gil_00000

I've been a volunteer at two co-ops in two different states. There are obviously differences between the two. There were many similarities.

They both shared the same goals. Get the community more into biking. They both had mission statements that were more eloquent. The mission was to help people with bikes. Some customers come in and don't know how to change a flat tire. Some customers want to build up a frame from scratch. The co-ops I've been a part of help with both topics and everything in between.

Bike shops need to make money. They offer a new and/or used bike product ready to ride out the door. Bike co-ops tend to aim to teach more. The two co-ops don't even offer a service to drop off the bike and get it fixed. We would rather take the extra time and teach a customer how to make the repair and why. Many people need a part and want to know how to install it. Cost is also a concern for many. New parts cost a lot and there is labor. Switching a used part at the co-op with volunteer is much cheaper.

How to create or maintain a co-op? It's not easy. Start with a non-profit mentality and go from there. Volunteers are desperately needed. Interest is needed from the general public. Without donations from the public there probably won't be much of a co-op. Someone needs to run the place. That's a lot of work and on a slender budget. The co-ops I've gone to wouldn't have been able to function without the volunteers. They, myself included, run volunteer times. Generally at night and after the work day. Many volunteers are retired workers, who are members of the bicycling community.

I love bike co-ops. As a customer I can switch parts out relatively cheap. Very important if I can't make up my mind on a build. As a volunteer, I get to be around bikes. Look at bikes, learn about makes and models, price bikes, teach mechanics, inform about parts, help navigate compatibility issues. Geek out on bikes, components, accessories and many other things I wouldn't otherwise see. Just this weekend I found what I hope to be my next bike. Never heard of the frame builder. It was a nice color and the right size. Then I spent a few hours trying to find info on the bikes. As long as the price is correct, It's mine.

New people to my life don't understand why I would volunteer my time for free. But I get a lot more out of it than monetary compensation. Bikes are great and I get to look at thousands of them each year I'm a volunteer.