Bike Dungeon
From Umreg.org
The Bike Dungeon is a rudimentary bike shop situated on the University of Manitoba's Fort Garry campus. We are a teaching shop, preferring that customers explore their own bikes and learn repair for themselves. We will teach those who need help and perform services for those who won't or can't.
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[edit] Origins
While exploring local cycling infrastructure, we found that Winnipeg was lacking in most categories. Eliminating those elements that we could not hope to influence - on or off-road paths and lanes, safe bicycle parking, governing, etc. - we chose to offer education and independence. While cycling is an activity that shrugs off class and gender boundaries, it is surely more profitable to people of fewer opportunities. While Winnipeg has more than enough bicycle shops catering to recreational cyclists, there are just a few whose emphasis is on transportation cycling.
Original funding to acquire capital assets was supplied by a grant from the One Tonne Challenge for Youth, while further funding by the Environmental Youth Corps has granted some independence.
[edit] Where Are You?
The Bike Dungeon is located in the UMREG student service space, at 157 Helen Glass, between the University Center loading dock and the parkade. While the borrowed space is a burden on the recycling group, finding other suitable space on campus is difficult approaching impossible.
Follow the signs in the basement of Helen Glass to UMREG, or start inside or outside at the University Centre loading dock and head west toward Helen Glass.
[edit] Appointments
If you will be needing assistance or looking to stop by outside of peak hours, it is highly recommended that you email us at bikedungeon@gmail.com or call 474-9118 to give us fair warning. As we are all students, our time is split many ways and our schedules while at the U of M are unpredictable. If you're the gambling type, feel free to stop by the UMREG office to look around.
[edit] Hours
Approximate times only, with little to no guarantee.
10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday during regular session, September 1 - May 1.
Summer session hours are TBD.
[edit] Resources
Many of the UMREG staff are able to help with simple direction and orientation.
Security Services on campus has sought a partnership with the Bike Dungeon to maintain their bike patrol bikes and offload abandoned bikes that are liberated from campus bike racks.
Collaborative Shops: Continual Cycles, The Bike Dump, Natural Cycle
City bike shops have contributed countless parts, tools, and ideas through their excellent dumpsters.
[edit] Membership
[edit] Services
We have cheap and plentiful oil, air, and grease, and we'll share them with you if your use is reasonable.
We can offer wheel truing, wheel replacement, replacement tubes, tube patching, replacement tires, bearing adjustment and repacking, chain cleaning, wheel building, etc. as either a service or as a do-it-yourself.
[edit] Used Parts
We have deraillers, shifters, brake calipers, brake levers, brake & shifter cables, brake & shifter cable housing, front and rear hubs, rims, spokes, front and rear wheels, handlebars, stems, grips, seat posts, saddles, bottom brackets, cranks, pedals, cog sets, cassettes, chains, and bearings in workable used condition, and all they often need is a good cleaning and lube, where applicable. For some parts we may ask for a few dollars donation, or just a little work cleaning and fixing used parts to replace the ones you need.
[edit] New Parts
We have varying supply of tubes, brake pads, brake & shifter cables, brake & shifter cable housing, cranks, chains, rim strips, cog sets, pedals, tires, grips, handlebar wrap, etc. that we will most often sell at the price that that part cost us. If you're able to fetch the part yourself, we can often direct you to the best place in town to get it.
[edit] Workshops
The Bike Dungeon has only given small group instruction, but its members have been involved with several workshops over the years, including: winter biking, regular maintenance, dealing with traffic
Future workshops might include: wheel building, effective bike security, preventative maintenance, safe biking
[edit] Prices
All of our prices are suggested donations. We will try to accommodate most reasonable budgets, but we cannot receive less than the amount that we paid for an item. Donations of bikes and bike parts, needed tools, and volunteer time can offset some amount on your bill. We are prepared to barter, but remember that bartering relies on goods or services that both parties value. Most of our parts are old, used, broken, dirty, and refurbished. As such, prices are negligible compared to the same part new. Most used chains are $5, while used wheels range from $10 to $25, depending largely on supply and repair time. Whenever possible, our prices for new parts will be the same as what we paid for them.
[edit] Volunteering
We can always put volunteers to work. If you have something very specific that you want to do, we'll keep out of your way. If you have time and don't care what work you do, we have an infinite supply of bearings to clean, tubes to patch, spokes to sort, wheels to disassemble, chains to clean & sort, etc. that you can help with. We'll take volunteer time to offset service costs, but we can't budge on new part costs.
[edit] Media
The Bike Dungeon was first featured in the Bulletin, a good news publication put forth by the University. The article marks the christening of the shop and highlights our funding, driving force, and mantra.
The Manitoban, the weekly student newspaper, was the avenue for an anti-cyclist rant in March 2007 to which many, us included, have responded.
[edit] Links
[edit] Local
The Bike Dump is the best community bike shop in town, rather pioneering for Winnipeg, even has a good entry at the Bike Collectives Wiki.
Sanctoral Cycle is a bike co-op at the Canadian Mennonite University.
Continual Cycles is the only mobile repair shop in town.
Natural Cycle is a great co-operative shop in downtown Winnipeg.
Manitoba Cycling Association handles most competitive racing in the province and has been working more on recreational and commuter cycling lately. They also operate the Swap Shop.
Bike to the Future is an effective local advocacy group for Winnipeg and Manitoba.
One Green City is an effort to develop an active transportation network in Winnipeg.
MSTN, the Manitoba Student Transportation Network, promotes sustainable transportation through educational programs and events.
Velodonnas is a Winnipeg based female cycling club.
[edit] Repair & Knowledge
Park Tools has all the right tools, plus a good repair tutorial section.
Sheldon Brown is the best bike resource online. Read every section and every page for a really good start.
Jobst Brandt, author of The Bicycle Wheel, posted most of the articles on this site, a logical analysis of common bike myths and physics.
Jim Langley has some repair tips for you.
[edit] Advocacy
[edit] Interest
The Bike Collective Network brings together bike collectives and co-operatives from around the world, provides a knowledge base for current and future community bike projects, and operates the Bike Collectives Wiki
