The Hub of Detroit » Loose Guts

Woody Miller: We’ll Always Remember You [UPDATE: AUG 14th Belle Isle]

JDR — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:03:07 +0000

[Update on Memorial, from Dave Miller and Reg McGhee, courtesy Facebook:]

Time: August 14 · 9:30am – 11:00am

Location: Belle Isle Beach

“Join family and friends in celebrating the life of Woody Miller (September 28, 1944 – July 17 2010). Woody was an avid cyclist: serving on the board of The Hub of Detroit, mentoring new riders, and advocating for the cycling community. He was a great promoter and supporter of the arts, most recently lending his skills to the creation of TheDetroiter.com. Cyclists can join him on his last lap around Belle-Isle following the ceremony. Please wear casual summer attire or cycling gear.”

It is with a heavy heart and hands that I write of the passing of Woody Miller, a member of our Board and a fixture on the roads atop a 7/11 Team Eddy Merckx that he’d ridden around Detroit for decades. Ride in peace, Woody.

We at The Hub are still forming thoughts and ideas as far as remembering Woody and honoring his memory, and we have heard of plans in the works to get a local gathering/ride to remember Woody, and will post any info as soon as it becomes available, as well as information regarding where to direct your condolences.

If you have any memories of Woody that you’re willing to share with us and our readership, please feel free to post them in comments below.

-Joe

Bike Give-a-Way the final tally

jasonx — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 15:54:10 +0000

Hey everyone,
This will be the last post I make on our “Freedom Bike Give-a-Way.” Our last pick up day was yesterday where we gave away the rest of the bikes we had built up. We do have some 20″ and smaller bikes in our warehouse that would take some considerable mechanic time, so look for another bike give-a-way in the future.

Last night after we gave the last bike away, Jack did a count from the whole week. We gave away 123 bikes! So that is 123 more kids learning to ride in the Detroit area. There were plenty of families that said their children would be sharing bikes, so the number of kids riding now is probably even higher! Hopefully many of them will come back participate in the Youth Earn-a-Bike or Mechanics in Training program when they get older.

I’d like to thank all the organizations and individuals that got vouchers out to those that needed them as well so those that came to assist with the bike pick up days. Also, there were many hours of hard work in extreme heat with no air conditioning for our families, volunteers, allies and mechanics in training who did an amazing job.
When a group of committed people get together, good things can happen. Remember this is just one of hundreds of positive stories about Detroit that the national news will never tell. Thank you everyone.

Also, if you have a youth bike in your basement that isn’t being used anymore – bring it to us so we can help it find a good home. The best times to drop off donations are during our volunteer nights (Wednesdays and Thursday 6pm-8pm). Bring them to our Back Alley Bikes entrance (first alley West of Cass on MLK).

- Mx. Jason

Bike Give-a-Way update!

jasonx — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 22:42:10 +0000

Hello Everyone,
I apologize for not being more clear in my previous messages out to the community about where to get vouchers and how to redeem them. We also had our first Give-a-Way pick up time today, so let me recap how that went and what the next steps are:
Today, we gave away 85 bikes to kids that needed them! We had a lot of volunteers to help get that done, as well as a bunch of families who toughed it out waiting in a long line in the summer sun. Thank you to everyone that made today work so well! These 85 bikes were most of the fleet that we had completed for the give-a-way. However, this doesn’t mean we are out of bikes yet!
The next pick up date is Thursday July 8th from 4pm-7pm. We already have about 20 bikes ready for kids and in between now and then we will be building up more. So if you are still holding a voucher that means a few things:
- We still have bikes to give out, so don’t be discouraged from coming on Thursday to find a bike for you child.
- We cannot guarantee a bike for your child just because you have a voucher – we only have a limited number of sizes and if we don’t have the right size for your child, then there isn’t anything we can do. Also, when we are out of bikes, we are out.
- We need you to bring your child along with the voucher to receive a bike. We do this so we can size the bike to fit your child. This will increase the chances of them riding the bike once you take it home.
- We have a small amount of vouchers left that can be picked up at The Hub Bike Shop, 3611 Cass Avenue, Detroit. You can pick them up on Tuesday or Wednesday from 10am-6pm. When we are out of vouchers we are out, we can’t give out more than we’ve printed. We will not be giving out vouchers after this Wednesday. There are already more vouchers out there than bikes to give out.
- To redeem the voucher you need to pick up on Thurs from 4-7pm or Fri from 4-7pm. The pick up is in our Back Alley Bikes Space. The entrance is located behind our shop; go to the first alley West of Cass on MLK Blvd and you should see a sign saying “Back Alley Bikes”
- This is a first come first serve program. We had to turn some people away today who will return on Thursday and get first priority. After that we will assist families in the order they arrive. Again, when we are out of bikes, we are out of bikes.
- If your child is too tall or too old for the give-a-way and they want a bike, they should register for our Youth Earn-a-Bike program. To register, you should email jack@thehubofdetroit.org. Just like the give-a-way having a great response, so has the Youth Earn-a-Bike program. Please give Jack some time to respond.
- This is an all volunteer effort to get donated bikes, fix them up, organize them, and get them out to the kids that need them. It takes a lot, it is really hot out and we’re all tired. So thank you for your patience with this program. The response has been overwhelming, amazing and awesome.

Thanks everyone,
Jason

Bike Give-a-Way update for voucher holders and bike builders

jasonx — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:48:48 +0000

The past few weeks have been a roller coaster of rad people really wanting to get kids on bikes! The response to get vouchers has been overwhelming which is great! But because of this we need some help and understanding:
For those of you with vouchers or are trying to get vouchers for a bike: There are already more vouchers passed out than there are bikes. This is a great problem to have because it helps us get more kids on bikes. In the past we have had vouchers not be used because sometimes we run out of very small bikes for 5 year olds or the 8 years that show up are really tall so we don’t have bikes big enough for them. It simply is the nature of giving away used bikes to a wide range of rapidly growing children that some vouchers aren’t used.
With that all in mind, if you have a voucher please come to find a bike for your child, nephew, neighbor, or friend. I just want it to be clear that this Give-a-Way is on a first come first serve basis. If you don’t have a voucher and a child with you, a bike will not be given to you. Also, if we are out of bikes, there is nothing we can do.
For those of you looking to help us build bikes (or donate them): As I said above, we have a lot of vouchers out there, so we would like to build up as many kids bikes as we are able to. Today (June 24th) we are having a long build day going on from Noon-8pm. Next week we will be meeting on Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm-8pm to work on building more bikes. If you have any mechanical skills, please come help us fix up these bikes and get them back into the hands of kids looking to get moving!
If you don’t have the mechanical knowledge but have a bike in the basement that someone in your family has long outgrown, consider bringing it by the shop – we’ll find it a good home!

Big thanks to The Hub collective, staff and volunteers who have already made a good number of bikes ready to go! Keep on ~~truck’n~~ bike’n!

Free Childrens Bikes Given Away in July: Built by the Whole World.

JDR — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 02:59:45 +0000

Free Childrens Bikes Given Away in July: Built by the Whole World.

In June 2010, the Second United States Social Forum is taking place in Detroit with the motto, “Another World is Possible, Another US is necessary.” People from all over the world are coming to Detroit to work on projects and unlike other conferences, leave a lasting impact.

The HUB of Detroit is partnering with folks visiting the city to fix up their backlog of used children’s bikes (20” wheels and smaller) for a Bike Give-A-Way event. The children’s bikes will be given away on:

Saturday, July 3^rd from Noon-4pm

Thursday, July 8th from 4pm-7pm

Friday, July 9th from 4pm-7pm

At these times, families with vouchers can bring their child (9 years old and younger) to come pick out a bike and get it sized up to take home.

The 4^th of July weekend is a celebration of independence in our country and the bicycle is often a sign of freedom. When they first came out, bicycles were freedom of independent travel for women who would otherwise have to travel by foot or with a male companion by horse and buggy. Other people use bicycles to declare their freedom from petroleum independence. Many children find their bikes to be their first exploring partner into the freedom of being outside and being active! For these reasons, Saturday, July 3^rd, is a great day for a child to take home a free bike.

If you know of any families who cannot afford a bike for their young one or if you work for an organization that helps out families, please contact the HUB to get vouchers to pass out. The child receiving a bicycle must be present with the voucher to receive a bike.

If you would like to help build up bikes for the Give-A-Way event, please come to any the HUB’s volunteer nights in June. Volunteer nights are every Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm-8pm in our Back Alley Bikes Space. During the Social Forum on the 23^rd and 24^th the HUB will extend “volunteer nights” to be noon-8pm. If you have any questions about volunteering, please contact, Jason(at)thehubofdetroit.org.

If you have a child ages 10-16 years old, they may be eligible to earn a free bike through the HUB’s Earn-A-Bike program. For more information about that program, please contact jack(at)thehubofdetroit.org

Work Project: Fixing up kids bikes, general volunteering at The Hub.

Folks that volunteer @ The Hub during our Wednesday June 23^rd and Thursday June 24^th work project time (12-8pm both days) will help repair and safety check numerous smaller sized bikes for smaller sized people in preparation for the Hub’s first annual summer kid’s bikes giveaway.

Tasks will include basic bicycle repair and maintenance-type tasks: Checking/filling tires, adjusting bearings, replacement of broken parts, brake and gear adjustment.

IF YOU HAVE NEVER WORKED ON A BIKE BEFORE: NO PROBLEM!

There are a wide variety of tasks to accomplish at The Hub and chances are you probably are at least familiar with many of the bike parts and tools you will interact with- things like checking tubes/tires and adjusting chain tension are things that can be co-taught/learned alongside other volunteers and our awesome community of allies and collective members!

NEWS UPDATE part 2: Now Hiring – Youth Educator

jasonx — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:21:55 +0000

This summer is already here at the HUB. We are BUSY! This week is the last week for kids in Detroit Public Schools which means we are going to get even more kids around the shop than we already have. This is great! Also, we have news of a shop in Southwest that some kids are starting up and getting underway along with some schools on the north side that want to start bike clubs. With this much going on we need to hire a youth educator.

This job will include working with youth off site at their schools to help start up shops and educating kids on how to fix up their bikes, working with our Mechanics in Training at our shop and being around on Saturdays for our Youth Earn-a-Bike sessions.

So if you have bike mechanical knowledge, experience with youth and like doing both together then send a resume as quick as you can to jack(at)thehubofdetroit.org
This is a very last minute posting that we need help getting the word out about since we would like to start interviewing at the end of the week!

NEWS UPDATE part 1: Youth Bike Give-a-Way July 3rd!

jasonx — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:13:21 +0000

Hey everyone, I could write about the upcoming youth bike give-a-way, but I already did, here is the press release:

Free Children’s Bikes Given Away on July 3rd: Built by the Whole World.

In June 2010, the Second United States Social Forum is taking place in Detroit with the motto, “Another World is Possible, Another US is necessary.” People from all over the world are descending on Detroit to work on projects and unlike other conferences, leave a lasting impact.

The HUB of Detroit is partnering with folks visiting the city to fix up their backlog of used children’s bikes (20” and smaller) for a Bike Give-A-Way event. The children’s bike will be given away on:

Saturday, July 3rd from Noon-4pm

Thursday, July 8th from 4pm-7pm

Friday, July 9th from 4pm-7pm

At these times, families with vouchers can bring their child (9 years old and younger) to come pick out a bike and get it sized up to take home.

The 4th of July weekend is a celebration of independence in our country and the bicycle is often a sign of freedom. When they first came out, bicycles were freedom of independent travel for women who would otherwise have to travel by foot or with a male companion by horse and buggy. Other people use bicycles to declare their freedom from petroleum independence. Many children find their bikes to be their first exploring partner into the freedom of being outside and being active! For these reasons, Saturday, July 3rd, is a great day for a child to take home a free bike.

If you know of any families who cannot afford a bike for their young one or work for an organization that helps out families, please contact the HUB to get vouchers to pass out. The child receiving a bicycle must be present with the voucher to receive a bike.

If you would like to help build up bikes for the Give-A-Way event, please come to any the HUB’s volunteer nights in June. Volunteer nights are every Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm-8pm in our Back Alley Bikes Space. During the Social Forum on the 23rd and 24th the HUB will extend “volunteer nights” to be noon-8pm. If you have any questions about volunteering, please contact, Jason(at)thehubofdetroit.org.

If you have a child ages 10-16 years old, they may be eligible to get a free bike through the HUB’s Earn-A-Bike program. For more information about that program, please contact jack(at)thehubofdetroit.org.

2nd Annual Colin Hubbell Bike Ride Set for June 19th, Traffic Jam & Snug

JDR — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:37:02 +0000

Below the cut is the press release for the 2nd Annual Colin Hubbell Bike Ride. Proceeds from registration for the ride support the Colin Hubbell Fund. You can read more about how awesome the Hubbell Fund is below, and if you’ve been to the bike shop recently, you might have recognized the big snazzy rack out front: that’s just one way the Hubbell Fund has helped us increase community access to bicycles.

Hope to see you there!

///

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SECOND ANNUAL COLIN HUBBELL BIKE RIDE SET FOR JUNE 19 IN MIDTOWN

DETROIT, June 7 – The ride, a memorial to Detroit developer Colin Hubbell who died in 2008, is set for Saturday, June 19, at 10 a.m. It will begin and end in Midtown Detroit at the Traffic Jam restaurant, W. Canfield at Second Avenue. The 12.5 mile route will take riders through Midtown, Woodbridge, Corktown and downtown neighborhoods and return via the new Dequindre cut. Riders will be identified by colorful bandanas, a Hubbell trademark.

Proceeds from registration, $20 in advance, $25 on site, will go to the Colin Hubbell Fund administered by the University Cultural Center Association (UCCA). Grants will be awarded to entrepreneurs and organizations for projects in Midtown. Recent grants have supported signage for two businesses on Woodward Avenue, bicycle racks, Noel Night and other projects. A new round of grants will be announced in June, most up to $2,500, and are made based on applications and the decisions of a review committee headed by Trish Hubbell.

“This is such an appropriate tribute to Colin,” said Trish Hubbell, Hubbell Fund Administrator. “He biked all over the city he loved so much, and he believed that a successful network of small businesses was vital for a Detroit turnaround. Colin believed midtown could survive and thrive if there were destinations like restaurants, boutiques, bakeries and unique shops to get people into the community. We are trying to support his vision and continue his commitment to Detroit by supporting these efforts.”

Registration on site begins at 9 a.m. or in advance through the UCCA website, www.detroitmidtown.com.

# # #

CONTACT(S):

Trish Hubbell

313.729.6109

Sue Mosey

313.577.5088

Adult Mechanic Class, Next Session Starts June 13th!

jasonx — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 01:09:56 +0000

Hello Everyone,
Real quick since this news is coming in late:
Our next session of the Adult Mechanics Class is starting on Sunday, June 13th. The class is for folks 18 years old and older. There are eight session that take place every Sunday from 2pm-4pm in our Back Alley Bikes Space. This session of classes will run every Sunday starting on the 13th and going to August 5th (with a break on July 4th).
The cost of the class is whatever donation you want to give. We just ask that you attend as many classes as possible and register first.
How do you register for a class? Simple, just email me (jason[at]thehubofdetroit.org) while raising your right hand and promising you won’t miss any classes.

- jason

Class Schedule:
June 13th: Fixing Flats
June 20th: Brakes
June 27th: Drivetrain I
July 11th: Drivetrain II
July 18th: Bearings: Hubs
July 25th: Bearings: Bottom Brackets
August 1st: Bearings: Headsets
August 8th: Wheel Truing

Best of luck in Philly, Steve! We’re hiring.

JDR — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 19:25:30 +0000

It was with a heavy hand that I picked up the phone to say goodbye to Stephen. You see, we no longer have Steve with us here in Detroit.

Only in Spirit.

He went to Philadelphia somewhere to train for the olympic paddling championships, and best of luck , too! He is gone but not forgotten. Every time I see jorts, or hear Toby Keith, I’ll think of you, Steve.

Someone like the u23 US Paddling Champion could never be replaced, but what this does mean is that we’re going to need a little bit of help on the shop floor for the rest of this warm season! Check out instructions and descriptions after the cut.

///

The Hub of Detroit is a Cass Corridor-based non-profit organization that provides cycling education and services to the local community, including a free bicycle program for youth as well as coordination with area schools and charitable institutions.

The Hub seeks a motivated and qualified individual to assist in the day-to-day operation of the bicycle retail shop. Duties include demanding customer service and bicycle repair.

Location: Shop floor and repair space

Responsibilities:
Customer service, including repair diagnosis, running a POS and answering a phone

Learning Repair Charges/Part Costs and stocking

General shop cleanliness

Assisting shop manager with incidental operations, including basic bicycle repair

Suggested Position Requirements:
Volunteer experience at The Hub

Customer service experience or good interpersonal skills

Bicycle repair or General Mechanical experience

Additional Desirable Skills:
Professional attitude and teamwork ethic

Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines

Sense of Urgency

Please submit your resume to Shop@thehubofdetroit.org by June 11th!