Bicycle cooperative

Under the name Bike Kitchen ( in the English language: Bike Bicycle Kitchen or cooperative ) Bicycle - yourself workshops are operated worldwide.

Origin

The first "Bike Kitchen" was founded in 2002 in the kitchen of an unused apartment in Los Angeles. Based on the success of this project spread the word all over the world.

In Europe, bike Kitchens were known by the Viennese Bike Kitchen. In Germany, the Munich Bike Kitchen Opened in 2010, the Bike Kitchen Augsburg in 2011, the Bike Kitchen Mainz 2013.

Bicycle - yourself workshops, but there is already much longer. The " Fahrrad.Selbsthilfe.Werkstatt " in Vienna's cultural center WUK ( Workshop and Culture House ) has existed since 1983. In larger German cities, such as Berlin or Leipzig, there are often a number of bicycle - yourself workshops in various parts of the city.

A Bike Kitchen can be recognized as a charitable organization (example: Bike Kitchen Munich as the " Association for the Promotion of bicycle culture " officially " promote environmentally friendly modes of transport and means ").

Description

A typical bike Kitchen consists of a space that can be used as a bicycle repair shop, with appropriate bicycle tool equipment. Users can repair their bike there myself. You can get help and repair tips and can draw on a wealth of used bike parts. Some Bike Kitchens Sell additionally used bikes and offer repairing courses.

A second component is the cooking and eating together after the workshop time. This should be extended to the purely technical aspect of a workshop on the idea of ​​community and community activity. The concept is similar to the kitchens are.

Many bike Kitchens uncommercial work in self-government. From a certain size organizational structures are typical to secure financing, the limit for commerciality is fluid. However Bike Kitchens usually have no profit motive and no commercial character. Typical is the financing on a donation basis, also possible are fixed hourly rates for use. Even for people without the use of money is to be possible. Then, the " return " through the bars of practical help.

Bike Kitchens are sometimes involved in extensive bicycle projects. Typical are offering assistance to refugees to enable them bicycle mobility, bike driving schools for women and the production of commodities from bicycle parts. Even with the General German Bicycle Club eV ( ADFC ), there are compounds, eg in the form of sharing workshop spaces, in the Augsburg district association is also supporting the Bike Kitchen. The ADFC District Association Duisburg itself operates a Bike Kitchen.

The name "Bike Kitchen" is not protected. Some workshops convert from him, such as the "Velo Kitchen Dortmund ".

Activities

Some Bike Kitchens build for their own needs Freak Bikes, eg Tallbikes. Out of interest in the art, the desire for unconventionality and their beliefs (recycling and upcycling ) to carry out. Various workshops are offered, for example, to build from " waste material " special wheels as cargo bikes or bike trailer.

Most bike Kitchens are closely linked to the Critical Mass movement. This includes the organization of Naked Bike Rides.

Since 2011, annually held " Cyclo camps " in which meet operators of self-help workshops to exchange ideas and plan joint projects.

Bike Kitchen - Active engaged in many cities and politically for the bicycle as transport and other policy issues, for example, work with refugees and women's rights. In the context of refugee work - BK Active business mobile repair missions to refugee centers and organize intercultural repair courses, as needed multilingual. There are also bike - driving courses for migrants and refugees.

Also the relatively new sport bike polo is popular in the Bike Kitchen scene.

Participation in neighborhood festivals, street actions and cultural events - eg bike trail or outdoor activities (Parking Day) - also belongs to bike kitchen typical actions.

Internationally

Bicycle - yourself workshops under the name "Bike Kitchen", are distributed worldwide. About Regional awareness achieved, for example, the " London Bike Kitchen" or the "Bike Kitchen San Francisco ". In Eastern Europe arise Bike Kitchens, such as "Bike Kitchen Budapest ".

Some Bike Kitchens are already among themselves entered into partnerships or have joined together to form networks.

In Italy, the term "Bike Kitchen" rarely used here is called " Ciclofficina ". The largest are in Milan, Rome and Turin.

One of the most famous French bicycle - yourself workshops called " uN P'tit Vélo Dans La Tête " and is located in Grenoble.

Mobile Bike Kitchens

Due to the non-commercial orientation is not any Bike Kitchen in a position to finance a workshop space. An alternative is to set up a mobile workshop that can be quickly and easily brought to the site. The combination of fixed workshop and mobile use are common. There is this compact mobile workshop solutions on bike trailers or larger variants such as in Bauwägen or ISO containers. Examples are the Bike Kitchen Munich and the Bike Kitchen Linz.

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