Boise Bicycle Project

We believe the bicycle can be a tool to create positive social change.

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1,020+ bikes donated in a single day. What happened next is amazing…

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Needs a Title (Week of Aug 21)

Show your BBP Love!

You show your love for BBP all year in so many ways, here's just one more way to broadcast it to the Treasure Valley! Vote for BBP in Boise Weekly’s Best of 2017 contest. We’re in the running for Best Local Non-Profit & Best Local Bike Shop. Every vote counts! Voting ends on Wednesday.

Thank YOU for making (in our humble opinion) BBP the best place to work in Boise!

You can cast your vote HERE!  

Roll with BBP

The Big le Boise

Saturday, August 26 | 12-8pm | Boise Weekly

This family friendly street-party hosted by our friends at Boise Weekly is all about celebrating our community, so join us right outside BWHQ—at the intersection of Sixth and Broad streets—for food trucks, art and craft vendors, DJs, Crater Lake Spirits cocktails, Snake River Brewing beer and more.

A portion of proceeds benefit the Women’s and Children’s Alliance, one of BBP’s favorite local non-profits, so you can feel good while you have fun.

   Save the Date!

BBP 10 Year Anniversary & Appreciation Celebration

Saturday, October 14th | 6-10pm |  BBP Shop

More details to come!

Volunteer Updates

Another Kid’s BASH has come and gone, thanks to everyone that came to help out. Together we gave away 26 bikes and everyone left with a smile on their face. We also had a successful Kid’s Fix-It last thursday, our volunteers did a fantastic job getting every kid’s bicycle fully functional and back on the road!

If you weren’t able to get in on the fun this past week we’ve got a number of fun ways to get involved in the next few days. There will be a Mobile Fix-It on Thursday, the 24th, at Oak Park Village. We’re expecting a big turn-out, check out our volunteer opportunities to see if there are still open positions.

Boise Weekly’s annual Big Le Boise is happening this weekend and BBP will be supplying extra bike parking. We could use some volunteers to help with bike rack set-up/take down. It’s gonna be a lot of fun so if you’re free we hope to see you down there!

Shop Updates & Member Highlights

FRIDAY NIGHT MEMBERS CLASS: Revamping Your Ride With Buttery Hubs: Hub Inspection and Overhaul

Friday, August 25th - 6:30-8 PM

In this class you will learn how to dismantle, re-grease and readjust your front and rear hubs. Everyone will leave with a smoother rolling wheel. You will learn about basic bearing systems, adjustment, and tick of play.

Cleaning out, re-greasing, and adjusting your hubs is one the best things you can do get your bicycle rolling smoother. If you do it properly, your adjustment should last for at least a year, but sometimes bad weather and sloppy road conditions can lead to more maintenance. All your weight is riding on these bearings, so it’s important not to overlook them for too long.

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Tour de Fat Recap, New Volunteer Needs and more!

Roll with BBP

Vote for BBP in Boise Weekly Best of 2017!

The nominations are in and YOU selected BBP as one of the top 5 local non-profits and local bike shops! Now, the contest heats up as these top 5 spots are whittled down to your number 1. You can vote for BBP in Boise Weekly’s Best of 2017 contest (for both categories - best local non-profit & best local bike shop) now through August 23.

Thanks for your unending support!

We know that there are a lot of amazing local businesses and orgs to choose from, here are some of our other favorites:

Swell Artist Collective - Best Local Art Gallery

Lounge On Fire - Best Local Band

Dawson Taylor Coffee Roasters - Best Local Coffee

Radio Boise KRBX 89.9 FM - Best Radio Station

Sage Yoga & Wellness - Best Yoga Studio

Boise Co-op - Best Local Grocery Store

BBQ4LIFE - Best Local BBQ

tHe FuNkY tAco - Best Local Food Truck

Tour de Fat - you brought the STOKE!

This year's TdF was unlike any other, and once again YOU showed up strong! Thousands gathered at Ann Morrison Park for the infamous bicycle parade through downtown Boise. This year, for the first time ever, the parade ended at the Capitol steps as we proved how strong our bicycle community can be for Boise's first Bicycle Rally. BBP, TVCA, & SWIMBA created a call to action, to be a voice for the bicycling community. That could mean attending the ACHD Open House tonight or making a commitment to become a bicycle advocate in your community. Lastly, we need more people riding bicycles! There is safety in numbers, and with just one extra person riding in our community, that in turn makes the roads safer for everyone! We need your help to make Boise a safer place to ride!

The bemusement didn't stop there: New Belgium continued the party at the Idaho Botanical Gardens with Blackberry smoke and Boise's thriving bicycle culture kept the party rolling! Thank you for your continued support in raising funds for Boise bike organizations: BBP, SWIMBA, and TVCA. The money raised will support programs that maintain our trails, implement new bike infrastructure on our streets, and make bikes available to kids and those who have no other alternative.

Thank you Boise, for believing in Tour de Fat & the power of a bicycle.

ACHD Open House: State & Glenwood

Tuesday, August 15, 2017 3:30-4:30 p.m. - Businesses & property owners | 5-7 p.m.- General public, Garden City Council Chambers, City Hall | 6015 N. Glenwood St.

The Glenwood Street and State Street intersection is a critical junction for moving people and goods through the State Street corridor and connecting the cities of Boise and Garden City. This 12-month study will engage local agencies, property owners, businesses, and the community to identify a preferred solution that:

Improves intersection functionality for all users, including those with disabilities,

Provides enhanced pedestrian and bicycle connectivity,

Accommodates the surrounding current and planned land uses, including the proposed redevelopment of State Street as a transit-oriented corridor,

Complies with ACHD and ITD standards and supports the transportation vision for State St.

This is a great opportunity to voice your opinion and advocate for improved bike & ped infrastructure! More info HERE

East End Pedal & Poker

Sunday, August 20, RBar, 1pm

Join us for the first ever East End Pedal and Poker event Saturday, August 20! Pedal your way through the Broadway neighborhood and play your way to some great prizes!

Proceeds Benefit BBP, more info (including prize details!) HERE

Volunteer Updates

Big thanks to all our Tour de Fat volunteers, especially those that showed up early Sat. to help with parade registration and marshalling, the parade was a huge success and we couldn't have pulled it off without you!

If you were unable to partake in the festivities we've got plenty more fun ways for you to get involved this week. Along with our usual shop volunteer positions, we'll be looking for a couple mechanics to assist with Mobile Repair at Morley Nelson Community Center on Thursday, August 17th. In addition, this month's Kid's BASH will be this Saturday, the 19th, and help is always appreciated. Seeing children receive (what often is) their first bicycle is something special and leaves everyone feeling satisfied.

Check out our full list of volunteer opportunities and email [email protected] with any volunteer related questions or comments. See ya soon!

Shop Updates & Member Highlights

Friday Night Members Class: Improving the Way Your Tires Roll: Tires, Tubes, Leaks, and Flats

Friday, August 18th - 6:30-8 PM

Air molecules are pretty small, so it’s normal to need a little top off every month, maybe slightly more if you have really skinny (<25mm) tires. If your bike has been sitting for 6 months, don’t be surprised if they’re really low. If you are experiencing leakage faster than any of the above scenarios, you have a small leak and need to fix it.

In this class you will learn what tire pressure is right for you, how to inspect your tires and tubes, how to fixing a flat in 90 seconds, and tricks to beat the dreaded “goathead.” Everyone will leave with two “air tight” tubes and a couple of tricks to cut your flats in half.

Can’t make it to class?... or looking for a head start? Check out these resources on tubes/tires:

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/inner-tube-repair (patching)

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/tire-and-tube-removal-and-installaton (tire removal)

http://sheldonbrown.com/flats.html (more than you want to know about tubes, tires, and flat repair)

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As-Is Frankin Bike Sale this Saturday!!! Ooooooo its a gho gho gho ghost...no that's just the Spooktacular Stanley! 25% off as-is bikes, frames, & used parts! Saturday, Oct 29th only, 11AM-5PM (at Boise Bicycle Project)

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Call for volunteers! Let's see what you've got!!!

Hey Folks! 

BBP's 9th Anniversary Party is coming up on October 22nd and we need volunteers to make it a rockin' good time!

Everyone has their own set of skills, so let's see what you've got!!!

Below are some examples of event volunteer opportunities:

Planning/brainstorming

Silent auction requests

Prep

Day of setup

Photographer or possibly a videographer?

Take down

SO much more! Seriously there is always so much more. Haha!

BBP has always relied on its awesome volunteers, and we are asking for your help once more. We will be holding an Events Committee meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 27th, 6:30 at the BBP shop and we would love to have a solid crew there. 

Let's make BBP's 9th Anniversary Party the best one yet!

Thanks and see you on the 27th! Cheers!

Jen Peterson, BBP Creative Director

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View this post on Instagram

Whad'ya know!?!? Looks like construction has started at BBP! Next stop raising the roof! #RtRtR #bbp #getoutandride #constructionsite #stanleyknows (at Boise Bicycle Project)

[boisebicycleproject]

The State of BBP (September 2016)

(About 1,000 words. 5-7 minute read, or a 6:41 listen)

Dear BBP Volunteers, Members, and Supporters,

If I told you “big changes were happening at BBP right now,” it would be an understatement. Transformation might be a better word. Regardless of the diction, change, transformation, and growth can be challenging, especially if focused on the obvious and often tangible pains of short-term inconvenience. Operating with half of the shop closed down and cleared out for construction for the last couple of months has been tough for everyone, and I would be lying if I said ongoing construction delays haven’t added to an already challenging period of growth.

During challenging periods people often look for the “light at the end of the tunnel,” or maybe they call it the “silver lining.” I think this perspective discounts the real process of creating something great and building something that sticks. Great things (and I truly believe BBP is great) take grit, take tenacity, and take a determined pursuit of Mission and Vision. If you’re only looking for the light at the end, you’re not truly experiencing or learning from the journey. If you’re only focused on the silver lining you’re ignoring hard decisions and challenging situations necessary to grow stronger. BBP has never done things the easy way; we’ve done things the impactful way.

So what’s going on at BBP right now? Construction, Staff Changes, and Growth.

Construction, the big “physical” change, will finally be underway in the next 2 weeks. We had originally hoped to be finished in October. Now December is looking a bit more likely, which might add an interesting new component to the Christmas Kids Bike Giveaway preparations. We’ll roll with it. In the meantime, your unbelievable grassroots donations are safe, secure, and collecting tiny fractions of interest in the bank. Right now, it seems like raising $230,000 in 90 days has been the easy part of this expansion. I don’t know why that surprises me since you’ve always powered the journey and risen to the occasion. The hard part is waiting.

Staffing, the “emotional” and “relational” change, is experiencing what feels like unprecedented turnover. There will be a lot of new faces in here soon. There will be some folks to say goodbye to. There are some tremendous people who have already gone. This is always hard. When Nate Rioux left 2 years ago for a new and exciting opportunity, people thought BBP would “never be the same.” I was among those people and we were actually right. BBP was not the same without him; it became better because of him. He didn’t leave big shoes to fill, he created an opportunity for different shoes of a different size to step up to the plate and knock it out of the freaking park. Now, Cass Jones has done the same thing for BBP’s new Shop Manager Charles Mitchell who begins on Sept. 20th. Charles will bring years of bike coop experience from the Community Bike Project in Omaha, Nebraska and unique expertise in Youth Earn-a-Bike and Youth Refugee Programs. He will be different from Cass, and BBP will grow stronger and be better because of it.

  BBP mechanics Patrick, Quinn, and Claire will soon hit the road (grad school in Germany, school in Portland, and moving to McCall… respectively), and this has created a job opportunity for longtime volunteer, Vince Trimboli, to connect with and impact the 1,000s of shop users Patrick, Quinn, and Claire touched, as well as 1,000s more that will soon enter our doors for the first time. There remain openings and opportunities for two more mechanics to do the same. We’d love to find at least one female mechanic to replace Claire, so spread the word.

After almost 2 years of creating impact through BBP’s volunteer programs, Ryan has created an opening for someone new to build unprecedented change-making volunteer opportunities in the community.  As of today, the Volunteer Coordinator position in open.  Before we fly it to the national and global bicycle coop community, we would love to see what kind of interest might already exist within BBP’s volunteer program. You can see the full job posting here. The 2 leading requirements are a history of volunteering and a passion for empowering others to create impact.

During the vacancy we will need volunteer help more than ever. We’ve created new volunteer shifts and an online sign up platform that will allow volunteers of all experience levels with all types of availability to lend an impactful hand at BBP. If you’re looking to get involved at a deeper level, or if you just have a couple hours to give to a good cause, we want your help. We need your help. Sign up for a shift here.

Next up is a brand new Development Director. We flew this position last week and have had so many qualified applicants that we plan to stop taking applications on Sept. 9th. We truly believe this new position will create unparalleled growth in BBP’s programs and unprecedented impact on the future of biking in Boise. After interviewing the first handful of applicants, this belief couldn’t be stronger. Stay tuned on this one.

So yes, this is a transformative time at BBP. With the rebuilding, reconstruction, and rebirth of the physical building, we believe it should be transformative. For the first time since 2009, when we first moved into our home on Lusk St, volunteers and staff will have the opportunity to be involved at the ground level while walls are being raised. This is a new opportunity for ownership, investment, and involvement that won’t be easy, but will be worth it. You can wait for the “light at the end of the tunnel” to appear before you get involved, but if you do, you might miss the REAL good stuff.

Thank you for all you’ve done for BBP. Thank you for your patience and persistence. Thank you for believing.

-Jimmy

[boisebicycleproject]

Letter to Crew

Letter to Crew,

If I told you “big changes were happening at BBP right now,” it would be an understatement. Transformation might be a better word. Regardless of the diction, change, transformation, and growth can be challenging, especially if focused on the obvious and often tangible pains of short-term inconvenience. Operating with half of the shop closed down and cleared out for construction for the last couple of months has been tough for everyone, and I would be lying if I said ongoing construction delays haven’t added to an already challenging period of growth.

During challenging periods people often look for the “light at the end of the tunnel,” or maybe they call it the “silver lining.” I think this perspective discounts the real process of creating something great and building something that sticks. Great things (and I truly believe BBP is great) take grit, take tenacity, and take a determined pursuit of Mission and Vision. If you’re only looking for the light at the end, you’re not truly experiencing or learning from the journey. If you’re only focused on the silver lining you’re ignoring hard decisions and challenging situations necessary to grow stronger. BBP has never done things the easy way; we’ve done things the impactful way.

So what’s going on at BBP right now? Construction, Staff Changes, and Growth.

Construction, the big “physical” change, will finally be underway in the next 2 weeks. We had originally hoped to be finished in October. Now December is looking a bit more likely, which might add an interesting new component to the Christmas Kids Bike Giveaway preparations. We’ll roll with it. In the meantime, your unbelievable grassroots donations are safe, secure, and collecting tiny fractions of interest in the bank. Right now, it seems like raising $230,000 in 90 days has been the easy part of this expansion. I don’t know why that surprises me since you’ve always powered the journey and risen to the occasion. The hard part is waiting.

Staffing, the “emotional” and “relational” change, is experiencing what feels like unprecedented turnover. There will be a lot of new faces in here soon. There will be some folks to say goodbye to. There are some tremendous people who have already gone. This is always hard. When Nate Rioux left 2 years ago for a new and exciting opportunity, people thought BBP would “never be the same”. I was among those people and we were actually right. BBP was not the same without him; it became better because of him. He didn’t leave big shoes to fill, he created an opportunity for different shoes of a different size to step up to the plate and knock it out of the freaking park. Now, Cass Jones has done the same thing for BBP’s new Shop Manager Charles Mitchell who begins on Sept. 20th. Charles will bring years of bike coop experience from the Community Bike Project in Omaha, Nebraska and unique expertise in Youth Earn-a-Bike and Youth Refugee Programs. He will be different from Cass, and BBP will grow stronger and be better because of it.

BBP mechanics Patrick, Quinn, and Claire will soon hit the road (grad school in Germany, school in Portland, and moving to McCall… respectively), and this has created a job opportunity for longtime volunteer, Vince Trimboli, to connect with and impact the 1,000s of shop users Patrick, Quinn, and Claire touched, as well as 1,000s more that will soon enter our doors for the first time. There remain openings and opportunities for two more mechanics to do the same. We’d love to find at least one female mechanic to replace Claire, so spread the word.

After almost 2 years of creating impact through BBP’s volunteer programs, Ryan has created an opening for someone new to build unprecedented change-making volunteer opportunities in the community.  As of today, this position in open.  Before we fly it to the national and global bicycle coop community, we would love to see what kind of interest might already exist within BBP’s volunteer program. You can see the full job posting here. The 2 leading requirements are a history of volunteering and a passion for empowering others to create impact.

During the vacancy we will need volunteer help more than ever. We’ve created new volunteer shifts and an online sign up platform that will allow volunteers of all experience levels with all types of availability to lend an impactful hand at BBP. If you’re looking to get involved at a deeper level, or if you just have a couple hours to give to a good cause, we want your help. We need your help. Sign up for a shift here.

Next up is a brand new Development Director. We flew this position last week and have had so many qualified applicants that we plan to stop taking applications on Sept. 9th. We truly believe this new position will create unparalleled growth in BBP’s programs and unprecedented impact on the future of biking in Boise. After interviewing the first handful of applicants, this belief couldn’t be stronger. Stay tuned on this one.

So yes, this is a transformative time at BBP. With the rebuilding, reconstruction, and rebirth of the physical building, we believe it should be transformative. For the first time since 2009, when we first moved into our home on Lusk St, volunteers and staff will have the opportunity to be involved at the ground level while walls are being raised. This is a new opportunity for ownership, investment, and involvement that won’t be easy, but will be worth it. You can wait for the “light at the end of the tunnel” to appear before you get involved, but if you do, you might miss the REAL good stuff.

Thank you for all you’ve done for BBP. Thank you for your patience and persistence. Thank you for believing.

-Jimmy

[boisebicycleproject]

Check it out! Schools and nonprofits, don't miss out on this awesome opportunity to get an air and repair stand! What!?!?! @wholefoodsid is onto something great here!! #getoutandride #wholefoods #boise #dontmissout #airandrepair (at Boise Bicycle Project)

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Preregister for the @tourdefat bike parade today! Yes right now! The parade starts at 11am tomorrow so don't waste any more time! Well get to it already! http://tinyurl.com/tdf-boise  #tourdefat #getoutandride #beerandbikes #register (at Boise Bicycle Project)

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This guy is excited for this year's Limited Edition @tourdefat Boise Patches! Get yours by preregistering for the TdF Bike Parade today! www.newbelgium.com/events/tour-de-fat/Boise #tourdefat #getoutandride #newbelgium #boisebicycleproject #sweetpatch (at Boise Bicycle Project)

[boisebicycleproject]

We have NEW BBP shirts in!!! Come on down and stock up on BBP gear! Women's tank in Teal! Men's t-shirt in Cardinal Red! Men's tank in Heather Gray! All super soft and ready for summer!!! #lookinggood #BBPgear #bicyclecoop #bbp (at Boise Bicycle Project)

[boisebicycleproject]

Tomorrow night is Volunteer Night at BBP and more specifically Kids Fix-it Night! Come on down and let's get kids riding bikes this summer! Know any kiddos that need a tuneup? Bring them down! #boisebicycleproject #getoutandride #volunteer #bicyclecoop #peopleforbikes (at Boise Bicycle Project)

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Hey folks! BBP is in need of a computer monitor. Big or small...it doesn't matter. It doesn't have to be new, it doesn't have to be a MAC...it just needs to work with our existing MAC tower. If needed, we can get the adapters to lock it all down. Thanks in advance! #bicyclecoop #monitor #computerissuesneverstop #thankyou (at Boise Bicycle Project)

[boisebicycleproject]

It's freaking official with a $1000 match from Bittercreek Alehouse and a $500 match from Sage Yoga & Wellness we just hit $100,850! Together, Boise, we Rode To Raise the Roof! We've never felt so lucky and never felt so proud to be part of such an amazing community. What you do... We can't put it into words! We break ground tomorrow at 8am! Join us! #boisebicycleproject #rtrtr #ridingtoraisetheroof #popuppark #thankyou (at Bittercreek Alehouse)

[boisebicycleproject]

Come visit BBP in front of Bittercreek downtown and help us bring the #RtRtR Campaign home! We have less than $3,000 to go! Also @jimmyhallyburton is requesting 3-6 more pieces of sod so if you have any lying around bring it on down! #thankyou #InvestInImpact #getoutandride #bbp #popuppark (at Bittercreek Alehouse)

[boisebicycleproject]

It's not official... Not yet! We just crossed the $94,000 mark, so just a bit more to reach the $100,000 needed to break ground on July 1st. However, we have tremendous faith in the community and think (97.8% chance) we can do it. Keep spreading the word, here's the donation link [http://bit.ly/290xVBX]. So we're inviting you to the Riding to Raise the Roof ground breaking ceremony anyway! There will be coffee, donuts, shovels, and possibly a few cans of spray paint. Mostly, there will be dozens and dozens of amazing people. Please join us so we can celebrate this absolutely amazing community effort, and thank you for your grassroots support. The official first shovel happens at 8am! WHEN: Friday 8am - 1pm (swing by anytime) WHERE: BBP @ 1027 Lusk St. 83706 (specifically, behind the building) WHY: Because you've helped us raise $100,000 in 90 days to Raise the Roof (hopefully) WHAT: Riding to Raise the Roof Ground Breaking Ceremony (we'll have shovels and spray paint, but feel free to bring your own). Thank you for your never-ending, always-inspiring, grassroots support for the Boise Bicycle Project. The impact you've created is undeniable! (at Boise Bicycle Project)