The RNC Bike Space
No more bikes are available; bikes that were borrowed can be returned to Arise! Bookstore (2441 Lyndale Ave S., Minneapolis) as well as the Convergence Space (St Paul) so that they can be used for the local community for years to come. Convergence space open hours will be 11am-8pm ending on Monday (so Arise! is your best bet). Don’t be lazy now that the RNC is over, return that bike!
About the project:
The RNC Bike Space is a community bike shop that formed to get bikes to those who need them for transportation before and during the RNC, and intends to continue as a resource beyond the RNC. For the month of August open hours will be exclusively for repairing and distributing bikes for those participating in RNC resistance.
We consider EVERY bike that goes out of the space to be a LOANER and a community resource. When you return the bike after using it during the RNC it will go back to the local community where it will be put to good use. Bike drop off locations will be available around town after the RNC and will be communicated to you at the Bike Space. Note: the police in the twin cities are not known to be bike-friendly , we understand and apologize if they misbehave and steal this valuable community resource from you/us.
Location:
Corner of 36th St E & 5th Ave in Minneapolis
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UPDATE:
The folks at the RNC Bike Space have been busy as bees putting together bikes for the RNC. We have tons of energy in our great space and have seen a lot of bikes go out our doors, but we are starting to run low on the raw materials themselves (we’re down to frames, which take a while to become bikes). If you are in town already and looking for some way to help, start asking around to everyone you see for bike donations. We are also calling on all of the folks that are coming from out of town to network with their local community bike shops and to bring/send as many as they can or bring their own. Demand will be high in the next few days and we hate to see sad faces.
The RNC Bike Space will be open the following hours in the leadup to the RNC:
Friday: 10 AM - 5 PM ->Closing for Critical Mass. Limited bikes available at the Convergence Space.
Saturday: 10 AM - 8 PM ->Limited workspace, volunteers with bike experience are welcome.
Sunday: 10 AM until Close ->We have to be out of our space today as well as fix any last-minute bikes so all help will be welcome.
September 1-4: Any bikes left over will be at the Convergence Space. Bike Space folk and tools will be at the Convergence space to help with tune-ups and flats as much as we can and intends to have roaming bike fixers around St Paul as much as possible.
Getting a bike:
For the moment the only way to get a bicycle is to come in person to the space during open hours. The demand seems like it will be HIGH and we most likely will not have bikes for all those who desire them. One bike will be available for every one person who comes in. We know that you need a bike; here is what we need to keep the space running:
- 2-5 hours of work-trade
- monetary donation$
- bikes, parts, & tools
You will be asked for one of these things if you come to the space for a bike. Also, we expect these bikes to be returned when you are finished with them. If you are going to leave it around town in places where it might be tempting for others to appropriate this community resource you should plan on locking it up (please provide your own lock).
At this time we will only consider requests for multiple bikes from groups organizing for RNC resistance. Each separate request will need to be talked over at our collective and this doesn’t except groups from thinking about our needs in running the space. Talk to us or email us with who you are, and what you are organizing, what your request is and we will see what our capacity might be to fill this request. Please be realistic.
Donating:
The space depends and operates entirely on donations (of time, bikes, parts, tools, money, sustenance, good thoughts, etc). Donations can be dropped off at the RNC Bike Space during open hours. If we happen to be closed right when you want to drop something off you can bring bike donations to Arise! Bookstore during their open hours .
Getting involved:
To carry this project through to completion, we need to expand and grow! Have time or knowledge to spare? Come during open hours and help build some bikes. Stay and help us organize if you want to see a lasting community project and bike shop to be born out of this work. Donations of money and other material things are always welcome and helpful, but your time and energy is the most important thing that you could contribute to this project for it to succeed.
Contact the collective:
The #1 way we vastly prefer to be contacted is by coming to the space and talking with us in person. Otherwise, if necessary, email: rncbike -atsign- riseup.net