had going on the last month.
I'm working on a yellow ~1975 Schwinn Collegiate (like this one) at the community bike workshop/collective.
All I have to do is buy new tires & tubes, and put in another 2 hours of sweat equity, and she's all mine! The way it works is you pick out a trashed donated bike you like, claim it, put in 7 volunteer hours helping other folks with their bikes or helping sort parts and stuff in the shop, then fix up your bike using checklist and the help of the volunteer mechanics, and you get your bike. For mine, the tires weren't at the workshop because they're a wonky Schwinn-specific size. If I were to get a new Collegiate, it would be $400. If I were to buy a used one in the condition it is now (after I've taken everything apart, cleaned everthing, re-lubed everything, etc) it would be ~$150.
Every Wednesday is ladies night, no guys allowed in the shop including the mechanics, so I've had a couple of awesome women helping me. Then it's not crowded with guys who just want to jump in and do shit for me (which makes me so mad, but for some reason I don't voice it). And it's much more kid-friendly on ladies night.
I knew NOTHING about bike repair before going there, but everyone was so helpful and stuff, I can now help troubleshoot and repair bikes no problem. Truing the wheels, repairing hubs, patching flats, lots of stuff. I feel all empowered and shit. 
AND, I'm going to love having this labor of love so much that I'll probably ride it more than I would have had I just spent the money on a bike, and I know how to change a flat, figure out those squeaks, etc. Now I just need a job I can commute to, and we're set! 
I am SUCH a fan of the bike workshop, right now.
25/MN and WA. Queer, veg, single, AP mama to DD2.5.
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I am wanting a bike right now, but I don't know what kind at all. The bike in the picture looks really sweet--even better in yellow!
This sounds so incredibly cool! I got a pretty nice (used) road bike this spring, and I feel really lame that I have no idea how to fix it, and no idea of where to go to learn. I would LOVE a women's bike-repair collective like yours. And you're bike sounds awesome!
Love my bike too! In Vancouver we have 'Our Community Bikes' (on 17th and Main--for any locals) where we've been fixin' and building bikes for eons.I have to admit, however, that I am one of those 'I'd rather pay my son to fix it, change it, tune it.' So we paid for the time and shop support and Wolf would go in and work on our bike. He met many very cool people and learned all about fixing and maintaining bikes.
But now his bike sits in our garage.... 
all lonely, because Wolf is now a down-hill skateboarding genius (aka: longboarder extraordinaire)and dhas lost interest in his two wheeled mate. Such is life.
You'll love your bike all the more; you are right. Riding is so good for you, and --- wish I had my bike where I am... a few days more and I'll be back in the saddle.
cheers
L
a belly full a laughter, a heart full of joy, a mind full of dreams...
http://lorriemiller.wordpress.com/
yr kinda bike is so cute! i love bikes too... mine just got stolen. i should try to find a program like yrs...
but believe it or not, the women and trans night here doesn't let you bring kids, especially if they are cis boys. talk about not being mama friendly...
where are you moving to? portland? (that's where i am)
<3, Katie
Hey, Katie.
Yeah, I feel pretty lucky that at least on ladies' night (which is trans-friendly, I should mention) it's family-friendly. They even have a (very small) toy area and stuff, because a couple of the collective members, the founders/board, have kids.
I'm headed out to southeastern WA. I just mapped it, and it looks like it's actually slightly closer to portland than it is to Seattle, so that's cool. About four hours, either way, but always cool. 
We should meetup sometime!
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Yeah, A & R are trying to convince me to start one in WW, because there are quite a few bike-riding folks, but no organization; I don't even know if there's a shop there. I'm not a strong enough mechanic to open one, but I know the organizational side enough to do it, if there's enough buy in and market for it.
Yeah, I definitely feel sexy when I'm lubing up bearings for a hub.
Hotshot. It's not hard, I'm sure almost all of it could be learned online and stuff, but I wouldn't have thought of it, or had the tools, or whatever.