Bike Fair
Main Message: You can build the bicycle that gives you joy. Here. With us. Using our tools. I will help you do it!
Elevator Pitch
We will hold a Bike Fair to draw cyclists from the community, similar to a parking lot car show. We will have a tune-up station where volunteer mechanics will provide a 10 minute quick-tune; clean and lube the chain, adjust the derailleurs and brakes, and do a safety inspection. We will have a Bike Bling station, where we will sell bike bells, bags, lights, bottles & cages, and spoke wraps. We will have a bike show with awards for Oldest, Weirdest, Crowd Favorite, Best-in-Show, and more. We will have a "Participate" station where people can learn more about volunteering, donate, or learn about becoming a benefactor.
Experience
Drive-in guests will find signs directing them to the car parking area. They will unload their bike(s) and follow signs to the bicycle parking area.
Bike-in guests will proceed directly to bicycle parking, and hang their bike on a race rack.
EZ-Up shade structures will identify the main attractions: Tune-up Station, Participation Station, Bike Bling Station.
Tune Up Station
Volunteer will work with you to perform a 10-minute tune-up on your bike. Clean the chain, adjust the derailleurs, adjust the brakes, safety inspection, lube the chain.
Equipment: 1 10x10 Canopy, 1 Volunteer, 1 Service Stand, 1 Table, 1 Set Tools, 1 Set Chemicals, 1 Banner, 4 5-Gallon Jugs (canopy ballast), 4 Corner Boards, 1 Donation Jar
Participation Station
Volunteer will talk with you about the ways you can participate in Bike Saviours' mission (possibly also affiliates like TBAG). We will encourage people to volunteer, donate, or take information about becoming a benefactor.
Those interesting in participating can donate, open a dialog about being a benefactor, or sign up for volunteer orientation.
You can also learn about Build-a-Bike, which will direct you to stop by the garage door to look in to the shop where people with appointments are working on their bikes.
Equipment: 1 10x10 Canopy, 2 Volunteers, 2 Tables, Promo Materials, 1 Donation Jar, 1 Donation POS, 1 Sign-Up POS, 1 Banner, 4 5-Gallon Jugs (canopy ballast), 4 Corner Boards
Bike Bling Station
Volunteer will sell you bells, bags, bottles, bottle cages, lights, spoke-wraps, and other things to bling your ride. We will have basic tools available so you can install them on-site.
Equipment: 1 Canopy, 1 Volunteer, 1 Service Stand, 1 Set Tools, 2 Tables, 1 Sales POS, 1 Donation Jar, 1 Banner, 4 5-Gallon Jugs (canopy ballast), 4 Corner Boards
Other Possibilities
Auction
Big ticket items could be put on sale via silent or loud auction.
Bike Sale
Ready-to-Rides could be on display for sale.
Bike Show
We could have judges and offer voter forms. People can submit votes for their favorite bike. Judges will give awards for Prettiest, Oldest, Weirdest, People's Choice, Best-in-Show, etc.
Bike Rodeo
Show off your skills: Flatland Freestyle, Skinnies, Wheelie, Manual, Stoppie, Backwards, Slalom.
Exhibitors
There may be synergistic exhibitors who would like to set up a canopy.
Tempe Bicycle Action Group (TBAG): Find out who they are and what they do. Donate, sign up, find out about group rides, etc.
Tempe/ASU Bicycle Police: There have been occasional tensions between police and social activists, this can be an opportunity to lower walls and build bridges through a common appreciation for bicycles. Police could show off their patrol bikes. They could give info on bicycle registration. They could answer questions about cycling at night, on roads, bike lanes, and multi-use trails. Offer info on e-Bike and other alternative vehicle regulations. Offer info on public services for cyclists, like repair stations and the bike park at Papago. Plus, pragmatically speaking, it may be easier to sell the city, landlords, and fellow tenants on the event if they know there will be police presence.
Bike Education Station
Show a dismantled bicycle, show how a derailleur works, show how bearings are packed, etc.
Show how e-bike conversion kits are installed on traditional bicycles.
Iterative Development
MVP
This could be approached as an iterative exploration of community interest. We could start with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Something as minimal as a single shade canopy in the parking lot with a tune-up stand, that also serves as an information point. The attendant could take the opportunity to perform an informal survey, gauging the needs and interests of the cyclists who stop by. It would also act as a beta test of the concept: Can we do 10 minute tune-ups? Will the bikes we see benefit from them, or will they be such basket cases that we can't really help? How will we do on donations? Will we acquire any volunteers?
Anecdotes
Today (2021-08-29) at Bike Saviours, I helped a woman who had a thumb injury and couldn't do much of the work on her bike. I did most of the work of installing a new chain, adjusting the derailleurs, and adjusting the brakes. I was pretty clumsy about it - if I knew the sequence of steps by heart and which way to turn which adjuster, I could have gone much faster. It took about 25 minutes to get everything working right. It really should be re-cabled - especially the rear derailleur - but it left in a lot better shape than when it came in.
Crowd-Sourcing
Reach out to friends and ask them to help as a personal favor, to help test the concept. Folks might have canopies we can use, bike stands, tools, and may be willing to volunteer.
Promotion
- Bike Flyers: Go around Tempe to wherever bicycles accumulate and flyer the bicycles.
- Social Media: Post on the Bike Saviours site, email list, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Tell followers to comment, like, and subscribe.
- Word of Mouth: Talk to everyone. Tell everyone to talk to everyone else.
- Event Boards: Post to event boards: On Campus, City of Tempe, New Times, AZ Republic
- Affiliates: Post to Heatsync Labs, TBAG, etc.
Sponsorship
- Corporate: Ask corporations to sponsor prizes for the Bike Show or Bike Rodeo.
- City of Tempe: Ask the city council for port-a-potties, signage, or whatever else they can help with.
Costs
- Port-a-Potty: $200/unit (rental)
- 10x10 EZ-Up (Heavy Duty): $200 (purchase)
- Square POS
- Square Stand (POS): $169 + iPad (should be able to crowd source - Bob has a few, not sure if any are supported models)
- Square Reader: $78 + cell phone
- Square Terminal: $299
- 4' x 5' Canvas Dropcloth: $6
- to prevent stains in the parking area from drivetrain smut
- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0098WFKWO
PA System: Bob can bring one. Just need a place to plug in (or can bring a generator).
PR/FAQ
PR
Bike Saviours Monthly Bicycle Fair
On Sunday, September 26, Bike Saviours hosted a bike fair to bring cyclists together, provide free tune-ups, and let folks show off their favorite bikes.
Bicyclists arrived at Bike Saviours to find stations set up outside where they could get a tune-up and learn how to keep their bike running smoothly. Dozens of other cyclists from the community had brought weird and wonderful bikes from classic restorations to tall bikes, modern race machines, and cargo carriers. There were even menbers of the [Tempe Police Bicycle Squad](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs3F483lY2c) on hand showing off their working rides and breaking down barriers.
Getting into bicycling is easy, but lots of folks with bicycles don't know how to maintain them. Even those how do may have trouble with some of the more complex bits like adjusting the derailleur to get quick, clean shifts. And most of us put off cleaning and lubricating the drivetrain longer than we should.
Long-time volunteers and newcomers to Bike Saviours joined forces to provide free tune-ups as the core draw to the event. Patrons loaned shade structures, bike stands, repair stands, and tool kits for the event, with Bike Saviours providing degreaser, lubricant, and skilled volunteer mechanics. As part of their community outreach program, the Tempe Police Bicycle Squad was on hand to build bridges and provide info about bicycle safety. And avid cyclists from across the valley brought their favorite rides to show off.
Tempe City Council Member [TBK] was excited about this new community event. She said, "There should be a real quote here expressing the alignment between Bike Saviours and the city of Tempe. The council member might want to talk about their personal love for bicycles, but also about how they make Tempe a better city. They could also mention the efforts Tempe has been making to improve the multi-use trails."
Local cyclists brought their bikes to the fair, learned how to do a quick tune up and found their bikes running smoother with nice crisp shifts. Some stopped by the bling station to add a bell, lights, or a bike bottle. Many showed their support by signing up to volunteer with Bike Saviours or making donations.